sure not daily....

I thought a lot about Samson...  still think he is a big jerk that shouldn't be on Sunday school leaflets or children's Bible Story books.  But God's grace explains a lot.  I also thought about the lesson that might be learned by parents through this account.  Perhaps if Samson's parents had not indulged his every whim he would have lived a different life.  Either way God in His wisdom picked Samson and used him.  We really cannot out sin God's grace. 

I am reading a book that Kate needs to read for her leadership group at Martin Luther Chapel at Michigan State.  It is called "Out of the Salt Shaker"  it is about evangelism and I am really enjoying it.  Evangelism is something I struggle with as I am often not sure how to balance respecting people and their beliefs and sharing mine.  I also think most of the evangelism tactics are not just ineffective, but rude and judgemental.  I don't want to be like that.  This book starts out addressing that same concern.  I'm excited about reading this book and seeing what I have to learn.  The author spends a lot of time talking about Jesus and his life and his example.  To that end I am going to concentrate my thoughts as I continue my reading journey on Christ and his example as best I can.  Here is today's reading from John and my thoughts about it:

John 6

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

 ¹After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is  the Sea of Tiberias. ²And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.(Rock star status...) ³Jesus went up on  the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. ⁴Now  the Passover, the  feast of the Jews, was at hand. ⁵ Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?"(Sometimes it is a good strategy to ask a question that you know the answer to.) ⁶He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. ⁷  Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." ⁸One of his disciples,  Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ⁹"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?"(Sharing what you have is place to start. Jesus does the multiplying and the meeting of needs)  ¹⁰Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. ¹¹Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks,(be thankful for what you have, before you have more) he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. ¹²And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost."(don't waste, even when you have an abundance of things) ¹³So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. ¹⁴When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, "This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!"
 ¹⁵ Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. ( a time to regroup and refocus may be in order when you are misunderstood)

Jesus Walks on Water

 ¹⁶When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, ¹⁷got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. ¹⁸The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. ¹⁹When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. ²⁰ But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." ²¹Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.