Peter SmytheDecidedly Unprofessional

It appears that I’ve been “tagged.” I haven’t been tagged since I used to play Freeze Tag in our front yard when I was a kid. Michael over at Charismatica put me on a Wiki list (I don’t have a clue of what that even is) for me to shout out “5 Things I Dig About Jesus.” Given that I shy away from even having a favorite verse (when someone tells me his, I always think of another one), this is none too easy. Anyway, here’s what came to mind:

1. He emptied Himself of His glory for me. Before becoming a man, this second person of the Godhead, however glorious He was, created stars that are billions of miles wide, Saturn’s unique rings and moons, galaxies that stretch well beyond even my imagination, and dogs and birds and cats and squirrels that all have their own personalities and idiosyncrasies. Yet possessing so much glory, He agreed to become a man, even as a baby born in a filthy manger, to save my soul - even when I didn’t know Him.

2. He didn’t shrink back. In the wilderness when He had fasted for forty days and the devil came to tempt Him, He didn’t give in to those beguiling temptations. When He stood before Pilate and could have called down 12 legions of angels, He kept silent as a Lamb led to slaughter. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He experienced the absolute terror of becoming sin on the cross and dying apart from the Father. He was so terrorized by it that His capillaries burst and He literally sweat blood. When it was apparent that there was no other way to save me, He didn’t shrink back.

3. He was so single-minded about the Father and the Plan of Redemption. A disciple comes to him and says, “My father died, I need to bury him,” and He responds, “Let the dead bury the dead of themselves.” Some others ask Him about His family and He answers, “Who is my mother and brother? Those who do my Father’s will.” And we all remember, “Don’t you know that I’d be about my Father’s business?”

4. He’s got the most intriguing personality that I’ve ever seen. He stood above Jerusalem and burst into tears saying, “How I would have gathered you like a hen gathers its chicks.” But to those same people He said, “You are of your father the devil and the lusts of him you desire to do.” He repeatedly lashed out at his disciples, “How long do I have to put up with you,” but He willingly laid down His life for every one of them.

5. He’s never left me and He never will. There are those who live with a Jesus caged in black letters on white pages, but I’m not one of them. Every day I know all the more that He is truly with me and He’s not silent. He speaks about His Word, His Body and even about me to me. Sometimes He speaks and His voice is so tender and sweet that I can’t help being overwhelmed with tears and joy if I tried. Other times when He speaks … well … He’s the bomb (there’s just no other way to put it). Sometimes knowing that He is actually in the room makes all the difference.

From this Wiki exercise, I guess I’m supposed to “tag” some other folks. These are they:

• Exist-Dissolve - I’m not sure who this guy is, but he’s a hoot.
• Gift of Tongues - Mel Montgomery has done a good job in putting together resources on the Pentecostal movement.
• Mark Heath - Mark is a famous pneumablogger.
• Mark Brand - Mark is a pastor in Dallas, Texas and all-around good guy.

Tomorrow I’ll get back to the “View From the Pew” series.