My apologies to you guys for another extended absence from blogging. My parents visited from Virginia this week...and being the momma's boy that I am, I never left their side. :) From this point on though, expect regular entries every other day or so.

Goodness gracious...for the past 3 or 4 weeks, my life has been anything but normal! I returned from the mission trip two weeks ago from today and housesat for the two weeks after that. In the middle of all that, my parents made the two-day drive down from Virginia. Last night was the first night I've slept in my own house since July 5th!!!

In the midst of all this craziness, there's so much to look back on...but as I focus on the mission trip itself, I make it a point to remember each face in the group that went and the expressions on Ann and Laymon's faces as we spent time with them while repairing their home. There is no doubt Texan and Tennesseean lives were changed that week....even a Virginian's life was forever changed! :) Yet despite this, its so easy to forget the week...forget God's working on our lives. It seems hard, especially when looking at the previous journal entry where we looked at those who met Jesus and were never the same afterwards. However, on the flipside, there are those who met Jesus but weren't catapulted into a new life of love and power. Just look at Judas, one of Christ's own disciples! Furthermore, take a look at the rich young man in Mark 10. These were fella's who met Jesus, talked with him, dined with him, and even followed him but chose paths contrary to what Christ taught. Judas even handed Christ over to authorities to be arrested!

So as we look at the choices we have once Christ is met, look at the examples in Scriptures:

1. You have folks like Paul and the Samaritan woman at the well who change their lives and the lives of those around them once they experience Christ!

2. You also have those like the rich young man and Judas who, sadly, turn away from His teaching and lead lives of destruction.

Why did the two different groups choose the paths they took? Well, I'm not too certain, but I have an idea....

Turn to Isaiah 6. Found it yet? Its the book in b/w Genesis and Revelation. :)

In this passage, Isaiah met God as well. His meeting was probably a bit similar to Paul's meeting w/ Christ. Read verses 1-4. Can you imagine what it would have been like to go through that?? I probably would have wet my pants!!! To see the Lord "high and lifted up"...with the angels singing...which of course caused everything around poor Isaiah to shake and tremble!

What happens next is important: In verse 5 once Isaiah witnesses the presence of the Lord, he sees how low and sinful and dirty he is. He cries out "Woe is me!!" I can only imagine what that would have felt like...he probably felt like he should have died right then and there. But in the verses to follow, Isaiah was touched by God, and told that he was cleansed and forgiven. Wow!! How awesome that must have been!!!

So when we look at the 4 characters we've talked about recently--Paul, the Samaritan woman, the rich young man, and Judas--they probably all had similar feelings around Christ. To witness the power of Jesus, whether it be through his presence, miracles, perfect life, or amazing teachings probably left them all feeling worthless and dirty. I know it would me!

But the difference b/w them all is their reactions:

--The Samaritan woman, who had slept with many men outside of marriage and was probably the joke of the town, realized she was cut free from the slavery of guilt and sin and went to boldly tell the good news!

--Paul, who was responsible for the persecution and deaths of Christians, and even called himself the worst of sinners dropped the weight of sin off his back and ran the race Christ marked for him. (Hebrews 12:1)

However,
--The rich young man walked away from Jesus in sadness b/c he was more in love with his money than the Lord. Mark 10:22

--Judas ended up hanging himself over the despair he had after turning Christ, his own friend, in to be murdered.Matthew 27

So what will you choose? We all know we've sinned Romans 3:23. We look at Christ and what he's done for us and we can't help but cry out, "Woe is me! What good am I?!?! I'm nothing but a dirty, rotten person!"

But if we let him, Christ will touch us and wipe off that dirtiness...that guilt...that shame the disables us. He did it for Isaiah, for the Samaritan woman, for Paul, and for countless others. He'll do it for us too. We just need to ask and let Him.