Trey Tuesday - April 12, 2011

This Trey Tuesday will you join me in a pre-Easter journey as Jesus prepares for His labor of love for you and for me?

"Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill Him.  “But not during the Feast,” they said, “or the people may riot."

The chief priests and scribes were willing to kill Jesus, they just wanted to be politically correct about it!!!!
Did you ever try to squeeze between the lines with God? 
Do you count on the "gray" area in life - somewhere juuuuust between wrong and really wrong?

Do you stay far away from the "line" of sin in your life - or do you teeter on the edge?

Prepare your heart and attitude for a posture of prayer.  Extinguish any ulterior motives and

worship our Sacrificial Lamb!  Our Triumphant King!  Our Lord!

"While Jesus was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on His head.

Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume?  It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly."

Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, was about to sacrifice His pure life, untouched by sin for the sake of all

of us!  He was about to take all our sins to the cross, securing our relationship with God!  BUT>>>what became the focus here?  Whining about money!  The woman's whole-hearted devotion to Jesus was overlooked by those whining.

She broke her jar....costly.

She used all the expensive perfume/essential oil...costly.

She poured all the perfume on to Jesus' head...costly.

They perceived her devotion, her act of service as a waste.  Jesus calls it something quite different!

Watch carefully:

“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to Me.

The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have Me.

She did what she could."

On behalf of Trey we gather today.  Thank you all for being like the woman in today's scripture: 

Thank you for doing what you can - regardless of your time, money, and ability - as your spiritual act of worship!

Thank you, prayer warriors, for lifting up our little boy as he fights his fight and wins his race!  

Thank you, meal providers, for serving the Mitlos with their daily bread.

Thank you, blood donors, for giving of your very own blood.

Thank you, gift and mail senders, for sharing your thoughts and your treasures.

Thank you, marathon runners, for your time in training and discipline.

Thank you, family and friends and school and church and Facebook and Caring Bridge friends, for your always encouraging comments and uplifting messages!

Please offer a prayer of thanks to God as Trey's numbers have gone (WAY!) up this week!

We're also so thankful that Trey's extra 2 weeks "off" chemo have provided time for him to regain strength and weight!

Please ask for God's peace that passes understanding and good health for Jay and Rachel as they begin another session of juggling schedules and children and activities.

Please pray for Joe and Bella to remain content and secure during this turbulent time.

And of course, please pray that the chemo does its job - that it eradicates the cancer in Trey - without causing stomach upset which causes weakness and nausea and lowering numbers...God is able!

Jay's update today asks you for the same selfless, priceless act of the woman from Bethany.  Wherever you are, whoever you are, in the name of Jesus, please do a beautiful thing - Do what you can.

From Jay:

We love you all and feel the love that you have for us and especially our boy. Let us all go confidently before the Lord and seek His Will and Provision this week. Lastly, listen closely as you pray as He may very well lead you into actions for others who have nothing to do with Trey. Thanks again!

"Jesus said, 'I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what this woman has done will also be told, in memory of her."

Mark 14:1-9