LENT Day 32 – Unique

He won’t draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said.  – John 16

I like to cook.  Like I really like to cook.  I’ve always enjoyed being in the kitchen.  I remember in high school making my very first meatballs and serving them to my parents for dinner.  I recall they didn’t taste so good but my dad was very appreciative.  A few mistakes over the years didn’t stop me from continuing to try.

When my husband and I got married I wanted dinner at our house to be unique which was the furthest from predictable.  I didn’t want the same five meals to fill our weeks.  I would scour the internet and magazines and keep all the recipes.  I was determined to never make the same thing twice.  Then one evening sometime after I had my babies, my husband said to me, “You know it’s okay if you make something twice, right?  Like if we like something we can eat it again?”  I don’t recall even knowing what to say except okay. Which meant the recipes we didn’t all care for got tossed, the ones we all universally liked were kept in a large book.

I realize now, many years later, that instead of cooking unique meals, I have a unique cooking style.  No one makes things exactly like me.  No one puts things together exactly like me.  I can follow a recipe but make it my own by not following it exactly or adding something else to it.

Following Jesus is like cooking meals.  I can sit down in worship next to someone who believes in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit just like I do.  But they don’t have a relationship with God that is exactly like mine.  They won’t follow God exactly like I do.  And they won’t bring exactly the same things to the table that I do.  Faith is unique to every person.  There is only one God, one Jesus, one Spirit.  There is only one you and one me.  God didn’t create a cookie cutter faith where you have to follow a recipe exactly for Him to love you.  Completely opposite of that, He wants us to add a little spice here or there and make the recipe our own.  He wants us to enjoy the life we live as a result of that faith and we can only do that by making it uniquely our own!

Jesus wanted his children to know that without him leaving, there couldn’t be a Spirit that would come.  And that Spirit was unique and special.  So special, that each of us would need it in order to make sense of this chaotic world.  Jesus explains the Spirit and why it’s so special and just what it will do.  I’m pretty sure that he wants us to remember that each of us is unique and have done great things because he died that day on the cross.

God didn’t want each of us to look the same, act the same, and be the same.  He created each one of us unique in our own way.  Even identical twins are uniquely their own people.  We must never be sad that we aren’t like someone else.  We were instead created  to be unique.  We must never be angry because someone’s political views aren’t like ours.  We were created to be unique.

A unique you means there is only one of you.  A unique you means you were made extra special in the image of God.  A unique you means that when you are filled with the Spirit you can do great things in Jesus name.  Hallelujah!

STUDY – John 16 (The Friend Will Come) – The Message Bible

“I didn’t tell you this earlier because I was with you every day.  But now I am on my way to the one who sent me.  Not one of you has asked, ‘Where are you going?’  Instead, the longer I’ve talked, the sadder you’ve become.  So let me say it again, this truth:  It’s better for you that I leave.  If I don’t leave, the Friend won’t come.  But if I go, I’ll send him to you.

“When he comes, he’ll expose the error of the godless world’s view of sin, righteousness, and judgment:  He’ll show them that their refusal believe in me is their basic sin; that righteousness comes from above, where I am with the Father, out of their sight and control; that judgment  takes place as the ruler of this godless world is brought to trial and convicted.

“I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t handle them now.  But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is.  He won’t draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and , indeed, out of all that I have done and said.  He will honor me; he will take from me and deliver it to you.  Everything the Father has is also mine.  That is why I’ve said, ‘He takes from me and delivers to you.’

“In a day or so you’re not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me.”