Will you Meet Me Here?

The guys are giving me a hard time. Peter especially thinks he's so tough. They make fun of me saying, "Jesus loves John more than anyone." Jesus loves us all, that's just the way He is. I'd rather be at Jesus' side than anywhere else. There's just something about Him. I can't explain it. He keeps telling us He's going away soon. No one seems to get it. It scares me.

"Will you meet me here?" Jesus asked us to meet together for the Passover Feast. He took off His robe and knelt down beside each of us with a bucket of water and washed our feet. Peter fought Him but I enjoyed every second. Jesus, My Teacher and Friend, loved me enough to wash my stinking feet. I suppose I should have been embarrassed but I love His touch and the way He looks at me. He asked us to meet with Him but really, He met with us, right where we were. Glad I went. So glad He showed up.

Jesus asked us to meet Him again; me, my brother James, and Peter. He wanted us to watch and pray. I was getting drowsy so I got up and followed Him. He was so upset He was sweating blood. I wanted to run to Him and lay my head on His knees. I wanted Him to reassure me everything would be okay but I knew it wouldn’t be the truth. We prayed ourselves right to sleep that night. Jesus heard us sleeping before He saw us. Peter's the loudest sleeper ever. We just couldn't stay awake - it must've been the wine. No excuse. Jesus warned us that the "spirit was willing but the body was weak." Jesus needed us that night and we failed Him.

"Oh, God! NO!" They came and took Jesus away. Judas - that traitorous leach! I stood and watched while my Teacher was arrested. At least Peter drew his sword. Just one more time – let me feel His touch one more time!

I felt Jesus calling me, "Will you meet me here?" We met at the cross. Jesus gave me charge of His dear mother. He knew we would both need each other as His last moments played out. I tried to shield Mary from the awful reality but she wouldn't hear of it. “I'm here, Jesus. I met You here like You asked. Jesus. Je-sus! I can't live without You." We all knelt there at His feet - tears of despair and anguish sopping the ground.

I heard Jesus calling me again, "Will you meet Me here?" Peter and I both ran to the tomb. I beat Peter there but was scared to go on in. Peter pushed me away. "Coward," he said. The tomb was empty. What do I tell Mary?

I can tell her He's alive! Did you hear me? Jesus is alive! We all had that urge to meet together - He drew us together by whispering to our hearts, "Will you meet me here?" He breathed on us and gave us Someone He called the Holy Spirit. He stayed with us for forty days, teaching us. I didn't leave His side for a second. We understood, this time, that He was leaving us soon. As the days swept past us, deep in our hearts we all knew our time with Jesus was running out. One day He explained our mission - to spread the Good News to the whole world. While we listened to Him teach, Jesus was whisked away. One second He was there; the next: vanished. We stood there, staring into the sky. We'd probably still be gawking if two angels hadn't told us to stop it. Jesus spoke again, "Will you meet Me here?" We all heard it. We were together when we were filled with the Promised Holy Spirit. He met us where we were with tongues of fire. We were now ready to minister in the power of His Spirit.

I was called to meet Jesus on this deserted island of Patmos, The Alpha and Omega met with me. I knew it was Him by His touch. He asked me to write Revelation for all future believers. Jesus says, "Will you meet me here?" He’s asking to meet you, won’t you worship at his feet? Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing – “Will you meet Him here?” Trust me, there’s nothing like hearing His voice and feeling His touch!

Written by Laury Hubrich
10/10/07 for the worship challenge)

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Life on Hold

I am on vacation visiting my very best friend in Washington state.  Mari enjoys showing me the beauty that surrounds her.  It really is awesome.  Every time we go outside or look out the window, the scene has changed.  It goes from sunny and blue skies so I can see the mountains to gray and cloudy with the mountains shrouded.  Another time I look and the top of the foothills are covered with snow.  It doesn't matter what the weather, it's a perpetual, ever-changing masterpiece.  Awesome.  

I can't wait until I'm able to get the thoughts in my mind onto the computer screen.  Right now I'm too busy living it to write.  When I get home that will happen.  

For now, I enjoy sitting beside Mari as we both work on our laptops.  We've cooked together and watched movies and giggled late into the night.  Her husband has been so patient with us.  

It's truly an awesome place, but still - there's no place like home.  I am grateful when I get there my husband will be waiting for me.  I am blessed to have such a close friend and a faithful husband.  God is good, all the time.

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El Market Day

This is a true story loosely based on an event that happened to the native Haitian Pastor Remito Eustache at Haitian Christian Outreach. God is doing mighty work in this destitute country. I wrote this for the Shhh topic for the FW's challenge last week. I didn't get an EC but I did make number 35 of the top 40.

Go visit Karlene's blog  for lots of great stories!

El Market Day

El Market Day spectators and sellers milled about: buying, selling, and bringing each other up-to-date on the latest gossip. My group and I quickly became part of the five thousand plus crowd. Deafened by the drone of voices, it caught us by surprise when all suddenly grew silent, from the outer section inward.

Heads tilted in to hear the whispered secret passed quickly from person-to-person until it reached my ears. “Andre is here, Pastor. You better leave quickly.”

Fear gripped me immediately. My wife stood so close I could hear her whispered prayer. I shouldn’t have brought my family out today without a body guard. I should have listened to the warnings.

The safest thing to do would be to leave quickly. The crowd gave me space to do so, but I felt God-strength rise in me, probably from my faithful wife’s prayers. We stood together and waited for the inevitable.

A man walked slowly to us, his eyes fixed on mine. At six feet, he towered over my average stature. Andre, the most feared man in Haiti, soon stood within arm’s length of me. One of the men in our group moved my wife away. I missed her calm presence and incredible faith.

The curious people gathered in close when they heard Andre speak. “Are you RoRo?”

I nodded.

Much to my amazement and relief, this voodoo witchdoctor stuck his hand out for me to shake.

“You’ve done something for my son that I wasn’t able to do.” From out behind the man came his son, wearing a familiar pair of tennis shoes. I heard my wife, Eline gasp.

Memories flooded me.

^^^^^^^^^^

The hot sun beat down on the short-term missionary group from the states. I’m always amazed when others take hold of my vision. My dream to build a Christian retreat for missionaries and Haitian children to attend was a gigantic undertaking, but our God is a dream-fulfiller.

The small group stopped for a break, but a dark-skinned boy, in the midst of winter white, sun-burnt adults, kept at his self-appointed job: carrying rocks. Remito was ten years old, but because of malnutrition, looked to be around eight. I had seen him hanging around, and happy to have his help, I put him to work. If anything, it kept him out of trouble and provided him a good lunch.

Later that day, my wife walked to my side carrying a brand new pair of tennis shoes. She stood on tiptoe to whisper in my ear, “RoRo, go talk to him.”

Together we walked over to the boy. “Remito?”

“Yes, Mister Pastor?”

“These shoes will make your work easier. Would you like them?”

Remito smiled big.

“Put them on and go play now. You’ve done a good job today,” I told him.

When he got to his friends, he stuck out one foot to show off his new possession then he pointed to us and waved.

^^^^^^^^

The young boy said, “Hi, Mister Pastor. Thank you for the shoes.”

I collided back to the present at his words. “You’re welcome.”

We heard the murmuring of the crowd. My relief proved to be their disappointment. The leading witch doctor in all Southeast Haiti didn’t live up to his reputation. Instead, he amazed us all. He took his son’s hand and placed it in mine.

He said loudly for all to hear, “I want you to take my son and teach him to follow your Jesus.”

“What about you, Andre?” Boldness welled up inside me.

“It’s too late for me.”

“It’s not too late.” The crowd quieted again as I shared with Andre about the grace of God.

“I know the Spirit within you is far greater than the spirit within me.” He had never read the Bible, but he knew this truth.

I shared with Andre the plan of salvation in that crowded village square, and within weeks, both he and Remito gave their lives to Christ. The two led the way as we marched to his temple. We tore it down then set it on fire, along with all his tools used for ‘doctoring.’ The villagers looked on in fear as the building went up in flames but there was no missing the drastic change in the former witch doctor’s countenance. All of us together, including the confused and angry villagers, walked to the river. Nothing was shushed about that day. Even the angels rejoiced loudly when Andre and Remito were baptized into Christ.

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Sunday in the Word

^{My friend, Becky Glenn, shared these verses with me and they are awesome so I am passing them on to you.  Wonderful truths here and such encouragement.}  

God's loyal love couldn't have run out,
   his merciful love couldn't have dried up.
They're created new every morning.
   How great your faithfulness!
I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over).
   He's all I've got left. 

 God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
   to the woman who diligently seeks.
It's a good thing to quietly hope,
   quietly hope for help from God.
It's a good thing when you're young
   to stick it out through the hard times.

When life is heavy and hard to take,
   go off by yourself. Enter the silence.
Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions:
   Wait for hope to appear.

Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face.
   The "worst"  is never the worst.

 Why? Because the Master won't ever
   walk out and fail to return.
If he works severely, he also works tenderly.
   His stockpiles of loyal love are immense.
He takes no pleasure in making life hard,

in throwing roadblocks in the way...

Lamentations 3:22-33 (The Message)

Great is His faithfulness indeed!

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As the Plates Twirl

I don't know how many times I've declared my life is out of balance, my priorities are off.  I've also heard many other women say the same thing but you know what?  I've never once heard a man say that.  I wonder why?


Maybe because we, as women, have more plates spinning at the same time than men.  They are more task oriented.  They pigeon hole their jobs and then leave them when done. 


It's not like you can leave a screaming baby while you finish your Bible reading in the morning.  You combine a telephone call while making supper, and at the same time you solve childish arguments and try to disengage little hands pulling at your sweat pants before those said pants bunch at your knees.  Many women also add to that a job out of the home, preparing children for childcare, getting lunches ready...  Wow!  No wonder we feel out of balance.  How do we twirl all those plates so they don't fall down and shatter?

Well, I don't have an answer.  In fact, I don't have all those responsibilities anymore, only having a 16-year-old left at home, and I still fall off the tightrope and break lots of plates.  I'm so thankful God isn't interested in my works but He's interested in my heart and my worship.  


Everything we do, we need to do it like we're doing it for the Lord.  Include Him in your life.  Talk to Him continually.  Break out in song, even if you make up words, because sometimes that can be the very best worship.  Include your little kids in a dance across the kitchen, twirling them high in the air. When we love on those around us, it's loving on God.  

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."  Mark 12:30 (NIV)

Let's worship God today by including Him in all we do. Let God help you keep those plates spinning and ask Him to help you balance out your life. 

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