Hug.

A friend passed this on to me today.....and it so resonated with my heart.  Thought I'd pass it on too...

I read about how you touched them and they were healed...

Or even if someone just touched your cloak they were forever changed.
You let a broken women bathe your feet in her tears...
And you washed your best friend’s feet.
I am just wondering though-did you just ever hug people?

I mean, I know that it is a silly question and all... I am sure you would have. Why wouldn’t you?
But its one of those things that was never mentioned, and that got me thinking about it.

And how whenever there was a touch from you,  sins were forgiven and sickness fell. 
I know you have forgiven my sins, and the last time I checked all my body parts were properly working. Nothing special here.
I am just a kid with a heavy heart these passing sunrises and sunsets.

I don’t think our encounter would have ended up in the gospels or anything...
because all I really need is a hug. 
That is ok for me to imagine right?
That’s not going to be conflicting with any sort of theology, is it?
Ok good... then hug me.

But not one of these sideways one arm around the neck type hugs....
Or the ghetto right-hand, clasp-fists, elbows to chest, pit pat on the back-back kind of hug...
Or you put your right arm over my right arm and I put my left arm over your left arm and we make this weird sort of diagonal thing.
Nah, none of those

Bear Hug Me!

Take your old-school carpenter arms...and throw them over my upper body leaving my arms dangling underneath yours somewhere to where I can barely move them because your squeezing so hard.

And just hold me, hold me here in your arms until I start to cry.... because
I WANT to cry... but I just can’t seem to do it on my own.
I have even been teary eyed recently, but not even enough for a drip down my cheek.
There's just hurt in my soul that needs to be purged...so hug me....and hold me in this hold pose until the pain is flowing from my eyes and I am Yours. 

-Bradley Hathaway

Am I toothpaste?

This week has been a crazy blur.  Insane busyness, blessed conversations, and lots of learning.  Tonight, I was reminded of an illustration I used a few years ago while teaching about the condition of the heart.  It may be a little cheesy, but bear with me here...

So much of our society these days is consumed with image- how we appear to those around us. What we look like, how we act- how we are perceived.  And whether we realize it or not, most of us probably have an image in our minds of how we would like to be perceived by others.  Beautiful?  Popular?  Athletic?  Generous? Powerful?  These are just a few things.  We may even alter the way we dress, the way we speak, the careers we choose or the people we surround ourselves with in order to be perceived in a certain way.  The way that we think we should be perceived....the way we want to be perceived.   

Of course, there is nothing wrong with perception in and of itself, it is only natural to discern characteristics of others based on their behaviors.  The trouble arises when we decide that how we are perceived is more important than who we truly are.  When the focus becomes the external rather than the internal.  You see, it is possible for a time to convince others that we are something other than what we are.  The key is...for a time.

Take a tube of toothpaste for example.  It looks like a tube of toothpaste.  It comes in a box that says toothpaste on it.  Heck, it even says toothpaste right on the tube!  Why would you believe there was anything but toothpaste inside that tube?  But what if....when you squeezed that tube....mud came out?  Well obviously if that really happened it would freak me out- I mean seriously who would want to brush their teeth with mud?  

While it's a silly example, this is life.  It is so easy for us to get caught up in our image- in what we appear to be rather than who we actually are.  You see, we may want everyone to think we are toothpaste.  We may look like it, feel like it, and act like it.  But inevitably there will come a time when we are squeezed....when we are tested, and the mud that is really inside our tube will come out.  

I know I sound crazy talking about toothpaste, but the picture is so clear to me. It's like this with my heart.  I want to be the real deal.  I don't want to just say that I love the Lord....that I want to follow Him.....and that He is my everything.  I want my heart to be pure.  Generous.  Giving.  When I am squeezed, when I am tested- I want nothing but His love to pour out.  My desire is that I would be able to say without hesitation... as Paul said..."Follow Me as I follow Christ."  

So, am I toothpaste?  I hope so.  Please forgive my crazy analogies once again... :)