Flu and A Good Word

After our hospital week last week, we had a fun weekend.  Saturday night our small group met together for dinner.  We usually go around the table giving each person the chance to share whatever is on their heart:  a word of encouragement, asking for help about an issue or giving an update as to what is going on with them.  No pressure..just a time to be accountable or not.  Sometimes we worship together but we do always pray for one another.  It was a highlight of the weekend.

Sunday found us at church in the morning, running errands in the afternoon and then to the hockey year-end-party in the evening.

Then the flu bug caught me.  Monday early, early morning my tummy was not a happy camper.  Because The Husband gets dehydrated after one puke event (was that too much information?) I moved to the basement bedroom and bathroom so I didn't expose him to any germs.  There I lived from Monday morning until this morning.  Thankfully I am better.

As I came upstairs today and turned the daily calendar on the Max Lucado devotional, I just knew I had to share this with you.  From his book, Next Door Savior, this is Max Lucado.  And this is a 'good word':

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You've barely dipped a toe into Matthew's gospel when you realize Jesus hails from the Tilted-Halo Society.  Rahab was a Jericho harlot.  Grandpa Jacob was slippery enough to warrant an electric ankle bracelet.  David had a personality as irregular as a Picasso painting--one day writing psalms, another day seducing his captain's wife.  But did Jesus erase his name from the list?  Not at all...

Why did Jesus hang his family's dirty laundry on the neighborhood clothesline?  Because your family has some too...[and] Jesus wants you to know, "I've been there."... To the lonely, Jesus whispers, "I've been there."  To the discouraged, Christ nods his head and sighs, "I've been there."

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Isn't that a good word?  None of us comes from a perfect family.  None of us is perfect.  Jesus wants us to know that He understands.  That because He walked on this earth He  can say "I've been there".  He is the one that has overcome all.  He is the 'good word' that we should look to in all circumstances in our lives.

May you know Him, personally.  The one that says "I've been there....for you."