It’s a new week and so here is another shirt from The Chosen gift factory. I’m also showing you my The Chosen tumbler, which I use every single day for my water. I think this shirt is actually the first one I bought from them for myself, and it’s based on a marvelous line from one of the episodes in the first season. It talks about the conversion the character Mary Magdalene had…which is exactly the change that should happen to each of us when we surrender ourselves to Jesus, our Savior. It says, “I was one way and now I am completely different and the thing that happened in between was Him.” And of course, the words are in the shape of a cross that just points us towards Jesus more which I love! Notice also how it features a fish going in one direction, but them it turns around and goes the opposite way. This idea is known as “against the current.” (here’s another shirt that shows this concept more clearly) My Friends, this is who we are after we surrender our lives to Jesus and it is how we are supposed to live once we become a New Creation in Christ. Because of Him, even though we might have been going one way, living life for MMI, when He calls out our name, everything changes. And because He is Love, He will not stop pursuing us until the final moments of our lives here, hoping that we will turn around and begin to follow Him. As I have said before, God gives us countless opportunities to receive the conversion this shirt talks about, what is important to note is how, once we are converted, we should begin to live against the current culture.
Counter-cultural. We might not often think of Jesus this way, but He was a rebel. He came to turn the world upside down, or more accurately, right side up. This The Chosen series shows every facet of Jesus and it is so refreshing to see how confident and strong and yet so humble Jesus really is. I honestly believe the show’s portrayal of our King is spot on! He stands firm and does not allow any earthly authority to sway Him from doing what He came to this earth to do. Yet He will not allow anyone or anything to cause Him to be anyone other than who He is. Confident. Stable. Strong. And all this in the face of increasing pressure and persecution, not to mention the immaturity of those following Him. And at the same time He is so compassionate and empathetic. He feels everything our broken and hurting hearts feels.
This is what really makes this show so powerful. We get to see what it might have been like for Jesus to daily interact with all sorts of people. The Bible Itself says, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” (Jn 21:25) And so even if the details of these relationships shown on this show are not written in Scripture, it stands to reason that Jesus did have these types of dealings with those around Him. It draws us closer to our Savior to visualize Him in these very real relationships and situations. Certainly His godly friendship with Mary Magdalene is one of the highlights. We know she was demon filled but the moment Jesus called out to her, she became spirit filled. He completely changed her life…and He can do the same for you and me. Back to our book tomorrow…
2023’s Got A Minute? Book Club
January: The First & Best Book Ever: The Bible
February: Love Is In the Air: “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts” by Gary Chapman
March: Spring Growth: “Secrets of the Vine” by Bruce Wilkinson
April: Living the Resurrected Life: “The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life” by Dr Charles Stanley
May: My Spiritual Mom: “Making Good Habits Breaking Bad Habits” by Joyce Meyer
June: Spiritual Dad: “It’s Not About Me- Rescue from the Life We Thought Would Make Us Happy” by Max Lucado
July: Financial Freedom “Complete Guide to Money” by Dave Ramsey
August: Summer’s Soul Restorer “A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23” by W Phillip Keller
September: Covering Our Children: “Prayers for the Prodigals” by James Banks
October: Reformation of Our Hearts: “Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine” by Max Lucado
November: So Thankful To Be Chosen: “The Chosen 40 Days with Jesus Book One, Book Two & Book Three” by Amanda Jenkins, Kristen Hendricks and Dallas Jenkins
<>< Peace, Diane
