The family and the servant

Today I was home in Pittsburgh for the last time until tour starts (or until the Penguins make it to the Stanley Cup Finals which in that case I will be home). I had and opportunity to spend most of the day with my family. We did our usual thing: Church in the morning and brunch at Grandma's after. I had an opportunity to learn that next weekend both my sister and my cousin (who are both 18) are going to be baptized at church. I am so proud of them. They have been so faithful in seeking out God. I'm even more "proud" of how God has brought this to be. I know that I have been actively involved in my Aunt Noreen's life and have had opportunities to talk to her about the Lord. She was baptized just a couple months ago, and now that has trickled down to her son and also my sister. It truly is amazing how God works. I've been so scared that I would push away my ever wondering family, and in my times of being the most discouraged God steps in and "saves the day". I've been praying for these guys on a semi-regular basis and God really has been faithful. I observed both my sister and my cousin during service this morning, and it is clearly evident that they love the Lord and are growing every day. After this weekend, even amidst all the problems we've had, I couldn't ask for a better family. I love them more than anything on this planet.

I'm trying to start a new devotional thing by reading through the Gospels the next couple of weeks. I am starting with the Gospel of Mark. As I began tonight, I read in my Bible's intro that Mark does a good job of showing Jesus' servant side. The author of the intro quoted Mark 10:45 which says:

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

I got these pictures in my head, firstly of a person in leadership, no one in particular, but somebody who has some kind of authority who wants the spotlight on him. He wants all the attention. And then here's the king of the universe (the king now, mind you), and he didn't come to have anybody wipe his butt, he came to wipe other people's butts and then die for their butts. Ridiculous. I've had an opportunity to really think about all the paradoxical things that God has done on this planet, and when you sit down and think about it, it really is amazing. The king of all there is came to be a servant and die for many. I find it amazing that so many people have misconceptions about God, even "Christians". God's driving force is love and he displays it through servanthood. What other religions can claim to have a God that serves them (not only that, but also dies because of His love for them)? God's still working me through a very tough time, and although the road gets bumpy sometimes, I have hope because I know he's doing the opposite of what I think he should do.He's breaking the stereotype. He's not against me, he's for me, and he wants to work things out for my good because He loves me. What can separate us from the love of God? What was that? Oh yeah...nothing. That's what I thought you said.