Happy Plenty-Cost!!
from the June 2015 Messenger
Happy Plenty-Cost!!
My Big Guy has been reading to me from the book of the Acts of the Apostles. I think he is looking for my advice, because he keeps hearing how people like my articles. He has been re-reading the part from the 2nd Chapter around Plenty-Cost, when the disciples received the Holy Spirit, and flames appeared on their heads, and they could speak with different tongues.
That must have been really tough. My mouth is pretty big, and only one tongue can fit in there. Having a different tongue in there would be really strange. But through the Holy Spirit, everything is possible.
What I thought was really interesting was that the people who were telling the people in Jerusalem to repent and return to God were the same ones who abandoned and denied Jesus when he was handed over to be crucified.
I wondered how they could tell others what to do, when they didn’t do the right thing themselves. It’s like me telling others not to chew on things. I would be a hypocrite.
Then I remembered that in the time from Easter, when Jesus was raised, until just before Plenty-Cost, Jesus was with these guys. He forgave them for abandoning him and denying him. It’s just like when My Big Guy forgives me when I chew on stuff I’m not supposed to.
Instead of them being the wrong people to call others to repent, they were the exact right ones to do that. They knew from first-hand experience what it was like to be forgiven, to receive grace and mercy from the Messiah.
When you have been forgiven for doing something that you know was wrong, something that you have a hard time forgiving yourself for, you have a gratitude that is hard to express. You know you were given something you don’t deserve. When I’ve chewed on something I shouldn’t have, or I destroy a toy, I know that My Big Guy is upset. But he still gives me a yummy treat. He still rubs my belly. He still loves me.
After that, I feel bad because I messed up. But I also feel great because My Big Guy loves me no matter what. And that’s why I love him too.
We celebrate Plenty-Cost because we know that Jesus has paid the Cost of our sins when he died on the cross. Because he has forgiven us and showed us mercy, we have Plenty to do to show our gratitude, and to share the love he has given us with those who are less fortunate.
To show him that I love him, I want to share my toys with My Big Guy. I know he is just pretending that he doesn’t like them when I’ve covered them with all of my kisses and kiss juice. But he knows that is how I can show him just how much I love him. No matter how many times he gives me back the toy, or throws it so I have to chase it, I bring it back to him, to show him my love.
I try to share love with other people when I meet them. I’m so excited that I do a dance. I might bark or growl, but that is just to let everyone know that there is someone here that we need to share love with.
I like it when My Big Guy reads from the Bible to me and then he tries to explain what it means. I hope that you get to hear him do that sometime. He’s not too bad.
During this long season of Plenty-Cost, try to share the love God has given you with others, just like I share my toys with My Big Guy. Whether you cover your gifts and actions with kisses is up to you.
Licks and Love, Ananias
Happy Plenty-Cost!!
My Big Guy has been reading to me from the book of the Acts of the Apostles. I think he is looking for my advice, because he keeps hearing how people like my articles. He has been re-reading the part from the 2nd Chapter around Plenty-Cost, when the disciples received the Holy Spirit, and flames appeared on their heads, and they could speak with different tongues.
That must have been really tough. My mouth is pretty big, and only one tongue can fit in there. Having a different tongue in there would be really strange. But through the Holy Spirit, everything is possible.
What I thought was really interesting was that the people who were telling the people in Jerusalem to repent and return to God were the same ones who abandoned and denied Jesus when he was handed over to be crucified.
I wondered how they could tell others what to do, when they didn’t do the right thing themselves. It’s like me telling others not to chew on things. I would be a hypocrite.
Then I remembered that in the time from Easter, when Jesus was raised, until just before Plenty-Cost, Jesus was with these guys. He forgave them for abandoning him and denying him. It’s just like when My Big Guy forgives me when I chew on stuff I’m not supposed to.
Instead of them being the wrong people to call others to repent, they were the exact right ones to do that. They knew from first-hand experience what it was like to be forgiven, to receive grace and mercy from the Messiah.
When you have been forgiven for doing something that you know was wrong, something that you have a hard time forgiving yourself for, you have a gratitude that is hard to express. You know you were given something you don’t deserve. When I’ve chewed on something I shouldn’t have, or I destroy a toy, I know that My Big Guy is upset. But he still gives me a yummy treat. He still rubs my belly. He still loves me.
After that, I feel bad because I messed up. But I also feel great because My Big Guy loves me no matter what. And that’s why I love him too.
We celebrate Plenty-Cost because we know that Jesus has paid the Cost of our sins when he died on the cross. Because he has forgiven us and showed us mercy, we have Plenty to do to show our gratitude, and to share the love he has given us with those who are less fortunate.
To show him that I love him, I want to share my toys with My Big Guy. I know he is just pretending that he doesn’t like them when I’ve covered them with all of my kisses and kiss juice. But he knows that is how I can show him just how much I love him. No matter how many times he gives me back the toy, or throws it so I have to chase it, I bring it back to him, to show him my love.
I try to share love with other people when I meet them. I’m so excited that I do a dance. I might bark or growl, but that is just to let everyone know that there is someone here that we need to share love with.
I like it when My Big Guy reads from the Bible to me and then he tries to explain what it means. I hope that you get to hear him do that sometime. He’s not too bad.
During this long season of Plenty-Cost, try to share the love God has given you with others, just like I share my toys with My Big Guy. Whether you cover your gifts and actions with kisses is up to you.
Licks and Love, Ananias
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