Absolute Statements.

When James was a baby I was told often "he looks nothing like you." I understood the statement meant that he looked a lot like his Daddy, but the approach often seemed a little hurtful as his mother who had  just carried him the last nine months. I think it's safe to say that all parents want to be at least somewhat identified with the little blessings that they now love more than anything in this world.

This time around, I have had many people tell me "Jude looks just like you." It's more enjoyable to hear than the previous comment, but the truth is that neither statement is entirely true.

Most of our life is based on our perception, so I'm not a fan of absolute statements about most things.

Thats's why we never make statements in this house like "You always forget to take out the trash..." or "You never listen..." We would never, ever say things like that, right? :) Well, the truth is that we're trying to never make statements like these because, for the most part, they are hurtful and simply untrue.

Even with the best of intentions, we need to be careful about telling our spouses and our children things like "I will never let you down" because more than likely we will disappoint them at some point along the way.

This week marked an anniversary of remembering that we are absolutely flawed, and that God is absolutely good, sovereign, merciful, and faithful. Always.

This week in God's infinite wisdom and timing that could only be His, He ordained the gifting of a beautiful portrait of Jesus to Stephen from one of his customers, an older gentleman that he has gotten to know the last few months and in whom he has gotten to invest his life in. A portrait that was completed by him 11+ years ago, but that was given to us at just the right time. A portrait that is made up solely of all 27,000 words to the Book of John. What an incredible encouragement to us both.

Stephen commented that "if one word were missing from the Book of John we wouldn't have a complete picture of Jesus."And then our all-knowing God spoke to me through the study of His Word this week from this same book. My devotion from Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon, two nights after receiving this portrait, just so happened (I think not!) to be from John 10.

The absolute statements from John 10 spoke to my heart. There is so much comfort in knowing that "every word of God is flawless" (Proverbs 30:5).

⁷ Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹ I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.^[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.¹⁶ I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. ¹⁷ The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all^[c]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 

And an excerpt from Morning and Evening (on John 10:27):

"It is true they may not be smooth paths--they may be covered with sharp flinty trials, but they lead to the 'city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.' All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant. Let us put full trust in our Leader, since we know that, come prosperity or adversity, sickness or health, popularity or contempt, his purpose shall be worked out, and that purpose shall be pure, unmingled good to every heir of mercy."

When nothing is absolute in this world, rest in the only One that is. The One that will "never leave us nor forsake us" (Hebrews 13:5). The One that will be "with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)