We all want to be wanted. We want to be chosen because we are wanted. The Bible is full of stories of  chosen people. The strongest man ever – was chosen before his birth to be the great liberator of his people. But somehow Samson took years to appreciate the privilege of being chosen and never reached his full potential.  David didn’t look like king material but the Lord sent the prophet Samuel to Jesse saying “I have chosen one of his sons to be king”. As David stood before the giant Goliath he understood that what God chooses for you to do, He will also equip you to do!

In Sons and Daughters of God, Ellen G. White writes:“And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. It is only when the sinner feels the need of a Saviour, that his heart goes after the One who can help him. When Jesus walked among men, it was the sick that wanted a physician. The poor, the afflicted and distressed, followed after Him, to receive the help and comfort which they could not find elsewhere. Blind Bartimaeus is waiting by the wayside; he has waited long to meet Christ.Throngs of people who possess their sight are passing to and fro, but they have no desire to see Jesus. One look of faith would touch His heart of love, and bring them the blessings of His grace; but they know not the sickness and poverty of their souls, and they feel no need of Christ. Not so with the poor blind man. His only hope is in Jesus. As he waits and watches, he hears the tread of many feet, and he eagerly inquires, What means this noise of travel? The by-standers answer that “Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.” With the eagerness of intense desire, he cries, “Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me!” They try to silence him, but he cries the more vehemently, “Thou Son of David, have mercy on me!” This appeal is heard. His persevering faith is rewarded. Not only is physical sight restored, but the eyes of his understanding are opened. In Christ he sees his Redeemer, and the Sun of Righteousness shines into his soul. All who feel their need of Christ as did blind Bartimaeus, and who will be as earnest and determined as he was, will, like him, receive the blessing which they crave.” - Blind Bartimaeus’ Faith in God’s Grace Rewarded, April 29 

Among throngs of people, he reaches out to find Jesus so that he can be healed. In Bartimaeus’ story we see that when we eagerly search for Jesus – no matter the situation we can receive our blessing. Bartimaeus proves that practicing your faith, even when you cannot see him physically, is truly rewarding.

Late this afternoon travelers reported a body lying by the main road fromBethel. The body has be identified as that of the prophet from Judah. He appears to be the victim of a very rare lion attack. Those first on the scene reported seeing a lion supposedly “guarding” the body while his donkey grazed peacefully nearby. Investigations continue.

Just in case you didn’t get the recipe last week and don’t know what to make for lunch tomorrow – here’s Justin’s recipe…(you can also make it as a healthy snack while you watch StoryLine)

Justin’s Recipe

1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans. pour off half the liquid

2 tablespoons of sesame butter (tahini)

2 cloves of fresh garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

Juice from one lime

Salt to taste

Put it all in a blender, and blend until smooth

Ideas for Eating: sandwiches instead of mayonnaise, or on potatoes

instead of sour cream.

Imagine what it would have been like to be Pilate – awakened in the early hours of the morning only to find himself in front of an angry crowd awaiting his decision in the trial of Jesus. Pilate had a tough decision to make that morning and we know from the bible what decision he ultimately chose. But what exactly was Pilate thinking?

In “The Trial of Christ, Part 2” Ellen G. White shares with us some insights into Pilate’s thought process during the trial of Jesus.

“Satan and his angels were tempting Pilate and trying to lead him on to his own ruin. They suggested to him that if he did not take part in condemning Jesus others would; the multitude were thirsting for His blood; and if he did not deliver Him to be crucified, he would lose his power and worldly honor and would be denounced as a believer on the impostor.

Through fear of losing his power and authority, Pilate consented to the death of Jesus. And notwithstanding he placed the blood of Jesus upon His accusers, and the multitude received it, crying, “His blood be on us and on our children” (Matthew 27:25), yet Pilate was not clear; he was guilty of the blood of Christ. For his own selfish interest, his love of honor from the great men of earth, he delivered an innocent man to die. If Pilate had followed his own convictions, he would have had nothing to do with condemning Jesus.

The appearance and words of Jesus during His trial made a deep impression upon the minds of many who were present on that occasion. The result of the influence thus exerted was apparent after His resurrection. Among those who were then added to the church, there were many whose conviction dated from the time of Jesus’ trial.”

Pilate’s story provides an important lesson. If we allow it, fear can take over in such a powerful way and prevent us from making decisions that we can be proud of. There is one decision that you can make that you will never regret – a decision for Jesus.

In the bible story of King Hezekiah, we see an answer to prayer that goes above and beyond anything we could have imagined.

King Hezekiah, who was very sick, prays to God and received healing and promises of a longer life and protection for his people. But even after receiving all these things, Hezekiah asks God for a sign. Ellen White tells us more about this in chapter 29 of Patriarchs and Prophets:

“Like Moses in the land of Midian, like Gideon in the presence of the heavenly messenger, like Elisha just before the ascension of his master, Hezekiah pleaded for some sign that the message was from heaven. “What shall be the sign,” he inquired of the prophet, “that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the Lord the third day?”

“This sign shalt thou have of the Lord,” the prophet answered, “that the Lord will do the thing that He hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?” “It is a light thing,” Hezekiah replied, “for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.”

Only by the direct interposition of God could the shadow on the sundial be made to turn back ten degrees; and this was to be the sign to Hezekiah that the Lord had heard his prayer. Accordingly, “the prophet cried unto the Lord: and He brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz (Verses 8-11).”

Without a doubt, Hezekiah’s story shows the amazing power of our God who can do the impossible.

Chris, a thirteen year old boy is spending his first Christmas after his parent’s divorce with his mother in South America trying to get away from the pain and confusion of watching his family split up.  Here’s an extract from the first chapter:

“By now I had reached the entrance to the hotel. Inside was air-conditioned and cool. In the hotel foyer was a large Nativity scene. “Boy these people sure love this stuff”, I thought. It seemed that there where Nativity scenes everywhere. This one was big. The figures were almost waist high. There was Mary all dressed in white with a blue veil. She had this perfect plastic smile on her face. And then there was Joseph. He was tall and strong with a short brown beard. He was holding tightly onto his walking stick. It looked like he was ready to knock anyone over the head who came too near the baby. Then of course there was the little baby peacefully sleeping in the hay. In the corner there was a cow with a long face and a donkey that looked a bit too small to have carried anyone. All of them had little plastic halos. Of course they were the perfect family. Not like my family. Over the top of the stable roof there were a few puffs of cotton wool for the snow”. ( from the book yet to be published book Christmas where it’s hot)

How perfect was Jesus family? A break up before the wedding, rumors that Joseph was not Jesus father that would follow him into adulthood, and then later Jesus spends a lot of time with less than perfect families. Take Lazarus and his sisters for instance…

when the acceptance letter comes,

when the lab results are negative,

when baby sleeps right through the night,

when a bunch of flowers arrive,

when there’s a job opening,

when the friendship is renewed

- it’s easy enough to burst into song…

but when, it wet, cold and gray, and the flowers droop,

when the rejection slip comes,

when the lab results are possitve,

when baby has colic,

when a birthday is forgotten,

when the company down sizes,

when the phone call never comes,

- then it is difficult but essential to the walk of faith to sing….

Sing in anticipation of  all that God has promised!