Perfectly Imperfect

John 15:11–17 NKJV

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.

John 15:11-17

I praise God for the Perfect Mess he has made me! Growing up I struggled with the idea of perfection. I was far from perfect but in my mind that was the bar I had set for myself. I think back on my college years and I laugh (well now) on the sense of humor God must have and how he pushed me to my perfect breaking point. I used to be a neat freak! One of those kids who rearranged her bedroom at least twice per week and at times I think I would dirty my room just so I could clean it up again. Well my Sophomore year of college my roommate was the most amazing God loving, God fearing woman that one could pray for. I was praising God for bringing her into my Life. Silly me about 1 week later I realized that God had made a major mistake. She was nothing like me. She was not an organized person at all. She didn’t make her bed, she left dirty dishes in the sink, her clothes were scattered everywhere and I even think I saw her do the “sniff test” to see if the clothes on the floor were dirty or clean. I freaked. I could not sit to do my devotions, study or relax until all was clean and in its proper place. This made it impossible because I could clean and organize my things but I could not clean her things up for fear that I might make her feel bad.

One Saturday afternoon we were hanging out in our room when a knock was heard at the door. I was appalled. I didn’t want my roommate to see my embarrassment and distress of someone seeing “my room” in disarray. I grabbed a book and pretended to read the pages all the time praying she would send them away. NO! She invited them in. Horrified I sunk into my chair observing the interaction that took place. My roommate picked up the dirty clothes off her chair and threw them to the floor. She then turned and offered this young woman a seat. She then went to the sink and dug through the dirty dishes that had been in the sink for a least a week and hand washed a cup offering this young woman a glass of ice water. I was so embarrassed but something caught my attention. The young woman in the chair was obviously broken hearted and had been crying. I observed how my roommate focused her love and care on the broken heart. She knelt down beside her in the pile of dirty clothes and asked Jesus to meet them in this place. A messy dorm room. Dirty clothes, dirty dishes… imperfection! Well God showed up. As my roommate prayed with and ministered to this woman's broken heart I realized it was all about our perfect Jesus not our perfect selves or perfect dorm rooms. My roommate made it about connection, relationship and Jesus. It was about the broken and ministering the love of Christ. My heart began to break with conviction. How many times had I become blinded to the broken hearted because I was wrapped in my perfection. How often had God sent people to my door who needed a fellow believer or maybe someone who had never heard of Christ and was seeking him for the first time and because my dorm room, house or life was not perfect according to my standards I dismissed them not seeing their need. I had only focused on me. Wow what a powerful night. That young woman and my roommate read scripture and prayed for over two hours. When she left she glowed with perfect peace. My dorm room had never felt so good. Yes it was by my standards filthy but my eyes only saw the physical. The presence of God was in that place and it made it perfect.

The mess did not seem to bother my roommate, the young woman or more importantly my God. Since then I try to obtain perfect peace not perfection. I tell you this story because I believe all of us have things that stop us and blind us from seeing the lost, ministering to our sisters in Christ or stepping out in faith. Mine is perfection and not feeling good enough. Yours maybe business, selfish ambition, pride, putting our children before God… yikes! We all have areas that God is encouraging us to work on. We can not do this alone! We need him but we also need each other!

.. fellow believers, sisters in Christ! What a gift!

God has given us eachother.. fellow believers, sisters in Christ! What a gift!

Jesus speaks of this Love and Joy perfected in our relationship to him and with each other in - 17.

John 15:11–17 ESV

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

In verse 11 Jesus states MY joy (not Tami’) my meaning Christ’s Joy--- Tami’s Joy then will be full. Jesus goes on to say “Love one another as I have loved you”.. How many times have we read and memorized this passage only turn around and whisper hurt about a sister in Christ. I have done it we have all done it. Jesus tells us to love one another… This is easier to do when we think of our husbands, children and family but he commands us to love all. He goes on to say in verse 13 “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down ones life for a friend. Again he said.... not just our kids parents or husbands but our friend. God must be telling us something here. Friends are vital to our walk with him. He then tells us that we are his friend if we do what he commands.. wow friendships is powerful. Our friend Jesus laid down his life for us!!! The fact that the creator of the universe delights in me and desires a friendship with this perfect mess. Not only does he want a friendship but he died for my friendship. I am no longer a servant according to scripture but a friend when I follow his commands. Looking back at my story of my messy college roommate I reflected that I probably was living as a servant not a friend. I was a servant trapped in my perfection. I knew Christ as my Savior but I wasn’t placing him at the head of my life. I was putting me, me ,me first and my perfection or need to feel perfect. In verse 16 I get excited because he tells me that I did not choose him but he chose me! Ok back up. I cant say that if I was the creator of the heavens and the earth and all living things that I would have chosen me. He not only told me that he chose me but he appointed me to go and bear fruit and that my fruit shall remain. So I understand the word Chose but appointed what is he trying to say? He is telling us that he has given us the privileged job of disciplining one another. So friendship doesn’t just mean get togethers and tea but it also means challenging and encouraging each other in Christ (bear fruit). Jesus mentions that your fruit should remain. HMMM....

This just described the perfect discipleship relationship! Christ befriends us and we seek fruit from him and we want him to infuse himself into our lives. In turn we pour or infuse into others but as we infuse or disciple another we have to make sure that our fruit remains… our relationships and desires are the lords. They must not become our ambition. We must keep our eyes always on the Lord. So Jesus drives this home all the more when he tells us in verse 16 that whatever we ask his Father in My (Jesus) name he may give us. So does that mean I will have the Coach purse I have had my eye on for 2 years or the new furniture at Weir’s or better yet the miracle that I maybe able to sing gloriously instead of just making a joyful noise. No if my heart is in relationship to God I am not a servant of the desires of my heart. God renews my desires and places my eyes on heavenly things…relationships, commitments, service for him, salvation and eternity. Jesus closes this by saying “These things I command you that you love one another.”

This brings us to why we are here today!! Each of us have been charged with the privilege to be discipled, disciple others, reach out to our community and step out to help in what ever way God has commanded each of our hearts. We can not do it alone. We need Christ and each other.

God has pressed on my heart that we need to step out in faith and trust that He will work through woman’s ministries in our church or churches to witness to our fellow believers, families, community and world. In a few minutes we are going to open have an organizational meeting to make plans, share our hearts desires and look to the future.

Meeting:

*** Before you go today please take a tea container. They each have enough tea for two people. I would like you to pray about who God wants you to disciple or have disciple you. You may even feel that God is calling you to sit down with him for a cup of tea to reacquaint.

Close in Prayer: