Friends

Reason #253 why I love the raptors:

The best teams are said to have the best chemistry. The better chemistry you have with one another, the better you will play together. This year's raptors have me so excited - and not only because they're winning - but also partly because they genuinly care and love each other. When they clinched the Atlantic division, Chris Bosh took everyone out for a steak dinner. When Garbajosa broke his foot, his teammates supported him and encouraged him. Jose Calderone took him out for a spin in his new wheelchair! Anyways, I was reading an article on them today and this quote from Garbo on his team just made me smile:

"You have to be in this locker room to feel what kind of relationship we have with each other. The first thing after the injury, I just wanted to come here to see my teammates because I love them," he said. "They gave me a lot of support when I was at home (recovering), they came to my house to see how I was, calling me, sending me messages ... I can say they are more than my teammates, they are my friends."

How awesome is that? Reminds me a lot of how Jesus views us. We all have a mission from God, and we all have a purpose on God's "team". And yet, Jesus says that we are not only his followers or his servants, we are his friends. How amazing is it to be called God's friend? His friendship is something that we do not deserve - we deny, hurt and betray him again and again - but by his grace and his love he has blessed us with his friendship.

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ~John 15:15

Love wins

I have betrayed him like Judas.
I have denied him like Peter.

I have given in to peer pressure like Pilate.
I have mocked him like the guards.
I have struck many nails into the wrists of my savior.

I am more sinful than I could have ever imagined.
Yet God's grace is greater than I could have ever hoped.

I sin.
Over and over again.
Yet God loves.
Again.
And Again.
And Again.

Love wins.

I asked Jesus how much He loved me
He answered "this much"
Then He stretched out His arms and died for me.