Why Not Grow a Beard, Love Jesus

This might seem stupid, and it probably is. A favorite preacher of mine, Paul Washer once said that if you want to do something for God to take a deep breath. Then ask yourself where that air came from. The answer is the same as every other good Sunday School answer...Jesus. Our ability to do something for God is little to none since we exist within his control, also know as his providence (Nehemiah 9:6).

"Love Jesus, Grow a Beard"  is a blog for those with Duck Dynasty style beards who love Jesus as well as people who rock "No Shave November" to come up with little more than peach fuzz (also, ladies in case you did not fit in either of the categories just mentioned, this is for you as well). The fact that beards are cool right now is a bit irrelevant. The real issue is whether or not we are putting our efforts and the things we are trying to do before what is truly important, God's great love for us. Are we doing more for God than living in acceptance of the love we have in him? I hope that anything I do, whether it is grow a beard, turn a wrench or sing like no one's watching is birthed from a place of knowing I am God's Beloved (Colossians 3:12). For what God desires to do in us is far more powerful than anything we could ever think about doing for him. Grow a beard, go to work, play with your kids, and do all of the things that we are meant to do in this world, but do it in knowledge and joyful acceptance of the fact that it all means nothing if we do not have a love for Jesus.

The Corpus Christi

My hope and prayer for "Love Jesus, Grow a Beard", is that it will have the heart of the Corpus Christi. Not referring to the mid-size town in Texas but the celebration and feast surrounding the presentation as well as rememberence of Christ's sacrifice on the Cross. My hope is that even if this blog is only for personal reflection and contemplation, that it be honoring and pleasing to God. The Corpus Christi is a world wide festival in which people of many Christians of differing practices participate in Communion aka Eucharist.

In some small way, I would pray that  "Love Jesus, Grow a Beard" be a place in which, at the least I, if not others, can gather and be mindful of the great love we have in Christ Jesus. More posts to come on why the name, what the content of this blog will be and the like. For now, I would just challenge you to think about how your life can more and more resemble the heart of the Corpus Christi, celebrating and having joy in the fact that you are loved to the fullest extent and that Christ took the most drastic means possible to show us that very love.

Corpus Christi Festival Celebration in Liechtenstein