— Midweek Meditations:
thoughts, inspiration and encouragement
from ACF community members —
“Though most spiritual seekers start their search afraid of disappointment, Jesus says that He will always be infinitely more than anyone is looking for. He will always exceed our expectations; He will be more than we can ask for or imagine.”
Encounters with Jesus, Timothy Keller
Recently I started watching The Chosen again, this time with my daughter, and what has struck me anew is the way is which Jesus met every individual in a unique way. The Chosen is a “crowdfunded” epic series which has gone global by now and can be streamed in over seventy languages. As viewers, we get to see Jesus through the eyes of His disciples and followers and we gain understanding as to why they were drawn to Him and how He changed their lives. Some were initially captivated because they witnessed a healing, whereas others were awestruck as He looked at them with great compassion, met them in their sorrow or their pain and in a moment they could fathom who He was and wanted to put their lives in His hands.
Another striking feature in The Chosen is the number of times Jesus says “I know you” during those initial encounters. He is all-knowing and yet all-loving, there is no one portrayed in the series (likewise in the Bible!) who is rejected because of their past or who does not measure up due to failure, mistakes or bad behaviour. It is as though He knows them before they know Him!
Personally, the witness of people’s transformed lives (including my own) is a pillar of my faith and this continues to provide evidence that God exists. In this sense, I can well relate to Mary Magdalene’s character in The Chosen when she says “I was one way, and now I’m completely different. And the thing that happened in between…was Him”. Allow me to pose the question to you: How have you encountered Jesus and how did this change your life?
No one else would dare to love this heart
Lover of my Soul, Dan Bremnes
If they saw what’s inside
You know my thoughts, all my secrets
But still You offer me life
You stay here
Even if I fall
A thousand times
You won’t let go
You won’t let go
Even if I run
And try to hide
You hold me close
You’re the lover of my soul, soul, soul
Dear Lord,
Thank you allowing me to encounter You and thank you that you accept me as I am.
In Jesus name, Amen
The ACF Midweek Meditations
are written by a diverse group of our church members with the intention to seek God’s fingerprints in our lives. They range from somber to humorous and are inspired by all facets of live and faith. Written by ordinary people from all walks of life, they reflect a wide range of Christian backgrounds and spiritualities.
Each week’s text portrays the individual viewpoint of its author. They might not always resonate with everyone, and are not meant to be understood as representing the Anglican Church Freiburg as a whole. Yet, as a church that is aiming to ‘Build a Community of Grace’ we seek to practice learning from and listening to one another.
We pray that these humble ponderings add a small spark of blessing to your week.
Freiburg Anglican Church 