With and Wanted.

I had the deep joy and honor to stand with a couple that Lea and I have been spending time with on their wedding day this past weekend. We were in our East Tennessee mountains. It was beautiful. I referenced the Bible book of Mark, chapter 3, verse 14 as a verse that has become dear to me over the years. "And He (Jesus) appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach." I am so drawn and so needy for the order of these words. Before there is any kind of sending out on mission, there is the "so that they could be with Him." Oh, dear heart of mine, dear heart of yours, soak in that. It was His appointing. He appointed them SO THAT they would be with Him. Productivity isn't first. Mission, as much as it's His heart for us, still isn't first. WITH HIM is first.

WITH HIM. Rest and reviving over productivity and pace.

And over the years, I've been so drawn to verse 14 that I've kind of missed the pre-amble exclamation of verse 13. Bible book of Mark, chapter 3, verse 13. "And He went up on the mountain and summoned those whom He wanted, and they came to Him."

Slow. Still. Quiet heart. Drinking it in.

Summoned those whom HE WANTED.

How can it be? Could this really be true, like those that day on that mountain side, that He is summoning me as one that He wants? And you.

I see this even subtly in the Bible book of John, chapter 11. Mary, Martha and Lazarus are really special friends of Jesus. Mary and Martha's brother Lazarus has died. They are mourning his death and they feel that if Jesus had come to them sooner that their brother would not have died. I believe this indicates that they KNOW who Jesus is, what He is like. As Jesus eventually arrives in Bethany four days after the death of Lazarus, Martha goes out to meet Jesus and Mary stays at home. In this narrative in John's gospel there is no written word about Jesus asking to see Mary, however we learn more about that a bit later. After Martha has interacted with Jesus, she leaves Him and goes home to Mary and verse 28 says, "she went away and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, 'The Teacher is here and He is calling for you.'"

Based on Martha's words to her sister, Jesus wants to see Mary. He calls for her. We didn't get that He was asking for Mary, but apparently Martha did. And when she heard it, she got up quickly and was coming to Him. And she fell at His feet and poured her heart out to her Savior, her friend. And they wept together. WITH.

WITH and WANTED.

With Him, those whom He wanted.

Me, please.

There's more.