Confession: most of my ideas for these last few posts have been developed during my Soils and Earthmoving Equipment class, and this one is no exception.  Sorry, Professor Zabel, but Jesus is a heck of a lot more interesting than underground site utility takeoff.

A couple of weeks ago I took a test.  It was one of those tests that leaves you with a sick feeling in your stomach afterwards because you just know it ain't one that Mom's gonna put on the fridge.  I left the class feeling pretty incapable.  In hindsight, now that I've received my grade, I suppose it was a bit of an overreaction (my mind tends to do that on occasion).  I got a B.  But I digress...the point of this story is that after my test, I realized pretty quickly that complaining and arguing about the test with my friends wasn't going to satisfy me. I just really wanted Jesus.  It wasn't as if I was feeling blue and just needed a quick Jesus-pick-me-up, it was much more than that.    It was a cool feeling, a desperate feeling to know that all I really needed was Jesus, and he was ready for me.  I finally found some time and a place to escape the mob that had gathered to quietly protest some of the test questions. I turned to John 15, and, boy, did I find Jesus.  I hit verse 9, and I stopped.  "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in my love." I re-read the verse, and this is what I got: "Do not remain in your intelligence.  It's not perfect.  Do not remain in your plans.  They will fall through, they are not perfect.  But do you know what is perfect? My love.  My love is perfect, so remain in it.  Abide in it.  I will not fail you.  Be desperate for my love and my love only because it is the kind of love that is not of this world."

"You can have all this world, but give me Jesus."