Pondering Passages with Shay

So I'm doing a Bible Study type thing here in the blogisphere being led by Shay.  Let me begin by saying contrary to what you may think....I'm not a Shay Stalker....but I would be a fan if he had a facebook fan page...


Okay, okay, okay....I know it may sound slightly stalkerish to say that but really....I'm not a stalker! 

I have however "mentioned" his name and Linda's several times on my blog so my non RBC readers have been known to ask who is this Shay guy???  So....Let me introduce you:

I LOVE the Reyner family.  Shay is the husband.  Linda is the wife.  AND they have 3 grown kids (I just try not to mention kids names on my blogs....for safety reasons I guess?)
ANYWAY...THE REYNER'S are some of THE BEST, MOST AWESOME, LOVING, AMAZING, COOL, REAL, NICE (they volunteered to babysit my 5 kids just cause)NORMAL (well maybe not considering my previous example of NICE.....abnormally normal maybe????) people I know.  She is a school counselor and he is a Pastor (although you probably would not guess it if you met him at Chick-fil-a)....

I met Shay and Linda when I was probably about 17.  I was dating this wild boy named Randy and smoking cigarettes (on the front porch of my parents old house :),  and dropping out of youth group, and getting into all sorts of mischief.  AND GUESS WHAT.....Shay (and Linda) loved me and Randy...and prayed for us....and harassed encouraged us to stop smoking.  I did not like Shay at first because he was Carl's replacement and I liked Carl (our church youth minister-I've told ya'll I have issues with change).  They didn't judge...they loved.  They wanted better for us but accepted us where we were and as we were and that is a major part of the attraction that drew me back to church and ultimately back to Christ.

Shay models Christ and Christ is attractive.  He draws people he does not condemn people.  He loves people he does not judge people.  He is pure in motive and word and deed.  Christ in him is so real!  I want to know Christ more when I am around the Reyner's.  If I had met other "Christians" during my pivotal teenage "revolt" my life may have turned a very different direction.  I am so grateful that God brought the Reyners into my life....because they were and are used mightily by the Lord in mine (and my families) lives.

So.....Enough about the awesomeness of the Reyners (although I could tell about the Bible Study Linda led that had a major impact on my spiritual growth....but I will save that for another day).  And on to PONDERING PASSAGES.....
The first passage we are pondering is Ephesians 1:3-14.  I've really enjoyed pondering it instead of just reading it.  I think I've learned so much more then if I had just read it and moved on to the next passage.  This is filled with some complex (predestination and hearing and accepting God in the same passage) stuff.  Yet it is also filled with some hidden treasures:
I WAS CHOSEN!
I AM REDEEMED!  The law says the payment for sin is death....yet Jesus paid the penalty for me.  The law didn't change.....it still cost death.  But he gave that in my place.  WOW!!!
I AM LOVED!
I AM HOLY...BECAUSE HE CHOSE ME!  He didn't choose me because I was holy I AM HOLY because he chose me!
GOD OWNS ME!  I tell my kids all the time to just OBEY because I said so...and I don't even own them....HMMM......How obedient am I?
GOD LAVISHES GRACE ON ME!  The mere fact that he chose me shows off this fact!

This is some GOOD STUFF....I'm just sayin' is Shay's blog if you want to stalk study along with me the link is below and he promises a new passage tomorrow!

http://sreyner.wordpress.com/about/

Shalom! (he's Jewish too :)
Kim