LIfestyles

The ladies of Amity Club hosted a Valentine’s Day party for the residents of Grace Care Center on Thursday, Feb. 5, beginning at 2 p.m.

Looking at the book of John, which is an historical account of the life of Jesus, we see a glimpse of how much love The Lord truly had for His disciples. As we look at the verse above, there is no doubt you could write a never-ending commentary on it, but I simply want to encourage you with one aspect of it. It was the last night before Jesus would enter into His sufferings. John describes to us, through the language of Jesus, how much love He has in his heart for those whom He is about to die for. The Lord Jesus, under the extremity of great stress, about to undergo the most brutal death of any man, sets aside the very thoughts of the tragic crucifixion that awaits Him, to bring them comfort. Oh the passion of the Lord Jesus Christ, to what can it be compared to? Oh, how He loved His disciples and kept them to the end. Though the enemy tempted them with many things He did not lose any of them except the son of perdition, Judas Iscariot, who was prophesied long beforehand. The Lord Jesus told them He had to die in their place for their sins, but that He would be raised from the dead after three days. He told them after these things He would send the Holy Spirit to dwell in them and they would receive power from on high to accomplish all the Father would have them to do. With great love, knowing that persecution awaited them, He said, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

I remember the first time Chad and I ever hung out as friends. I went to his apartment one January afternoon in 1996 to watch the Dallas Cowboys play in the Superbowl. I showed up in the Cowboys sweatshirt I had been gifted out of my great-grandmother’s closet when she died. Obviously I was dressing to impress. My friends and I sat nervously at the little table in his kitchen, and Chad had offered all of us water to drink. If I recall, the guys were serving tap water and gummy candy at their Superbowl party. Well, at some point in the game, I managed to spill my water all over the table and the floor. I was utterly humiliated. But Chad jumped up, grabbed some paper towels, and reassured me while he was cleaning up the mess. I remember thinking, “He’s a kind person.”