"Wheeeee!" – The onomatopoetic ecstatic utterance to express the verb FREELY and the Whimsical Disposition of the Happily Crucified!

DJ went into what he calls a rather “complex” explanation of his 2^nd of four “Secrets of Contenment.”  In his explanation he discusses cultural conventions affecting the understanding of giving and receiving gifts among friends.  

Ultimately, DJ shares that he believes Paul understood giving as emanating from the mind of Christ. To explain the mind of Christ DJ proclaims that Jesus did not give to attain status or to establish a cycle of reciprocity or obligation or to achieve status. Instead, DJ asserts that Jesus, our friend, empties himself (key word here) FREELY (wheeeee! – Steve’s onomatopoetic ecstatic utterance to express the verb FREELY--!!!!) So Jesus, per DJ, empties himself freely. He roots Chrst’s freely self-emtpying in the “eternal self giving of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”


 (BACK TO MY OLD WAYS - going to tie this point to training materials/devo stuff) When listening to the message and particularly DJ’s 2nd Secret of Contentment, the following writing on Modesty from our Devo came to mind.

From the Devo! --  I am amazed with how Christ's decision to (FREELY) "make Himself nothing" unleashed the power to transform all creation (Revelation 21:1-5.) He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter - Isaiah 53:7. Christ, the lamb, was silenced horrifically at the cross and yet all things in the earth and under the earth and in the sea shouts and sings, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!" He redefines the enemy's most devastating emptiness (Christ's death) with meaning. Tragic discord with harmony. Death with life. Silence with praise. Encountering Christ's selflessness and humility compels me to drop to my knees, bow my head in wonder, and declare -- THAT'S MY LORD! MY GOD!" He's so, so good. Thank you Jesus for exhibiting such purity of power in your loving pursuit of us. Push us to trust you when we are given the opportunity to lay down our lives for others like you did. In all moments but perhaps especially moments of sacrifice, may our hearts sing with hope and joy, "it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." Thank you Jesus for planting the tree of your cross directly in our path today. Thank you Jesus for drinking the bitter cup and taking on our sin and bearing hell for us and the world. To think of what you suffered as the one with all authority and power breaks my heart and pride in such a good and necessary way. To think that you now politely and delicately knock at the door of our hearts and invite us to share your banquet of grace with you and others completely blows my mind and soul to a place of worship and trust. Thank you God for revealing Love by being crushed for our sin. Now, please cast out our fear so for a fleeting moment we would surrender to you our pride, sin, shame, & control. We hold up these destructive powers to you. Take them Lord. Crush them Jesus. Cut them away with your sword of fire such that we are nothing other than a deflated, defeated, broken heap of dependence upon You and Your Kingdom come here and now. Please keep knocking at the stubborn door of our hearts. Please keep knocking and please come in and by the work of your spirit make me and all of us one as you and the father are one. Bring our lives to life by your body broken and blood shed. May the light in our eyes and life in our lives be from deep communion with your death and exultant resurrection. Amen!

Looking forward to being one of the happily crucified with you this weekend as we seek to take a genuine interest in the welfare of the Barneys and take up crosses daily to follow Christ's lead in the “eternal self giving of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”