Exit 43, Exit 55a, Exit 1 Jesus

Lub-Dub. Lub-Dub. That's the sound of a healthy human heart beating. But what happens when our compassion for others flatlines? When we lose the beat of God's own heart for those on the fringe? If your passion for a broken world has flatlined, this hope-filled series will get your heart beating again.

And so began our new series at church and we couldn’t just sit back and watch the heart wrenching videos and listening to a moving sermon from our pastor in Africa without getting into some local action. So my local Life Group took up the call.

Exit 43 – we worshiped and were convicted to serve.

Exit 55a – we shopped for groceries and cooking supplies.

Exit 1 – we cooked, served and dined with the 55 residents of Bailey-Holt House (NYC’s first residence for people living with AIDS).

　


Isaiah 58: and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.

You will be like a well-watered garden,like a spring whose waters never fail.

Exit 7 Bordentown Jesus

Quincy Adams, Thomas Paine and the King of Naples and Spain, Joseph Bonaparte all called this humble town of Bordentown home. It is now known as the little town with all those churches.

Strolling down that quaint little Farnsworth Avenue with its sweet shops and churches got me thinking of those songs with the sweet Jesus lyrics:

Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.
Every day with Jesus, I love Him more and more;
Jesus saves and keeps me, and He's the One I'm waiting for.
Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.

Sweet Jesus, my Savior,you are my faithful friend You made me, you know me You see my every sin And my soul is amazed by this gift of your grace And these arms that take me in Sweet Jesus, my Savior, You are my faithful friend.

Jesus is the sweetest name I know,
And He’s just the same as His lovely Name,
And that’s the reason why I love Him so;
Oh, Jesus is the sweetest name I know.

Nothing in this world
could ever take your place
always in your arms
just to live in your love
Sweet Jesus.

Then I stumbled across this: Anti Theft-Virtuous Vanilla-Sweet Jesus-Air Freshener-

Who would have thought that Jesus was in the sweet smelling car protection business? Forget The Club, if I was looking to jack a car and read, "This Car is Protected by Jesus," I’d move on for sure.

Psalm 19:
The ordinances of the LORD are sure
and altogether righteous.

They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.

Exit 13B Tromaville Jesus

As the web site for Toxic Avenger the Musical, states: Tromaville is one exit you don’t want to take off the New Jersey Turnpike.

The opening song goes like this:

There’s a place between heaven and hell

Don’t need a map, just follow the smell

A place filled with filthy air

A place full of dark despair

A place you have no prayer

A place called, New Jersey, the Garden State.

Who will save New Jersey?

We’re dying for some air

There’s no hope in New Jersey

Does anybody care?

Lord, we need a favor

We need a sappy Savior

But who? Who?

Hard to believe, but some of the plot may have been plucked right out of the Good Book.

A humble, mild-mannered Melvin tries to pour a little love on the town of Tromaville. He attempts to show people the way but the town’s dastardly Mayor -her big song is "Evil is Hot"- along with the Establishment want none of it and condemn this innocent man to a toxic death. Left for dead, he rises from the toxic sludge with a higher purpose and little green tinting with an eye that can’t seem to stay in its socket. He’s not a pretty sight but in the end his message of love endures; he saves the earth for all of mankind.

Isaiah 53:He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.

　

Exit 4A South Beach Jesus

You know I wasn’t going to be leaving South Beach, Miami without finding some funky Jesus related item. We’re all familiar with the ICHTHUS fish – that early Christian symbol: Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior…

We also are well aware that several disciples were local fishermen and that Jesus would change their lives to become fishers of men. But what I found just off Collins Avenue baffled me just a bit: The Crucifix Fish.

To my great dismay, my cell phone camera couldn’t pick up the back-story and I just knew it had to be a doosey. Then I found this link which explained it all: http://www.seashellcity.com/sealife/legends.html

As all good trips must come to an end, when I saw this sign, I knew I was back home.

Job 5:11 "The lowly he sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety."***see link above