Confusion is NOT A Disqualifier

S - "But Mary was very confused about what the angel said. She wondered, 'What does this mean?' … 'You will name him Jesus. He will be great. People will call him the Son of the Most High God, and the Lord God will make him king like his ancestor David. He will rule over the people of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.'" (Luke 1:29, 31-33 TLJ)

O - There were so many things for Mary to be confused about.  Certainly the biology alone was staggering; the social implications tragically complicated.  Nevertheless, the angel continued with his message and she continued to embrace what was being presented.  The name, identity and duration of this  "incoming baby" moved deeper into the realm of confused impossibilities.  God's Son? King? Forever? Never end?  The description of Jesus given to her is straight forward and uncluttered.  The wonderful thing about heaven's interface with earth and earthlings is that it never requires understanding … just believing. It is not surprising at all to find that she is greeted by her relative Elizabeth with the acknowledgment "blessings are yours because you believed what the Lord said to you!" (Luke 1:45)

A - From my two thousand year old vantage point everything the angel said to Mary is easy to understand. In fact, the Christmas story is now understood the world over.  It has found its way into worldwide commerce, religions of all types and sizes and even into very remote corners of planet earth.  Interestingly enough, all these years later the challenge of the story remains the same.  The  critical focus is never understanding but believing. This is the issue for me and for all humans.  Regardless of my current level of understanding, will I believe?  As I consider this day, the season of my life and the situations and circumstances which orbit me, I admit that not only does God have a will on earth but he is working everything for good.  I will accept the conclusion of both the angel and Mary: "Nothing is impossible with God" and "I am the servant of the Lord God. Let this thing you have said happen to me." (Luke 1:37-38)

P - Lord in Heaven above and on earth below, there is no other,

Thank you for NOT requiring me to understand.  Thank you for not calling me to a principle, plan, promise or concept but to a person … to Jesus.  I welcome you and your will on earth like they do in heaven; without reserve or flicker.  I am so grateful that mustard seed sized faith is really is sufficient to all you intend.  Thank you for loving me/us first, most and for refusing to change your mind.  I love you back and am gratefully saying this to you in Jesus' name.

Steve 

Answer or Cause?

S - Acts 15:36, 38, 39 (ESV): "And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. … "

O - Compare the beginning of the journey above with the one recorded earlier in Acts. "While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off(Acts 13:2, 3 ESV)."The difference in these two beginnings demonstrates how the mission wants to divide us. This return visit was so important to Paul he was willing to separate from Barnabas and John Mark. Jesus prayed that this would not happen (“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me." (John 17:20, 21 ESV). Jesus won't separate himself from Judas. He won't refuse to wash Judas' feet or have him eat with him at his last Passover meal. This dynamic between Paul and Barnabas has inspired a ton of division and religious bigotry since Jesus prayed. We think the mission is so important (most important)and Jesus thinks the persons are. For a change, what if we were an answer to the prayer of Jesus instead of the cause of it?

A - I'm learning, seeing, thinking about the three things that want to divide and do divide those who claim to be following Jesus. Money, mission and method are the three. It's not that his followers don't and won't engage these; it's how they will and what place they will be given in what is thought to be most important. Jesus has already established that which is most important; the superlative; the greatest. It is how he was sent, how he lived and how he instructs all who follow him to live. Today, while it is called today, I will embrace Jesus and his instruction. Nothing is more important than loving God and loving others … NOTHING!

P - Lord who prayed and prays for us,

I want to be an answer to your garden prayer and no longer a cause of it. Thank you for speaking and living so plainly in this and every regard. I admit that nothing is more important to you than people. They are who you love, why you came and why you'll come again. I accept my purpose for living, for every day … loving you back and loving my neighbor as myself. I choose this and you empower it.

Unto the life that is really life,

Steve

The Shock Doesn't Stop

S - “Now at that very moment his disciples came back. They were shocked because he was speaking with a woman. However, no one said, “What do you want?” or “Why are you speaking with her?” Then the woman left her water jar, went off into the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Surely he can’t be the Messiah, can he?” So they left the town and began coming to him. … Now many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the report of the woman who testified, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they began asking him to stay with them. He stayed there two days, and because of his word many more believed. They said to the woman, “No longer do we believe because of your words, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this one really is the Savior of the world.” (John 4:27-30, 39-42 NET)

O - The shock of Jesus chatting with an unaccompanied woman and a Samaritan at that would get "worse". There would be the following shock of such a socially disqualified person being told directly by Jesus his full identity and her being the one who would inspire an entire village to interact with him. The shockwave would continue with this culturally outcast people group believing and asking the Savior of the world to stay with them. And the final jolt would be him actually staying with them for two days and not trying to "convert" any of them to Judaism. "But a time is coming – and now is here – when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such people to be his worshipers. God is spirit, and the people who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23, 24 NET)

A - This recorded shock of the disciples will find all who will follow Jesus. It will not be a singular experience. Jesus thinks very differently about earth than we were taught to think. If we stop being shocked in this way we really need to assess if we're still following. Personally, my first shock was the same shock of the woman; the shock of meeting Jesus and experiencing him and his unconditional love. The shock of my real condition and his real desire to call me to himself; the shock of no condemnation and no moral tirades even though my moral standing was tragic. In this story I am the woman, the disciples and the villagers who believe because they are personally interacting with the Savior of the world. Today, all these years later, I am still being shocked by Jesus.

P - Savior of the world,

Thank you for continuing to shock me and all who follow; for wanting us and loving us and for refusing to change your mind. I want your shocking person, spirit and love to come into me and to come out of me. I embrace the only purpose you give to all … to love you back and to love all others as I want to be loved. I welcome ongoing transformation in my entire being unto the life that is really life. Jesus, I do love you back!

Steve

Faith for More than Emergencies

S - "And on the next day as they were departing from Bethany, he was hungry. And when he saw from a distance a fig tree that had leaves, he went to see if perhaps he would find anything on it. And when he came up to it he found nothing except leaves, because it was not the season for figs. And he responded and said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you any more forever!” And his disciples heard it. … [next day] And as they passed by early in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered!” And Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God! Truly I say to you that whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. For this reason I say to you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it, and it will be done for you. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your sins.”" (Mark 11:12-14, 20-25 LEB)

O - Some key words in this exchange between Peter and Jesus about life on earth in non-emergency moments: faith in God, whoever says, done for you, forgive.

·         Faith in God isn't something we're supposed to pump up when desperate circumstances befall us; it's how we are to live day by day all day long. The kingdom that is near is wide open to all, to whosoever for whatsoever … anything is possible for the one who believes.

·         The not doubting part is NOT about us trying to squeeze out every last flicker of doubt. It is about letting faith in and believing God, the person not the concept. Faith is a gift not a mindset!

·         This asking, saying, believing is not something the one believing/saying then scurries off to try and make happen 'with God's help'. When engaging God as Jesus instructs and demonstrates (even though he never mentioned him in his fig tree curse nor really appeared to be praying when he said it) God takes the lead. "It will be done for him" is very different than humans trying to work it out for God. We're supposed to do the work of believing and then if God has a part for us to do, he'll let us know.

·         The one thing we are supposed to take the lead in as we live faith day by day is forgiving. The terms anyone and anything aren't just applied to us asking God. They are directly connected to our assignment to forgive. "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your sins."

A - Religion taught me to try and get and keep doubt out … to squeeze and concentrate and hold my breath.  Jesus is teaching me to stop thinking that way.  Nobody gets darkness out of a room, everyone brings light in. When light comes in darkness leaves automatically.  When faith is brought in doubt leaves the same way.  Faith is the gift of God; it's not by works … no boasting (Ephesians 2:8-9).  I will be bringing, accepting and asking for the gift which he already wants to give … faith.  I will refuse to work my requests out for him and stand ready to do everything he asks me to do.  The very first of his assignments in the completing of my requests is that I would take the lead in forgiving, no exceptions.  I accept both the gift and the assignment to forgive … unto new wineskins, mulberry trees in the ocean and that which is too wonderful for me.

P - Lord and Friend who is near,

Thank you for calling me to yourself and to the work of believing … of working with you and never for you.  I accept your assignment and taking the lead in forgiveness … I forgive any and all! I am asking for faith to come in, for your irrepressible life to come in, light, hope, compassion, love, mercy to come in unto all you intend in me and through me. I will be asking big, staying little and following no matter what.

All my love,

Steve