one thing

Luke 10:38-42
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Its easy for me to get distracted. Even good, worthwile things that need doing can sometimes distract us from Jesus. Sometimes its because its more comfortable to be in the kitchen like martha, than it is to be at Jesus feet. His presence is challenging.

"only one thing is needed". It's all about Jesus.

taking a risk

we weren't designed to play safe. Following Jesus isn't supposed to be safe. The life of faith is a life of taking risks.

Hebrews 11 talks about "giants" of faith and they took some serious risks. I want to be living out of my depth, where, if Jesus doesn't come through, I'm going to drown.

jesus had a bad attitude!

The more you get into the teachings of Jesus, the harder it gets to believe how he could ever be described as a good moral teacher. Most of the stuff he said was at least hardcore challenging, if not outright offensive to half his audience at the time. If he turned up now, I'd probably find myself among the people saying he had a bad attitude. He certainly wasn't trying to tell people what they wanted to hear so he could accumulate followers. Take this for example,

"Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple... ...In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple." [Matthew 20:25-33]

I wonder how many people left after that speech and how many stayed?
He was either a mental case or the Son of God.

As the Son of God its impossible to try and "work out" Jesus or put him into a nice little box that I can fully understand. Of course I can't fully understand God, it would be like an ant being able to understand how a human thinks, feels, acts.

I need to recognise that otherness of God and rejoice about it, because it God was more like me, the world would be in a right mess!

tears

Acts 20:36-38
[after Paul has said goobye to the ephesians] "When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship."

The situation with Dave leaving was one I hadn't really been in before - everyone crying and saying goodbye - and it reminded me of this passage (except for the fact that we will see Dave again). If that's how people can love each other, how much more can/does God love? Its ridiculous.

Dave has been a great example of someone striving to live like Jesus - he showed love to everyone, he would not compromise on following the word of God, and his integrity was unquestionable. All stuff I need to remember.

now!

I can easily fall into the trap of always looking towards the future. When this has happened, it will be time for me to act. When we've got our church services sorted then it will be time to start evangelism. When the cell group has got to this position then it will be more appropriate for me to start telling people about Jesus than it is now.

The truth is that if we're waiting for the perfect situation before we start doing things, it will never happen.

Jesus said...

Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. (John4:35)

Spreading the message of Jesus is a task to get on with now. I don't need to wait for the structures, procedures, weather to be spot on before I start.

how long?

Why does God sometimes take so long to act? I know that his timing isn't the same as ours and he knows best and all that stuff, but I seem to have that in my mind as - we might have to wait a few days. or maybe a week.

When your in the middle of a long situation its difficult to see past it. I just want Him to act. I suppose it's how David felt...

Psalm 13:1-3
How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.

Sometimes God will act powerfully and turn around a situation. But sometimes he might say - My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9). I need to be prepared for both.

Sven goes crazy

So Sven has picked Theo Walcott for England's world cup squad. He's 17, never played first team football, he's one of only 4 strikers picked (and 2 of those are currently injured) and Sven has never actually watched him play a match!

Foolish? Maybe, but it makes you think about how God operates in a similar way. I certainly don't look like a good prospect for doing his work on the earth but he's backing me anyway.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.

It may not be logical or sensible for Sven to pick Theo, it's certainly not logical or sensible for God to want to use me. Fortunately he does it anyway.

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fasten your seatbelts...