Christian Counseling Service -- Devotions

Jet lag

Sunday, April 8, 2018

From John 20
Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

A couple of days ago I was thinking about Miles Tadashi Tomita, world traveler. We were about to board a plane headed for Austin to see all our kiddoes there.

Given words, Miles would have a thing or two to tell us about traveling, because he's seen a thing or two. Last month his parents took him to Japan - to celebrate his existence, his life, the happiness of his appearing. Miles met his family in Japan, which gave them all great joy.

Andi posts pictures using an app called Tinybeans, a fantastic blessing to his grandparents and many others. A few days after they returned from Japan, she posted a picture of him smiling: "He's happy in this moment but he doesn't sleep much at night. Pray for jet lag to leave soon."

And I was struck by how immediate Miles is. Immediacy is actually a learned skill taught in counseling classes. The idea is for both helpers and seekers to remember what it was like to be a kid, and re-learn to say out loud what is happening in you right now. Being in the moment is a value for all of us, but it's difficult to maintain as we learn the adult arts of introspection, editing and self-protection.

Not for Miles. He's right here, right now. And if that means crying to go to sleep in the middle of the morning, well, that's what he's going to do.

Good families follow a few simple freedoms. Here are three of them:

1. Be free to think what you think, and say it
2. Be free to feel what you feel, and say it
3. Be free to want what you want, and say it

No, you can't always get what you want, but you can say what that might be. And of all the things I learn from Jesus about how to live, this is one of the most important. He didn't often seek conflict, but he never avoided it. He didn't seek praise, but he accepted it. He often asked questions to parry other questions, but his were always better questions and made a point.

Jesus thought what he thought, and said it. Jesus felt what he felt, and said it. Jesus wanted what he wanted, and said it. He knew the ways of politics and persuasion; but more importantly, he knew the arts of gentle love and tough love. His honesty and transparency, his immediacy, made miracles happen every day.

John didn't write them all down, and that's good, because they are still happening today. I want to leave more and more space in my life for the immediacy of Jesus.

Let me learn from you, Lord, how to be right here, right now, and hear your quiet heart beating in me. When I listen to this, listen to you in the moment, life is good.

Devotions Archive

Jet lag

Sunday, April 8, 2018