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Always thereTuesday, March 31, 2009
John 8:28-30
Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.
Mike Bickle, director of the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City, saw about thirty-five changes he wanted to make in his life. Talking to God about them, he realized that God was only working on a couple of them. He knew that if he was serious about making the changes, he'd better stick with those two. When Jesus spoke about his relationship with his Father, "many came to believe in him." He trusted his Father, and many of the people trusted him. This must have been very gratifying to Jesus, to be followed toward God. Jesus wasn't a pied piper, leading people to a cliff and jumping off it. Nor did he insist that the people listen to him as he spoke on his own. He always pointed them to their Father. Following in the path of God makes all things possible. Even when I feel overwhelmed by obstacles, difficulties, illness, exhaustion, depression, by the silence of God ... let me just take one more step. Talking to God, listening for the Holy Spirit-whisper in my ear, waiting to feel Jesus' hand holding me ... I want to see what happens next. Paul wrote, "I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8). Jesus trusted his Father at all times. That trust trumped every fear. He never had to rationalize his doubts; he just turned them over to his Father. What a dad! Sometimes, Lord, I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins. I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof. But you, O Lord, sit enthroned forever. The heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish but you remain the same, and your years will never end. Hear my prayer, O Lord, let my cry for help come to you. |
Jesus said this a lot. What is my Father doing? And the kind of conversations Jesus had with his Father are what I want to have with Jesus. What are you doing, Jesus? I want to do that too.