You Follow Me.

Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me."  John 21:22

This weekend there were twenty four of us at the lake house!  The high school youth group came "Up North" for their girls' spring retreat.  The spring part was a bit dubious because of the still thick slushy snow on the ground with more snowflakes occasionally falling. But we were fine, the fire was bright and cheery and the camaraderie inside the "cottage" made us all warm and cozy.

The theme of the retreat was the great value the Bible places on each of us in the sight of God.  I wish you could have heard the different leaders speak because they all said awesome things about the treasures that we are in His eyes.

But, in this blog, I'm going to focus on something that keeps us from believing what the Bible says about our exceptional individual value to the great God of the universe - comparison! Comparing ourselves to others is so damaging. It starts so very young.

I have a few memories that go way way back in my life.  One of the very clear ones is my first day of kindergarten.  I was four years old!  In those days they had morning kindergarten and afternoon kindergarten.  My mom took me up the steps of Franklin School, deposited me in the classroom, waved goodbye and left.  I stood there excitedly in my new buckskin with fringes cowgirl jacket, and looked around to find a friend to play with.  The various intriguing play stations with groups of children beckoned.  I knew it was going to be a ball....

Then - I looked across the room and there was Susan Kay Hardin!  (Name changed to protect the innocent - she might be reading my blog)  I stared at her because she was the most beautiful girl that I had ever seen. (Maybe Susan Kay would be happy to read that)  She had perfectly curled long blond hair and big blue eyes.  She was wearing a red plaid smocked dress and shiny black patent leather shoes.  And she was crying.

Two teachers and her mother were patting her shoulders and hugging her. They assured weeping fragile- looking little Susan it would be all right.  But she only cried harder.

So, guess what I did? I, who had been so excited about school, realized that my mother had left and I was getting no attention, so I burst into tears.  But no one came and comforted me.  I was alone and Susan Kay had all the attention.

My mom picked me up after school and asked me how I liked it.  I said, "It was okay."  But I had lost my joy because I compared myself with Susan Kay Hardin.  Even my jacket, the leather smelling good riding home in the car, didn't seem to compare with Susan Kay's perfectly smocked dress and shiny black shoes.

There it was, a great new start in my four year old life, diminished by my comparing little eyeballs. Years later, when I thought about it, I knew a tomboy like me would never have been happy decked out in a little sissy outfit like that.  But comparison sure wreaked havoc with my first day of school.

There is a great example of comparison in the last chapter of the book of John. The disciple who Jesus loved tells us amazing things are happening!  The resurrection has occurred!  Jesus is risen! The disciples are out fishing in the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus comes to the edge of the sea and appears to them on the shore.  He helps them catch a lot of fish and then He fixes them breakfast.  After breakfast, Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Him?  Peter answers yes, three times, and he is saddened because the Lord keeps questioning him.  Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him three times. Peter denied Jesus three times before the rooster crowed.  After this exchange of words, Jesus has Peter's complete attention.  The third time, the Lord continues and says:

"when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish."
This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God.  And when He had spoken this, he said to him "Follow Me." John 21:18-19

Peter knew that Jesus was telling him that if he followed Jesus he also would die by crucifixion.  Tradition says that when Peter was old, he protested that he was not worthy to die like His Lord. The prophetic words of Jesus were true, he was  crucified, but upside down.

Peter had just told Jesus over and over how much he loved him!  I think he understood perfectly what Jesus was telling him and he was okay with it until: comparison.

"Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following....
Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about this man?"
Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?  You follow Me."  John 20a, 21, 22.

Can't you relate to Peter?  "Oh, Jesus, I'll follow you anywhere, even to the death.  But, wait, what about uh, him, what about her?"

We're doing just fine, we're filled with devotion to our Lord.  And then all of a sudden, we start looking at someone else, comparing our lives to their lives. We say, "Lord, I'd be so much happier serving you if I could wear the red plaid dress and the black patent leather shoes. The buckskin jacket that fit so well a few minutes ago - well, it just doesn't feel quite right anymore."

How quickly comparison happens.  I don't know what your comparison hot buttons are:  your looks - too tall, too short, too fat, too thin, your job - too much favoritism, too much work, too little pay, your house - too small, too old, too inadequately decorated,.....compared to whose?  What about the great tragedies of this life that we all deal with?  Isn't it tempting to look around and say, "But, Lord, what about this man?" 

And to that, Jesus who has just asked us if we love Him, looks at us with great love and says, "What is that to you?  You follow Me."

The Power of the Resurrection

"that I may know Him and power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,"     Philippians 3:10

It is the day before Easter.  I am writing this at the lake sitting before the drop dead gorgeous desk my son built for my birthday this year.  The desk is made of cherry and every time I use it, I run my fingers over the smooth beauty of the wood.  Outside, it is snowing - big huge snowflakes on top of the snow that has been piling up like crazy since December.  Snowflakes, so thick I can hardly see the frozen ice,  cling like ornaments to hemlock trees beyond my windows.  Beautiful wood inside and beautiful woods outside. I love it, but lots of people in Wisconsin are not happy to see snow the day before Easter.

It was the day before Easter, two thousand years ago.  Another small group of people were much more unhappy than today's spring starved Wisconsinites.  The followers of Jesus Christ were suffering deeply. They did not know it was the day before Easter.  They only knew their pain was beyond belief. The day before, they had witnessed death in the most graphic form ever seen by men. They had been there as the man they believed to be the very Son of God was arrested, beaten, crowned with a crown made of thorns, scourged, and crucified before their eyes on a Roman cross.  After six more hours of horrific watching, they had seen a sword thrust into His dead body and an outpouring of blood and water.  They knew His ravaged remains had been taken down from the tree and placed in a grave site  impossible to enter because of a huge stone that rested against the door. Soldiers guarded it, on watch day and night, should any get the idea of removing the body of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.  Friday night they must have wakened many times with images of their beloved friend and Savior filling their minds.  It was the day before Easter - one day in the lives of a group of Jesus's followers who understood now the fellowship of His sufferings.

What if in the midst of their hopelessness, they had made a suicide pact?  They could have done it, like the hundreds of followers of Jim Jones. What if they said, "Let's just die with Him.  Life is no longer worth living?" The next morning, all of them dead in the upper room.  Surely the Author of all Evil placed that consideration in their minds?  I mean, what was to become of them now?  What if they became the laughing stock of the people?  What if in the morning the Pharisees and Sanhedrin hunted them down and delivered them to the Roman soldiers?  Would they be crucified themselves and left to hang along the winding road up to Jerusalem as examples of treason? That's what they did to followers of men who rebelled against Rome?  Why not them?  What if, what if, what if?

But they didn't quit....they may have thought of opting out of life, but they didn't.  They entered into the fellowship of His sufferings and got up the next morning.  A sorry group they were, but they stood. They stood the whole day before Easter and the next night before the Lord's Day!  Did they remember that Jesus had said things like, "My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it  again.  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.  I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again." John 10:17-18?  They remembered something because they all made it through the day before Easter. Not one of them was lost in the emptiness of that long day and the next night...the night before Easter.

And then....on the first day of the week!  The disciple who Jesus loved tells us that  "Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you." Now when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord."  John 20:19-20.

You better believe they were glad!  There He was - their Savior and Lord - standing before them! In one day they went from the excruciating pain of experiencing the fellowship of His sufferings to the exhilarating wonder of entering the power of His Resurrection!

The story of Easter: His suffering and the power of His resurrection has changed the world!

"But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead." I Corinthians 15:20-21

Because He lives!

But, think about it, man had a part to play in this amazing drama too. There is also a fellowship in His sufferings that we are mysteriously called to. What if the disciples had given up and denied Him the day before Easter?  The what ifs again!  What if they had all died in a despondent suicidal group? What if the Jerusalem Post's headlines throughout eternity were:  "Jesus Rises After Death By Crucifixion: Followers Found Dead!"?  A very different story.

Jesus always uses His people to build His church.  He calls people - us little dustballs - to walk with Him through the fellowship of His sufferings to experience the power of His resurrection. I don't understand a microcosm of why the great God of heaven who can do all things, has chosen to need the likes of us for anything. The likes of me, the likes of you, His disciples? Incredible, the mystery of the church of Jesus Christ!  But I want to say to you, this Saturday, this day before Easter, that you are as important to Him as even, yes even, His disciples.  You are called to stay on His path.  Stick with Him through whatever may be the "what if"s" of life in the fellowship of His sufferings that He has currently called you into, because, tomorrow, tomorrow is Easter!  You will want to be a part of it and a part of all the Easters He has written in His book for you.  He has planned them before the foundation of the world. Be like the disciples. Be there no matter what it takes - and watch Him walk through your door on Resurrection Morning.

Happy Easter, dear friends,
He is risen!  He is risen indeed!!!!

Success

"This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.  For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."   Joshua 1:8

Rachel, my grand daughter who is now twelve  and was only eleven at her last posting, read my last blog, "Tomorrow" and got creative.  She whipped off the poem below and allowed that I could post it.  So here it is - straight from its young authoress!

                                                       Success

If success were in a bottle, I'd seal it up quite tight,

And take it out to have a sip, whenever I would like.

If success were in a pocket watch, I'd wind it up each day,

And I'd check the time, if I wanted success to come my way.

It success were in a nutshell, I'd crack it open wide,

And when I felt unhappy, I would take a peek inside.

If success were out my window, I'd beckon it in my house.

If success were like a cat, I'd lure it with a mouse.

If success were in my sandwich, I'd take a bite and chew.

And, if success was made of if's, this  poem would be true!

Way to go, Rach!  I loved your poem and it made me think.  That's what good writing does.

A definition of success is "the achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted." I agree with Rachel, it would be nice if we could pop it out of a bottle or take a bite and chew.  Then we'd have it!

How about spiritual success?  Joshua 1:8 tells us how to achieve spiritual success "Meditate in it day and night, (the Word of God) that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." 

John MacArthur says, 'The principle here is central to all spiritual effort and enterprise, namely the deep understanding and application of Scripture at all times."

If this is true, why is it so hard for us Christians to sit down and read our Bibles every morning and every night so that we can do all that God has written?

Maybe God would say, "I've made the promise of My blessing as simple as Rachel's poem. Just read  My love letter to you and do what I say!"  

Spiritual success is made of if's!  "If"we will desire, plan, and attempt our quiet times with God, spiritual blessings and success will follow.  

Today Not Tomorrow

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,  for tomorrow will worry about its own things.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."    Matthew 6:33-34

My grand daughters and I watched "Annie" together- the show about the upbeat little red haired girl in the orphanage who sings that great song, "Tomorrow."  We happily sang the words and reveled in the thought that, for Annie, she "could bet her bottom dollar that the sun would come out tomorrow."  We'd seen it before and knew all about the ending.

I love musicals and "Annie" is at the top of my list!  But, here's another thought about tomorrow.

When I was a child about Annie's age, I thought and acted like a child.  My mother would try to get me to grow up and show signs of maturing into a somewhat competent young adult.  So, she would say things like, "Do it now.  Do not procrastinate.  Hang up your clothes when you take them off!"  Generally her words ended with "Do not put off until tomorrow what you can do today."  Like all dutiful daughters, I tried to comply....until the next day when I was in a hurry to "play outside" and her words dropped from my ears along with my discarded school outfits lying on the floor.

Mom did not give up.  She stood in the front door and called me in from the important things that I was doing with my friends.  I'd stare at her in consternation as she pointed upstairs and said, "The clothes on the floor in your room.  Right now!"  Hurrying down the second story hallway, I could hear her gentle but firm words, "Betsy, how many times do I have to tell you that behaviors today result in habits tomorrow?"

Tomorrow, tomorrow," bet your bottom dollar she was right.  You can ask Charlie.  One fault I do not have today is abandoning clothes on the floor or throwing them over chairs.  Our closet actually looks pretty neat.  His mother must have said the same thing to him, "Don't put off until tomorrow..."

So what's my point?  Well, Jesus said this about spiritual things.  He said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness," and then go out and play.  Only, our play will probably become something pretty constructive in the lives of others because He is directing us.  Don't put off until tomorrow sitting ourselves down in our favorite quiet time chair and reading the Word of God.  Let this behavior result in a daily habit. One day God will look at the spiritual closet of our souls.  Maybe "Tomorrow!"
           Tomorrow
Tomorrow he promised his conscience,
Tomorrow I mean to believe.
Tomorrow I"ll live as I ought to;
Tomorrow my Savior receive.

Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow
Thus day after day it went on.
Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow
Till youth like a vision had gone.

Till age in its passion had written
The message of fate on his brow,
And forth from the shadows of death
Came that pitiful syllable, now."

by M.E. Harding - a blind lady who had spiritual eyes that could see.