Theme: Move boldly unto the skinny branches of life.
Listening to Pastor Ken Dove’s message yesterday filled me with joy that almost brought laughter. He addressed the words of Mary, the mother of Jesus, as she spoke to the servants at the wedding in Cana from John 2, quoting, “Do whatever He tells you!” Do whatever He tells you!!! Do we dare? Can I risk that? What if? Whatever?
These questions come to mind when we say to ourselves, “Do whatever He tells you.” I know I am told to surrender and to lose my life, but whatever He tells us?
We need to ask other questions, such as, how much joy do I want, what did Jesus mean by surrender, and whose life am I living? Over two thousand years have passed since the Apostle Paul walked the earth, yet his words and actions are still studied by us today. Why? Because he did exactly what Jesus told him to do, and the power of God changed the world. Do we genuinely want to change the world or go out with a whimper? The answer depends on our response to the words of John 2:5.
I recall once passing the parked truck of a tree trimming service while driving. A worker stood in a cherry picker above the vehicle, sawing overhanging branches. Beside the truck, facing the road, stood a large sign with bold black letters against a bright orange background: SAFETY IS OUR GOAL. And I remembered a story I often tell of picking cherries from my grandpa’s cherry tree as a child. I did it by climbing the tree and inching my way out on the limbs to where the fruit was. Leaving the safety of the trunk was the hardest thing. However, the cherries were not near the trunk but out on the skinny branches. I had to risk falling to reach the fruit.
The same is true with our lives in Christ. There are two basic attitudes to life: Reparative and Creative. The reparative path is based on survival, self-protection, and fixing broken things. Life is a problem; our role is to make the best of an unpleasant situation. The creative path is founded on exploration, expansion, and celebration. Life is an adventure to enjoy. The sign on the reparative path reads, 'Safety is our Goal.' The sign on the creative path reads, 'Plucking the Fruit of Life is our Goal.'
Do we see our Christian calling as a problem to overcome or a great adventure with all its inherent risks and rewards? Do not let fear of risk deny you the thrill of accomplishment. I am not just talking about accomplishment here; I am talking about being a part of Jesus's miraculous work in all its Glory. Inch out on the skinny branches with Jesus. When I crawled out on the branches of the cherry tree as a child, I did it on my own. When we do it with and in Jesus, we do it in His power and strength, which is holding us back, but fear and a lack of trust based on a narrow, small view of our Lord. What is holding us back? That is a question that must be meditated on.
There is a difference between obedience and radical obedience, and which one we choose will make all the difference in who we are, the impact we have for Christ, the fruit we gather, and our level of joy.
Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:48-50 (NIV)
“As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. So, David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand, he struck down the Philistine and killed him.”
Prayer:
Lord, create in me a desire to disregard my safety and comfort for what you tell me to do, and at all cost. Amen!
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