Family

When you see Me

/ Jodie / Leave a comment

John 12:44-46

44 Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. 45 For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.

As a child, did you ever awaken in the middle of the night after a bad dream and cry out “daddy…daddy I NEED you!?”

Why do we choose to remain alone in the dark when we become adults? Why do we stop crying out to our Father for help?

We refuse to humble ourselves and pray.

2 Chronicles 7:14

14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

Despite the fact that I realize prayer can eclipse the darkness around- and in me, it’s still not always my first weapon of choice. Instead, I often rely on my superior intellect and abilities to light my candle so that I can find the fastest, easiest way out of the dark.

Case in point:

IMG_0218As our family boarded an Airbus A321 during the wee morning hours last Saturday to travel to our vacation destination, I was once again consumed with worry. “What if there’s another terrorist attack? What if the pilot has mental illness and crashes the plane? What if we hit unexpected turbulence and fall from the sky? What will I do? How will I comfort our children?”

As I tried to rationalize these fears with statistics (you know the one about being more likely to die in a car accident that on an airplane?) I heard the Holy Spirit whisper “I am with you….”

Would I trust Him, or myself?

Thankfully, I chose Him.

But just to make sure that He was on that plane, this daughter cried out “daddy, daddy…I NEED you- please show me where you are!” When I looked towards the center aisle I saw Him (not physically, but in the Spirit) sitting on the floor, with the biggest grin, shouting “this is gonna be FuuuuUN!” I chuckled after I noticed the fighter pilot glasses He was wearing and control yoke He was holding to fly the plane (He looked a bit like Snoopy, aboard his red doghouse!!!).

IMG_0226As we flew south like birds for winter, the light of the sun began to rise and penetrate the darkness inside the aircraft. Simultaneously, the light of the Son began to rise and penetrate the darkness inside my soul. And once again, I was able to know that HE is God, that HE is in control, that HE holds the keys to death and the grave…. and when its time for me to die physically, HE will be with me- and then, then I will spend all of eternity praising the One who sent Him!

I Will Follow You, BUT first…

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Luke 9:57-62

57 As they were going on their way, a man said to Jesus, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” 58 Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes. Birds of the sky have nests. The Son of Man has no place to put His head.” 59 He said to another, “Follow Me.” But the man said, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the people who are dead bury their own dead. You go and preach about the holy nation of God.” 61 And another one said, “Lord, I will follow You, but first let me go and say good-bye to those at home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “Anyone who puts his hand on a plow and looks back at the things behind is of no use in the holy nation of God.”

As Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, two men volunteered to follow Him on His journey. Another man, whom Jesus invited, agreed to go, but quickly replied that he had family obligations to fulfill first. Was the man’s father already dead? Was he terminally ill & needed a caregiver? Was this man an only child or his parent’s only son? Did he feel pressured to provide, prepare and protect his mother and siblings upon his father’s death? I don’t know. Whatever the circumstances, his heart was torn between obeying Jesus by following Him immediately and going home, first.

Jesus’ rebuke may seem harsh. The truth, however, was that the man delayed obeying the Savior of the World, which revealed a heart of disobedience. Our Father requires a “yes” or “no” and immediate action. There are no “but’s” in the Kingdom of God.

The Lord also revealed that the man’s family was “spiritual dead,” so the task of burying the patriarch or caring for the family was not the sons responsibility in that moment. Instead, the man was called by God to preach. By becoming Jesus’ disciple, he would learn who the Father was by having an intimate relationship with the Son and he would be equipped to tell others about the Kingdom of God. But all of that was contingent on what the man chose to do immediately after the call. Would Jesus be first, or his family?

IMG_5702When the Lord said, “Come….” 16 years ago, I also responded, “I will follow you, but…..I want to do this, this and this, first.” In the years since, He’s continued to ask me the same question, and he’s continued to rebuke me when I have given the excuse of fulfilling my responsibilities, first. Now let me be perfectly clear: God has called me to be a wife, mom & homeschol teacher, BUT my roles should never, ever, ever take precedence over the One whom I am following. When Jesus says “come, follow me” it’s a command and a question in one: are we willing to leave home- leave those who are precious to us, and go with Him to the ends of the earth? If the answer is “yes….but” we will never be fully prepared to go make disciples because our hearts will be divided between our family and the One whom commands us to love Him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, first.

Luke 14:25-27

25 Many people were traveling with Jesus. He said to them, 26 “If you come to me but will not leave your family, you cannot be my follower. You must love me more than your father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters—even more than your own life! 27 Whoever will not carry the cross that is given to them when they follow me cannot be my follower.

Who is my Mother?

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Matthew 12:46-50

46 As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 47 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to speak to you.”[a]

48 Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 49 Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. 50 Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”

IMG_5323Mother’s Day: A National Holiday reminding us to celebrate the woman who carried us in her womb, labored to bring us into the world, and sacrificed 18+ years to teach us the way that we should go.

Exodus 20:12 tells us to honor our mother (& father), not just one day a year, but at all times. To honor is “to highly esteem or respect.” It is required when we are children and when we become adults. Even when we leave and cleave and are no longer under our parent’s authority (commanded by God to obey them), we must value them, as the Lord does.

Jesus honored His mother unto death. His sacrifice gave her, and everyone who believed in Him, eternal life with the Father, Son & Holy Spirit. But I wonder…. how did Mary feel when Jesus grew up and left her to minister to the world? Was she offended that He didn’t spend more time with her? Was she angry that she had to wait to speak with him? Was she feeling jilted because she had to share Him with others?

As children of God we are blessed with LOTS of parents and siblings! Not only do we have the benefit of being born or adopted into our family, we get to be born again into God’s family of believers. As a part of His church, we have the privilege of having a multitude of “mothers and brothers” to teach, encourage, exhort and rebuke us so that our hearts will become like His; fully surrendered to our Heavenly Father.

If we are wise, we will listen to what Jesus said to the crowd in order to ensure that all our family relationships are rightly ordered. Above all others, we are to seek and obey the Father’s will. When we place our mother or brothers (or sisters, children, spouse, friends….) above our relationship with the Creator of the universe we are guilty of worshipping other gods. This was never Gods intention when He created the family.

Fortunately for us, freedom from sin against the Father is always found through His Son. When we confess, repent and receive His forgiveness the Holy Spirit enables us to love God and love all our family members with genuine affection.

Romans 12:10

10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.