Have you ever come right up to an important moment but were too afraid to move ahead?
Did you intend to ask someone on a date? Fail to drop off your resume for a job opening? Did you have every good intention of having that really hard conversation?
But it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Jesus came to bring life and immortality to light through the gospel. In order to do that, “Jesus had to defeat death”.
As we watch the Golden State Warriors go after their fourth championship in five years, the thing I have enjoyed the most about what they do on the court is their teamwork. Their coach has said that one of their core values is joy, and relationship drives this group of young men to work together more than a lot of other teams in the league.
After thinking of Linda, my bride of 26 years, I thought of Jesus, who promised he would never leave us or forsake us.
When I think about Jesus being my “Good Shepherd” as promised in John 10, I think of Him as my forever person who won’t leave me. The larger analogy of God being our shepherd who will protect us from wolves and thieves and those who would try to hurt us is beautiful. Jesus isn’t taking a day off or coming late to work to walk with us – he is always there. He is the same today as He was back in the first century and we can count on Him not changing tomorrow. Like a Shepherd who is willing to lay down His life for the sheep, He is totally committed to staying with us.
As the Good Shepherd in my life, I can tell you that He is always faithful to lead me forward, I’m just not always good at following Him. In John 10, Jesus echoes the Old Testament where it says that God is our shepherd…
As a 4th grader attending Marigold Elementary School, I was assigned to spend one on one time with a student at Loma Vista Elementary School who was born blind. Our schools shared a playground and during recess we would sit together on the grass. “Andy, tell me what you see?” Was the question he would ask.
Robert and Gloria Kearney live in Downpatrick, Ireland and practice hospitality in the very best of ways. Linda, Michael and I enjoyed an evening in their home for a cup of tea and some sweet treats. They shared their lives with us, pictures of their kids and most of all cared about hearing our story. As we sat by the fire and laughed about a hundred different things, I thought to myself, there’s no where in the world I’d rather be than here right now.
As I traveled throughout Ireland this past month everyone seemed to ask me this question.
When I told shopkeepers, receptionists and waiters that I was from California – all of them had an opinion about what that meant. Some asked me if I surfed all the time, others asked if I ever saw movie stars walking around and the people who pay attention to the news asked me about the fires this past year.
Have you ever been in times and seasons where you pray but don’t sense much and wonder if your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling?
I sure have. At those times God often leads me to think differently as I pray, and times when my thoughts don’t seem to change as a result of spending time praying. When I am unsure of how to move ahead and I am asking God for clarity and direction – sometimes God seems curiously quiet.
There are certain times of the year where you just sense you need a break from your regular routine. As you think about your next chance to take some time off work and get some time away from the demands of your schedule – are you thinking about being spiritually refreshed? We usually think about our need for physical, emotional and mental rest, but perhaps your vacation plans are so full that you take a “vacation” from your spiritual life as you get out of town.
When friends return from vacation we naturally ask them, “how was your time away?” “What did you do?” “What did you see?” When was the last time you intentionally asked, “What did it mean?”