Get Busy Livin’

10.12.12

Acts 1.2 2 until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. NASB

On most Fridays I get together with Pat for breakfast at one of the local eateries. We talk about life, family, politics, and mostly, just practical living through our interaction with the Lord through our experiences from the previous weeks. Each time we get together there seems to be sort of a theme we end on – like, this too shall add to your testimony, or living on the porch or near the fence or on the fence. I’ve decided to journal each of our conclusional themes and look at them from time to time to remember what we’ve talked about and to see where we’ve come from. Pat’s a good guy.

Today’s theme was “get busy livin’ or get busy dyin’” quoting the character Red from the movie, The Shawshank Redemption.

Jesus walked with His chosen men for three years or so and taught them to get busy living. There is so much to live for. And life can be merely a process of coming to the end, or it can be a process of living each day to the fullest. (I think we got there by talking about retirement and what that means. Retirement to many seems to be being free to do whatever you want for the rest of your life apart from the usual grind of the rest of life: vocation, career, etc.)

But what I like about the statement in Acts is this: Jesus gave orders to His apostles (His “sent ones”) by the Holy Spirit. In essence, I think Jesus ordered them to get busy livin’. There was so much to do, so many places to go, so many people to meet; and a message to deliver: get going My friends, get busy livin’.

Or get busy dying. Who wants to do that? I don’t really think anyone wants to get busy dying – intentionally; but I think a lot of people do unintentionally. And I think a lot of people are busy dying. They haven’t heard what the Risen Christ has ordered: get busy! (Living).

I forget – damn! I forget! I forget there is so much more to life than my tiny little pond and the ripples therein. I forget there is a whole world full of people who are too busy dying and need to change up their perspective and get busy living. (Until this morning, I forgot Red delivered that line in the movie!) I forget Jesus orders us (me) by the Holy Spirit to get busy with the Life that He’s given. Get busy livin’ with all that I’ve given! I forget.

And that’s one good reason I hang out with guys like Patrick: he reminds me to get busy with what is important – yes, I still have those invitations to write…

My advice? My advice is to get busy living and if you’re forgetful like me, find a Patrick, or a Sally, or a Tom, or a Megan, or whoever it is who will sit with you long enough to get your mind off of your pathetic little pond with its puny little ripples, and reconnect with the King of Glory who orders His people by the Holy Spirit: Get movin’! Get busy livin’!