The Presence of the Presence

8/27/2017

Revelation 1. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.” – St. John

“And maybe it's the time of year, yes and maybe it's the time of man; And I don't know who I am but life is for learning.” *

This morning, I reflected on my imagination of yesterday as I stepped out of a late afternoon shower after a long day at work. I thought, as I toweled off: what would I do if unexpected (and unprotected, clothes being fleeting at that moment, save the towel) Jesus showed up at the bathroom door just now?

The words from Mitchell’s Woodstock came to mind. I read Revelation twice a year: once, beginning in August, and later in December. I think in my subconscious I knew Revelation 1 was today, so maybe it’s the time of year, or maybe it’s just who I am, but I I know just where I stand, and life is for learning. What would I do in the presence of the risen Lord?

Clothing would be a scant covering from the One who knows all, sees all, and rules all. The Apostle John was wearing ragged prison clothing when Jesus showed up at his digs. Jesus was unfazed…

I had a similar thought today when Cathy went downstairs to get coffee, or let the dog out, or whatever she was up to at the moment: what would she do in the presence of the Presence?  I wonder weirdly.

Life is for learning but it’s for learning about the One who was, and is, and is to come. Jesus hasn’t gone anywhere and He isn’t going anywhere. He is going to reveal His presence to all the earth one of these days and we all just might think about: what are we going to do when Jesus shows up?

John did the normal and natural thing in the presence of God: he fell over dead…so to speak. He was undone physically and his body wouldn’t cooperate. We’ll do the same thing: we’ll fall over dead… or certainly comatose.

Many call this myth or fantasy for the weak. Okay, I get that. But when it happens wisdom will be proven by her actions. At the appearance of Jesus, there won’t be any time to quibble about myths, legends, fantasies and the like – it will be useless bodies either hoping for cover, or hoping for a touch from Him who was, and is, and is now here. John had to wait on Jesus, you and I will too.

Do you have a vision of Jesus today? Does your vision, if you have one, include Him who was and is and is to come? Or is it: He was just a great teacher who was martyred for His beliefs? One way or another, the bottom line is this: Jesus is coming – for those who are looking… and for those who aren’t.

Lord, my vision didn’t come to pass yesterday, or even again today but Your presence is all about and within me regardless. I look with the eyes of faith for You in all I do today and Lord, may I see You in all I do, for Who You are: who was and is, and is to come. The time of man will one day disappear. Amen.

*JONI MITCHELL, © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Crazy Crow Music / Siquomb Music Publishing, 1970

Peter in Me

8/11/2017 

John 13.8 “No,” said Peter, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.” – St. John 

Sometimes, ol’ Peter could just be a stubborn jackass. He had his mind made up, and I tend to think Jesus started the whole foot-washing episode at John and then worked all the way around to Peter. I think Jesus washed Peter’s feet last just so that stubborn ol’ Peter, more precious to Jesus than we’ll ever know, could soak up the full effect of what was happening.  

And the closer Jesus came, the higher Peter’s walls of defense, went.  

I am consumed these days with the idea of grace. Specifically, God’s grace. Peter, of all people, decided to write in his epistle, quoting Proverbs 3.34: “God opposes the proud but shows favor (grace) to the humble.” I think we completely underestimate the power of pride in our lives – and that is why diving to the bottom is so important in discovering and receiving God’s grace. Jesus dove to the bottom in washing their feet. They all had to dive to the bottom to let their Master do such a thing. Even Judas. 

I also think that God cares more about our killing our pride, than He does about our masks of pretentiousness that we put on whenever we get together as believers – like our lives are so perfect and ripple-free. And the worst part is, I read a passage like this and I’m doing the Peter, I’m thinking, no way in bleep am I gonna let you do that to me… go wash someone else’s dang feet! 

I suppose I find some comfort in the fact that somewhere along the way, someone said, Well, foot-washing today isn’t really foot-washing – it’s more like serving one another. I’m thinking, Whew! Dodged that one! But whatever it is, it doesn’t excuse me from diving to the bottom. For you, or anyone else. Grace abounds to the one who wears humility like a garment; as a way of life. 

There is no room for stubborn jackasses in the realm of humility. The greater the risk of intentional, humiliating embarrassment, the greater the gift of grace.  

We resist humility because it’s humiliating. But to the one who develops the taste for it, it’s exhilarating. Ol’ Peter finally developed the taste and tradition tells us, he was crucified upside down because he didn’t see himself as worthy of being crucified the way his Master was… Good job Pete! 

Father, today, I am humbled in embarrassment because I see Peter in me: no way am I gonna let You do that to me! But Lord, Your ways are always loving, always right, and always good. Help me to go further, as my brother Peter did when he said, and ultimately lived out: Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. You did it for him, and I know You’ll do it for me. Amen

Where I Stand

8/6/2017

John 8.16 But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. - Jesus

Jesus had His detractors – I suppose all of us do at some point. Not everybody loves everybody. But the Lord’s detractors challenged His credibility.  They said: “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.” (I think it funny that they said so, given they were doing the same thing – where was their credibility??)

Credibility is a big deal in our age. It isn’t that it wasn’t in days past, but nowadays who can trust anything anyone says? Credibility is a big deal, and nobody believes much of what anybody says. So, the credibility of Jesus is so vastly important when we have all come to the point of: everyone is lying.

The truth is, everybody is not lying, but because the suspicion of lies is so strong, that credibility is even more important. So, in the age of lying, in whom do we trust? Is Jesus who He says He is? Or is the Bible all lies as well? And what do we do when everything is perceived as lies or everyone as lying? To whom do we turn for truth?

Belief is not just some switch to be flipped. Belief is a God thing. Jesus said in John 6.65: “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” We can’t even come to God without divine enablement. And without that, all that is left is lies. 

Divine enablement is not something that is withheld by God for the chosen few, it is His gift to all who will accept it. Divine enablement is as simple as a beautiful sunset, or the vast array of stars in the heavens – it is the acknowledgement of the reality of God. We seem to want to call God, God; but we won’t truly acknowledge Him as God. It’s because we believe more in the lies spread about God, than we do in the truth of who God really is, and Whom God has sent.

To some (well, to many) lies make them feel better. Many would rather accept the lies of man, because the truth of God makes them feel weird. They know something is wrong but refuse to accept truth, so they accept lies. The Pharisees lied about God and that precisely why they could not accept the One who told them He came from God. Their retort was simply: you’re lying!

Jesus replied: But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. Jesus called God His Father, as every man should. But all He got from men was the accusation that He was lying. Habitual liars can’t recognize the truth if it bopped them on the nose…

Jesus came offering the truth and the truth is lost on those whose lives are devoid of God. To the godless, there is not beautiful sunset or sunrise; there is no response to the call of the heavens that declare the handiwork of God (Psalm 19). There is only deadness fed with lies.

Father in Heaven, You have enabled me to see only because that is what You do for every human everywhere, all the time. I am not special, I have only responded to what You have presented. Lord, it boils down to only this: You, or lies. You have given me the choice, and I have chosen. Like Jesus, I choose to stand with You. Help me to help others to make the choice – we are all on our own before You! Amen