The Blending

08.10.14

John 12.50 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” – Jesus (NIV)

“Yesterday was my birthday; I hung on more year on the line…”* It was a quiet day, I worked for a friend of mine. My wife went to an all-weekend girl-fest. My son stayed the night at a friend’s house; so last night, it was just me, the dog, and the cat after that. In my quiet moments after dinner, I thought about life, the middle east, the culture around me. I thought about the church; I thought about ministry. And this morning, I read the above.

What kind of a life is it that is lived out only doing what God commands (by, and because of His divine, regal authority)? Jesus said here in the text, “So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” That isn’t my reality. I don’t say what God commands me to say. (I mean not always, or maybe better, not very often.) Francis Chan is reported as having said of people, it isn’t that they don’t like Jesus, they just don’t want to be like Jesus. I think I got some of that in me.

I wonder what life would look like if I started off each day asking: Father, today may I say what You tell me to say, and do what You tell me to do. I think it’s worth attempting.

As I look at the Bible it appears there are only a select few folk throughout its narrative that took the time to get to know God on such a level as to: say what He said to say, and do what He said to do. Jesus did it flawlessly.

I don’t think I’m called to flawless perfection. I do think I’m called to put forth some effort. I do think I’m called to seek Him earnestly, listen carefully, and obey Him entirely. Where I run into trouble is in blending my agenda (the family, the church, the job, the bills, and the…) with His. I think my solution is to learn/accept that my agenda really is His agenda, and if I would but acknowledge Him in my agenda I might find meaning and purpose in everything else I do.

Today I feel a sense of maybe drawing closer to God and saying:

Father, whatever it is that You have for me to say and to do, may I be willing to do (as Jesus said: just) that. Find me willing to include You in all my doings and sayings and may I live my life out seeking You earnestly, listening carefully, and obeying You entirely. Help me God. Amen