About a month ago I celebrated turning 40. Well, not sure if "celebrated" is the correct word. I pretty much just cringed, whined and moaned about it...there wasn't any celebrating! My lovely family got me a cake that said "Lordy Lordy, looks who's 40?" and they got a big lovely eye roll right back at them! ha ha. I've never been a big birthday fan, so this milestone wasn't one I really wanted to celebrate, easier just to let it slide past without much of a thought. However, just two days ago I had another pretty significant birthday...I turned six. Six? This birthday was not going to slide past...no way. I welcomed that day with much gratitude and thankfulness, and I am still left in a big mess of humble awe and tears when I think about it. Half of my life, I spent pretty much giving Jesus my middle finger, and I had no idea who he really was. So...six years ago I made the choice to believe that Jesus is the Messiah and to follow him. Moreover, my life, as God promised, was never to be the same. My entrance into the world physically 40 years ago is pretty marvelous, cool and miraculous. However, even this cannot compare to what God did supernaturally to my heart, mind, and soul when I was finally done following my own path. I acknowledged my need for Him, and gave my life back to Him, and was supernaturally born again!
My small group is in the midst of studying John, and I am looking at it with fresh eyes. Sure, I've read it, maybe even a couple times but this time I am looking at it from a whole new perspective. John had so much to share...SO much that it must have been the most thrilling and exhilarating thing to pass on this good news. He had the answers to the purpose of LIFE just ready to be written down! John even says, "These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing you may have Life in his name" (John 20:31). LIFE...in HIS name!! This is NOT some "self-help" book where you "try" to change yourself. By believing, your LIFE is actually being transformed by God.
Imagine what it must have been like to follow Jesus in the flesh? Is CRAZY exciting right? To be there walking beside him, on the dusty roads with hundreds trailing behind just waiting for him to share. Watching him work some crazy miracles and boldly speaking his truth over and over about being the light of the world and promising that we will see life in a whole new way. Imagine getting to drink water and break bread with him and to watch as he patiently showed grace, mercy and love to those around him that were over and over again questioning him. Imagine as all the bits and pieces came together and John was finally seeing Jesus for whom He was claiming to be? I am a little jealous sometimes when reading it. John got to have this hands-on experience with Jesus. Immediately, I am reminded ever so graciously that how dare I think like that! I get the privilege of reading John's testimony. Matthew, Mark and Luke's testimony, and all of the men and women and their stories all written down and preserved in a big beautiful book of Truth. The Bible is at my fingertips daily. It is on my phone that gets carried around 24/7! I've also encountered the miracle of Jesus, and the promise of what he taught is being fulfilled in my life. Not only that, but I also get to follow him daily! Am I doing so great at that? No.. Not necessarily. Honestly, if I were in John's shoes some 2000 years ago, it might in reality look like this...
"Hey Jesus, can you just hold your horses for a bit...take a little break...slow down...have a glass of wine maybe? I've got some Facebook I need to catch up on."
Or maybe I'd say something like this..
"Jesus, I know you are probably going to perform some really cool miracle like making the blind man see when we get to the bathing pool...but can you just wait till I watch that latest HGTV House Hunters? I don't want to miss that episode...looked so good...but I don't want to miss your miracle healing either..so can we just chill?"
WHAT??? Never right?? Then what am I doing with my life now? Truth be told, why do I fight daily with the battle to follow him now...today...present tense? It's not an easy journey we are on. I'm being "stretched and chiseled" as they say. Daily, I am humbled. The enemy wants me far away as possible from that sweet Bible that sits in my house waiting to show me truth. He wants my mind so cluttered I can't seem sometimes to get good prayer time in. The enemy wants me to seek out the truth in the lies that are swarming me from every direction. But I can't let this happen. I don't want to be on the sidelines following and missing out on the abundant life that was offered me! Each day I need to fix my eyes on Him and only HIM. Celebrating my rebirth each year is valuable, but celebrating it each day is vital. It reminds me of who I need to follow...who I choose to follow...who I desire to follow. Jesus is the only way.
Check out this video...that encourages me to ask that question..."who are you following?"
Who or what are you following today? Are you at the back of the line...on the fringes breathing in the dust of others as they follow Christ...or are you right up there beside him linking arms?
