Tag Archives: answer

But What do You Think?

bible, follow, Jesus, Lectionary, Religion, , , ,

This is re-blogged from Lent this year, when studying Tom Wright’s Lent for Everyone – Mark, this passage was covered

Before you make a decision on something, you may want to canvas the opinion of others.  Has anyone else tried this? Do you own one?  What do you think?  Would you recommend it?  Have you been there?  Would it work for me?

Mark 8:27-30

Who Is Jesus?

27Jesus and his disciples went to the villages near the town of Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, “What do people say about me?”

28The disciples answered, “Some say you are John the Baptist or maybe Elijah. Others say you are one of the prophets.”

29Then Jesus asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

“You are the Messiah!” Peter replied.

30Jesus warned the disciples not to tell anyone about him.

And so we return to the “Who is He?” question.

But this time Jesus is asking about himself.  What are people saying about me?  What’s the word on the street?  The disciples give various answers about what people are saying about him, the understanding that is going around.

But them comes the crunch:

But who do you say I am?

Because that’s the really important question.  What other people think might be interesting, but what really matters is what each one of us thinks for ourselves.

What do I think about Jesus?  What does he mean to me?  What effect does he have on my life?

As we continue our faith journey, this has to be a question we need to be able to answer for ourselves.  The time for decision comes, when what others are thinking is of interest – but no real importance.  It is about us and God, where we stand, what we believe in, and what we are going to do about it.

Lord,

as I take time,

as I reflect on you,

I realise that the important question

is what I think about you,

and what I am going to do about it.

You are the Messiah,

the one who has come to do a new thing

– I pray that you will do it in me

 

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Is it Me?

God, Lectionary, , ,

You know that sudden silence, the interest in the floor – we need someone to…

Well, that can’t be me.  It’s not my turn.  That’s not my thing.  Mrs Blogs would do that really well…

A Vision of the Lord in the Temple

6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I had a vision of the Lord. He was on his throne high above, and his robe filled the temple. 2 Flaming creatures with six wings each were flying over him. They covered their faces with two of their wings and their bodies with two more. They used the other two wings for flying, 3 as they shouted,

“Holy, holy, holy,
Lord All-Powerful!
The earth is filled
with your glory.”

4 As they shouted, the doorposts of the temple shook, and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 Then I cried out, “I’m doomed! Everything I say is sinful, and so are the words of everyone around me. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord All-Powerful.”

6 One of the flaming creatures flew over to me with a burning coal that it had taken from the altar with a pair of metal tongs. 7 It touched my lips with the hot coal and said, “This has touched your lips. Your sins are forgiven, and you are no longer guilty.”

8 After this, I heard the Lord ask, “Is there anyone I can send? Will someone go for us?”

“I’ll go,” I answered. “Send me!”

Isaiah hears those immortal words,

Is there anyone I can send?  Who will go?

and he replies,

I will.

Wow!  Hearing the call of God in your life is awesome, in the truest sense of the word, and it is very scary.

When I first heard the call to Itinerant Ministry, I came up with all kinds of excuses.  I tried to run and hide, I offered God a whole string of things I was quite happy to do instead, I suggested a list of people who would be very good at it…  I was quite content with what I was doing.  I was a stay at home mum with plenty to keep me occupied and plenty of time to do useful things in the church.  But that was no longer what God was asking of me.

God was needing someone to go, and he asked me.

When I was procrastinating over God’s call to me, someone gave me this.  They knew nothing of my thoughts (sorry, but I’ve had it so long, I no longer know who wrote it, if anyone does, please let me know and I’ll credit it)

Who us?

And the Lord said, “Go!”

And we said, “Who us?”

And he said, “Yes, you”.

And we said, “But we’re not ready yet

And there’s company coming.

And we can’t leave the kids,

And you know there is no-one to take our place.”

And he said, “You’re stalling”.

Again the Lord said, “Go”.

And we said, “But we don’t want to”.

And we said, “Listen, we’re not that kind of people

                                                To get involved so deeply, besides

Our family wouldn’t like it.

And what will the neighbours think?”

And he said, “Baloney”.

And yet a third time the Lord said, “Go!”

And we said, “Do we have to?”

And he said, “Do you love me?”

And we said, “Look, we’re scared.

                                                People are going to reject us.

And cut us up into little pieces.

And we can’t take it all by ourselves.”

And he said, “Where do you think I’ll be?”

And the Lord said, “Go!”

And we sighed, “Here we are Lord, send us”

I don’t know what God may be asking you to go and do for him today.  It may be full-time ministry, or it might be something completely different – but you know.

God is saying to you,

This is what I need, will you do it?

How will you answer him?

Here I am Lord.

I hear what you’re saying –

but I’m not sure I want to!

Are you sure you mean me?

Surely there’s someone else?

Better equipped?

More suitable?

You really mean me?

Definitely?

Absolutely?

I’ll go for you,

I trust you to take me

and equip me.

I place myself at your disposal.

I hear your call –

I’ll go.