Who?

     Jesus gathered His disciples around Him one day and asked this question, "Who do men say that I am?" Now this makes for interesting discussion. "Well, some people say you're Elijah or one of the prophets come back."

     You can spend hours discussing who other people say Jesus is. Ministers spend years in school learning who other men thought Jesus was. I know people who have based their beliefs solely on who men say Jesus is. Ask them a question about Jesus and their answer will usually begin, "Well, Nietzche said..." or, "Alexander Pope commented..." Now this tells me a lot about your education but not much else.

     Jesus didn't stop with that question though. He wasn't satisfied with what men said, He wanted to know more. So He asked a more poignant question, "Who do YOU say that I am?" Now there is a question---THE question. Jesus doesn't care who men say He is, He wants to know who you say He is.

    If Jesus asked you today, "Who do YOU say that I am?" What would your answer be?

Storms of Life

    They were fishermen. Well, most of them were. Men who grew up on the water. They were more comfortable on their boats catching fish than on land. They were used to the suddenness with which storms could arise.

     It must have been some storm. These experienced fishermen were scared. As the storm grew they fought with every ounce of their own strength but the storm was just too strong. Finally, as they were about to be swamped they decided to ask Jesus for help. So they awoke Him and calmly appraised Jesus of their situation, "HELP! We're going to die!"

     Jesus shook His head, "Oh ye of little faith." and he calmed the storm with a few words.

     A few things strike me about this story. First, a storm strong enough to scare seasoned sailors was raging, threatening to sink their boat, and yet Jesus slept. The disciples saw the storm, Jesus saw the one who created the storm. Second, why did the disciples wait so long to involve Jesus? Isn't it always easier to ask for His help from the beginning?

     As you face the storm of life, and there will be storms, will Jesus be asleep in your boat as you struggle to control it yourself? Or will He be involved from the beginning of your storm?

Turn Around (Luke 19:1-9)

     If you've grown up in church, you are familiar with the story of Zacchaeus. Of how this despised tax collector came to host Jesus in his house for dinner. We have all sung the song about how he climbed the tree and of Jesus telling him to come down. It is a really cute story, pretty strait-forward too. Or is it? Looking deeper we see that Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus but he couldn't. Why this difficulty seeing Jesus? Because he was so short of course. No. Look again in Luke 19:3, he couldn't see Jesus because of the crowd. Those closest to Jesus were blocking the way to Him. The people most in need of seeing Jesus couldn't because of those crowding around Him.

     I am afraid that this is still true today. Those of us closest to Jesus, Christians, need only turn around to find someone in need of meeting the Master. However, instead of turning around and offering a hand and leading them to Jesus, we offer them our backs as we childishly crowd around Jesus. Is someone straining to see over your shoulders?

Do You Know His Voice?

     Before Samuel became the priest who anointed Saul and David, he was a boy under the training of Eli. One night as they were both laid down to sleep, Samuel heard a voice calling him. Thinking it was Eli, he ran to his teacher and said, "Here I am. What do you want?" Eli told him, "I didn't call you, go back to sleep." Three more times this same scene played out. Finally Eli realized that it was the Lord calling young Samuel. He instructed Samuel to go lay back down and when the voice calls again to say, "Speak Lord; for thy servant is listening."

     How many times has God called to us and we missed it because we didn't recognize His voice? God speaks to His people and WE are His people. If you don't have an Eli to help you recognize God's voice, there is something you can do. Start talking to God. Pray, read the scriptures, spend time in worship, and most important of all, listen. Too often we don't take the time to listen. How can we hear His voice if we are doing all of the talking?

     If you will commit to doing this, I promise you will hear from God. When you do, I recommend you take Eli's advice for responding to God, "Speak Lord, thy servant is listening."