Messy Rescue

I don't claim to have all the answers, but my deep faith leads me to lots of solid conclusions about life. This is something I was thinking about this morning and wanted to share...

Not all those who follow Jesus find their pathway through a church building. Some people even miss out on Jesus because they don't understand he is so much bigger than that. Jesus did teach and worship in his church, but he certainly did not confine is teaching and worship to a building. He gives us an example of how to get the most out of this earthly life, and he gives us a doorway into how we can get the most out of the next life, too.

Jesus came to rescue us. Do you ever need to be rescued? Maybe you don't even realize it sometimes. 

When a person is unconscious on the ground from a heart-attack, they are not capable of asking for help, and very well may not even be aware they need help. You don't shake them and say, "Why did you do this? Get up and go to the hospital!" Instead, you intervene on their behalf, calling the ambulance for help to reach them where they are, and revive them. 

This metaphor can help us understand what Jesus does. He shows up in our lives when we cannot help ourselves, and we may not even know we need him. He reaches out to revive us. He teaches peace to the anxious, generosity to the selfish, gentleness to the rough, wisdom to the ignorant, humility to the proud, and ultimately, he teaches us that God loves us and wants us in his family. We can learn from him by being alert for his Holy Spirit. Sometimes we learn things over-night and sometimes we learn more over time.

We can also take a lesson from this metaphor in how to share Jesus' love. Do we just call people in, to come find us where we are waiting nice and cozy, or do we go out to the world to rescue those who are suffering?

Rescues can get messy. Detective John McClane and Sergeant Al Powell in Die Hard didn't accomplish their rescue without a mess. So it is in our spiritual walk, we encounter many unexpected situations and we have the option to sit cozy or go to the rescue.

I want to be the kind of Jesus follower who shows up in the messy rescue.

Photo by camilo jimenez on Unsplash

Like the wind...

We all have stories to tell. This is my story for the moment... 

I am enjoying a lovely September morning on my back patio. A few minutes ago I was sipping from my mug (I just like hot water, sometimes - I am a tea drinker, not a coffee drinker), and observing the creation around me. It is peaceful this morning - early sun, slight breeze, noisy backyard creatures moving about everywhere. It is appropriately reflective of our current Bible study in BSF, "Beginnings, a study of Genesis."

A thought came to me as I was taking it all in to help me start my day with a "full cup" in my spirit. It was not something new, but still something soothing I wanted to share. The Holy Spirit among us is often like the wind. You never really see the thing itself, but you can easily see the impact it has on everything it touches. A rustling in the trees, like a stirring of something great and nameless in our soul. A refreshing breeze on our face, like a bit of encouragement just when it is needed most. And occasionally, an unusual and powerful gale that can completely knock us over, unexpectedly providing a totally new perspective on something that needs change.

The work of the Holy Spirit often goes unnoticed and unappreciated, and it is always working to share God's truth. Sometimes acting in comfort and sometimes acting in guidance. Will you pause today to notice?

Photo by Matt on Unsplash