“Make sure to get a wife for him from back home, those girls are the best; and not one like my brother had. He worried dad and mom nearly to death with her!”
Jesus, my wife is sick, can you help her?
Jesus, the seas are rough, can you save us?
Jesus, I have demons in my life too big for anyone to cast out.
Jesus, you bring too many changes to my life–look at all the pigs! You took them all! Would you please leave?
Tasks and obstacles appear to stop us on the way to a full life, or even in the seemingly mundane task of “getting through the day.” And then there are the big ones: I want my children to marry the spouse that will help them be faithful to God. I want my wife to be well. I want the seas of life to be calm today. I want my demons of fear and self doubt to leave and go out of my life.
1. Eliezar made a promise, strange to us, but solemn to him and to Abraham, and then he prayed, prayed, prayed, and watched for the blessings in the goals he had to meet.
2. Jesus came into Peter’s home and healed his wife. Jesus was in the boat when the storm arose. Legion, Mark 5:9 , met Jesus and found the peace he needed.
3. Pigs, for others, were more important. Jesus appeared to change their lives to the point of taking away what they valued most.
Those crazy young people, yes, that was me one time, will meet someone and get married! And those worried parents, that’s me now, will pray that those kids find godly spouses. And our loved ones get sick; and we are beaten and bounced around by demons, mercilessly at times it would seem.
Jesus says: Follow me, look for me, even if you have no home to invite me into, no boat or car to take you to work, no strength to force life to be what you want it to be, no hope, no way to see the future. I will always be looking for you.
Do you say: Jesus, I will follow you, no matter what. I want you in my home, in my family, in my life. Or do you say: I don’t like all that change you bring, you ask too much from me. I will take the pigs.
Question:
How do I walk with Jesus in each day? What do I do when the issues, the needs, those storms and demons of life leave me hopeless and helpless? How do I make it through? What can I do to position myself in midst of the will of God?
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Matt. 8:34 brought up a question in my mind about our witness to the world. When our focus is on ourselves and all we can think to pray about is making someone well or taking away our trials, we may be portraying to the world that being a follower of Jesus is drudgery. If they see us always complaining, mental turmoil, and self centeredness they may say, “If this Christianity I don’t need it” and ask Jesus to leave their lives. We need to show by our lives that being a follower of Jesus gives us comfort, courage, and peace of mind.
Very good thought, Alice. Already too many non-Christians think Christians don’t have any fun. Nothing wrong with asking God for stuff, but requests should take a place behind praise, adoration, & confession. We have plenty to be happy about — let’s show it!
along with show the way to spiriitual growth.
I wonder if the Christian invited to the Wedding Feasts shows up and is denied entry because he/she wears the garment of drudgery, complaints, inactivity, etc., which cannot be the garment of Christ?