I Am Not Waiting Anymore B-sides • 31 January 2016
God's always been subverting our expectations and escaping from the tidy box we try to keep him in.
Many of us are waiting for a crowd to form before we move in the direction we think Jesus is most likely headed. I don’t know about you, but I wonder what would happen if we all determined that we’re not waiting anymore.
We can be blinded by our selfish desire to know what is gonna happen next before we recommit to following the way of Jesus; we'd rather be astounded by magic than offended by the truth. We'd rather be in control, leading Jesus in a particular direction. Like them, we'd rather define Jesus than allow Jesus to be the one to define us.
Listen
Reflect
1. If you're honest, in what ways does Jesus offend you? What rubs you the wrong way about the way God's kingdom is set up and how do you try to keep Jesus in a box?
2. In what ways have you sought "miracles on demand" from Jesus, or tried to "name drop" with God?
3. How are you tempted to go with the crowd, even in attempting to follow Jesus?
We keep getting surprised when Jesus slips through our collective grip to continue on his way to pick up a cross that we'd like him to put down.
Blessed Savior; courageous and blessed are the isolated, the lonely--you come alongside them, you keep their company and provide your light for their way. Humble us to break away from the crowd, to follow you alone, even to the wilderness, even to the cross. Strip us of our pride and our illusions. May you be our foundation and identity--no other source of strength and security. Do not pass us by. Allow us to learn from the humble, to submit ourselves to the humble of spirit, those who are close to you. Amen.
Created with images by Giorgio Galeotti - "Via della Stazione - Fellegara, Scandiano (RE) Italia - 8 Dicembre 2014" • IAN RANSLEY DESIGN + ILLUSTRATION - "Crowd @ Memorial Stadium" • LoggaWiggler - "desert dunes dune ridge"