We Can't Imagine

John 1:49 Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 

John 1:49

Nathanael had not been all that excited to meet Jesus. When Philip announced he had met the Messiah and he was Jesus from Nazareth, Nathanael  growled, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” But after a few moments in Jesus’ presence, he proclaimed Jesus Son of God and King of Israel. He was right, but there was so much he didn’t know. He didn’t know yet that this impressive man would ask him to leave home. He didn’t know this King would end up on a Cross. He couldn’t have imagined encountering Jesus after he rose from the dead. He couldn’t have imagined being a leader of the early Church or even that there would be one.

There is so much we don’t know about what will happen to us if we commit to follow Jesus. I didn’t expect to be a pastor, and I couldn’t have imagined the places and people I would serve after I became one. Sometimes my path has been joyous. Sometimes it’s been hard. It’s always been worth it. But, if I’m honest with myself, I have to admit that I have no idea where following Jesus will take me in the next year or even the next day. (How many times have I said, "Didn't see that coming when I got up this morning?")

If we commit to follow Jesus, we at least have to leave the door open to going places and meeting people we can’t imagine – and might not choose. What possibilities for the path ahead excite you? Which would make you fearful? What preconceived notions of what God will or won’t do with us do we have to lay aside? Maybe it was a good thing Nathanael didn’t know all that was coming. Maybe it’s a good thing we don’t.

God’s peace,

Katie

A Question from Jesus

John the Baptist was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. 

John 1:35-39

When Jesus notices two men walking behind him, he doesn’t offer them a theological pronouncement. Rather, he asks a question, “What are you looking for?” They respond with their own question, “Where are you staying?” which suggests they want to get to know him. Jesus welcomes them, answering, “Come and see.” Jesus invites them in. He wants to know what they are seeking.

If Jesus asked you what you are looking for, what would your answer be? Such a simple but direct question invites us to look deep within ourselves to find what we really long for. Jesus did not want to know the two would-be disciples, nor does Jesus want to know us, at surface level. 

If we are disciples, we seek to follow the Jesus who asks, “What are you looking for?” How many people in our lives would be blessed simply by knowing that someone wants to know their hopes and fears? As we invite people into our lives, they can “come and see” our victories and our struggles as we seek to follow Jesus. Who around us needs a word of invitation and a welcoming heart?

God’s peace,

Katie

Beginning Again

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.John 1:1-5 

It’s the beginning of the semester, not far from the beginning of a year, and I am beginning to blog again. “In the beginning” of all things, God spoke a Word to create the world out of Love, but God also created human freedom. All things came into being through God, but not all new beginnings originate in God. Somewhere, this very day, someone is planning a new way for one group of people to eradicate other members of the human family. Someone, somewhere is devising a new way to hack identities. Someone, somewhere (in many “where”s) is about to lure someone into a drug addiction. There is more darkness in more places than we can imagine. All our new beginnings have to take into account the temptations of darkness. We can make a beginning for ourselves – for our advancement, our comfort, our pleasure, with little thought of others. Or we can start a new beginning by asking God to shine light into our hearts and minds, so that our lives and what we do with them show forth the Light that is always coming into the world to conquer darkness.

Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with your Holy Spirit, that all our works begun, continued and ended in you, may glorify your Holy Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

God’s peace,

Katie