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Saturday, September 24, 2005
The Results of Following
Yesterday, I talked about minding your own business...and in the case of Peter, minding his own business meant following his Savior his own way. The Savior in control, doing what He wants with your own life.
Staggering when you think about it, isn't it?
I think deep down we like that idea...but it's scary, too.
I mean, Peter did that. Three years previous, Jesus asked him to follow Him. No real plan. No real agenda that he could discern. Just drop your nets, big fella. Come with Me. No time for questions. No time for packing up. Let's go.
Three years of miracles and highs. Three years of confusion and lows. Ending in a brutal crucifixion. Well, not really. Ending in a dead Messiah coming to life. But even then, there's more confusion. Now, Peter, follow Me...even though I'm not going to be here...and you're going to die kinda like I did.
I think Peter liked that idea...but it was scary, too.
Yesterday, I talked with a teenager who I like very much. She was telling me of a camp she went to in which the staff spent the entire program getting them to focus on the now. In the morning you got up...there were no clocks. They staff would sometimes go to breakfast with you...sometimes you went hiking. "When's breakfast?" you might've asked. The staff answered with, "That's F.I." Future information. You'll find that out later. Trust God with the "right now." "How long's the hike today?"
"That's F.I."
That's really perfect when it comes to the spiritual life.
Follow Him...in the right now. Trust God and do the next thing.
But what's the result going to look like if we really LOVE God?
To me, it looks as if there's an end result being prayed for in Colossians 1: 9--12 (from The Message):
"Be assured that from the first day we heard from of you, we haven't stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you'll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul--not the grim strength that endures the endurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us."
So, following Him, looks like...
A thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. How do we do that? "F.I."
That you'll live well for the Master. What does that look like for me? "F.I."
I'll learn how God works and how I'm supposed to work. I have work to do? What work? When? Where? With whom? "F.I."
I'll stick it out over the long haul and endure stuff. I have to stick it out? What out? I'll have to do this for a long time? It's a marathon and not a sprint? What will I have to endure? "F.I."
He has something for us? What is it? When will I get it? "F.I."
Minding my business.
Walking with Him raises more questions than answers. Ugh.
But the command is to follow.
Drop the nets and go. We've got plenty of time to sort details.
Just walk...and live faithfully in the NOW.
And remember that it's all "F.I."
Brent 8:04 AM
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