Our earthly work assignments are intentional and formational, not random and exasperating.
Tag: witness
As we sit in the silence of holy Saturday, we might wonder what we can do to honor the reputation of Jesus today.
Zacchaeus’ desperation and devotion caught the attention of the Messiah, and Jesus rearranged His important plans to sit with such a dedicated man.
The woman at the well with Jesus was a shameful lady, living in a shameful city, amidst a shameful country. She was buried alive beneath layer upon layer of shame and could hardly lift her head under the weight of it.
You and I have heard and seen the goodness of God, have we not? We have witnessed His glory. And He, in His wisdom and mercy, sets us in situations with people who need to know Him personally. In those moments, we may feel the ‘call to testify’. I’m not talking about crushing folks with our theological blows and wowing them with our spiritual superiority. I’m talking about engaging in authentic, relational conversation and remaining sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit amidst it.
Jesus knew the limitations of His disciples. He realized they could not alleviate His pain, but He had hoped that they might, at the very least, keep pace with Him that final night. They did not know the future He was facing or the agony He would endure, but they could be present in His affliction. In those moments of anguish, in the time and space where Jesus set His face like flint toward the tasks at hand, He was simply wanting a witness for His pain.
The Bethlehem shepherds had begun their evening quite ordinarily. They were tending to their sheep in their usual way. I think of these men keeping watch in dark pastures and I’m reminded that everyday obedience is expected before we are entrusted with the opportunity for extraordinary obedience.
Why is consistency so challenging for the believer? Why do we struggle to show up hungry for God each and every day?