Isn’t it nice to be counterintuitive? That is how Jesus is. He says, if you lose your life you win it. The last will be first. If you get struck, give the other cheek. Someone takes your shirt, give them your robe also.
How does this work? We all want to have things. We pray for health. For prosperity. A house, a nice car. A good vacation, security in our old age. And when we become Christians we feel even more attached to these things, we feel God will give those to us for sure. If we had things before we were Christians, how much more now since we are so blessed?
Meantime, the Apostle Paul is happy to lose it all for the sake of knowing Christ. He goes from shipwreck to shipwreck. His health gets compromised by stonings and persecution. He loses his liberty, his reputation, and eventually his life, prematurely.
It hit me that I focus so much on “earthly things,” as the Bible says. And they are good. I’m not saying they are bad. We all need a house, even a car, and health, and prosperity. But it is the attachment to these things that becomes problematic. The expectation that I must have them to be happy. To accomplish my mission. To be any good. The demand for these things, even in prayer.
I end up focusing on the goodies. And forget the Good Shepherd, the shepherd of my soul. And then I get weary. Worried, concerned. Unsure. Frazzled. And finally I come up to my senses. And I remember, ah, the Lord. Yes, Jesus, He is here with me! And I come running to Him. And I tell Him that I don’t care about any of the other stuff. If I have Him I am complete. I am home. He is all I need. Indeed, He is all I want.
And when I have Him I have everything. Everything. What could I lack if I have God Himself with me?
Will you let go of the things of the world? Will you come to Him, by yourself, just as you are?
Pedro
コメント