Many Voices/One Voice

Jesus had experienced a long day of healing and exorcism. After casting out a demon in the synagogue in Capernaum and healing an apostle's mother-in-law at a Saturday afternoon luncheon, Jesus had a couple of hours of peace, hanging with his new disciples until the sun went down. With the Sabbath over, the people came out and lined up at Jesus' door. Every ailment in this small village was there-broken bones, flu, cancer, low-blood sugar, undiagnosed pains of every kind, and toothaches-all were in line waiting their turn for a touch of the master's hand. And, he touched every one. He passed out individual attention. With the miracle clinic closed he went to sleep.

As the roosters began to crow Jesus was up and out to spend some time in a lonely land with no lines and no expectations. He needed to hear the One Voice that mattered. His head was filled with the Many Voices. The scenes from the night before scrolled through his mind, a little crippled boy jumping up and down with glee; an old lady snapping out of a diabetic coma; a deaf mute's first sound was Jesus' voice. He heard the thanks and the pleas to heal one more. He heard the praise and the sobs of joy. And, he knew that this was only the first wave of sick folks he would encounter. He knew he would be chased and pressed and proded and begged like a "blanc" in a Haitien airport terminal. So before the roar rose again in his ears he needed to be quiet and listen to the One Voice that mattered, who could remind him of why he was sent, what his main purpose was, and what really counted.

Captives learn to hear the One Voice and to put the Many Voices in perspective.

Half On/Half Off

This image was in my head when I awoke this morning. A bull rider half on and half off the bull really gets beat up. This is when he is in the greatest danger. He is closer to the deadly horns and the hooves. Now, don't get me wrong. A bull rider gets beat up pretty good when he is on, cinched up, and bounching around. And, even when he is all the way off, the bull can sometime alude the clowns and come back around and gore him. But, half on and half off looks like the worst to me. And, do you ever see the cowboy who is in that position and just can't get his hand out of the rope to let go? Now he is stuck half on and half off. How do you tell the bull, "Could you just stand still for a couple of minutes while we untie this cowboy dangling from your side?"

Life doesn't stand still either. It keeps bucking along, turning in circles, like it wants us off it's back. Doesn't it seem that the world thinks it is it's job to throw us off and leave us in the dust?

Jesus came to show us how to ride the bull. He doesn't want us in the dust or flopping around on the side. He wants us atop the bull, holding on, free hand in the air, focused on every hop and turn, being cheered on by an encouraging crowd, seemingly at the mercy of an angry, crazed bovine, but really held in place by the unseen hand of a loving Father. For all who are getting beat up because you can't decide if you will follow Jesus all the way, get back on top of the bull, please, hollar "pull" and pray for eight!

The Deep

Here is Simon. He is tired. He is smelly. He is discouraged. He just wants to sleep. He still has to wash his nets and go home to his wife's list of honey-dos(you have to know Greek to see that in the text). He knows he will not get a pay check that day (The wife won't like that either). On top of all of this Jesus uses his boat for a pulpit. Then, Jesus tells him to put out into the deep and let his nets down again. This is streching Simon. You know that feeling inside when you know you need to listen to Jesus and do what he says but you are tired and you just don't want to do it. It is the struggle of flesh and spirit-remember one is willing and the other is weak. Grab that feeling. That is where the human and divine intersect. That is the point between casual and captive.

But to Simon's credit he says, "because you say so I will do it." The captive Christian often does the right thing only because Jesus says so. Jesus is Lord. You know the rest of the story. It worked out for Simon and his partners. So many fish were caught that the nets were breaking and it took two boats to haul them in. Simon was so humbled that he fell at Jesus' knees (check it out-its not feet) and told Jesus to "Depart from me for I am a sinful man." That's what happens when we are held captive by Jesus-we realize we have no business in his presence. But, Jesus tells him "Don't be afraid." But still Simon does not get to go home and rest. Jesus is not done.

"Come after me and I will make you a fisher of men." And Simon went.