What Ifs
Today is a day of utmost importance for us who live in the United States, Father. I would pray for Your Sovereign will to be done. You will have Your way regardless and I place the entirety of my trust in You. Enable me to follow You no matter the outcome. Amen.
Luke 19:39-44 (<<click here to read the passage)
I enjoy historical “what-ifs”. Over the years I’ve read a few things that speculative historians have put forth regarding great events of the past. If this had gone this way or that way, if so-and-so had made this decision instead, and in the midst of it all, we realize that quite often outcomes are not what they could have been. Sometimes minute details had a greater impact on outcomes than anyone ever dreamed (see Don’t Forget the Nails from this past August).
There was a book put out in 2003 entitled, What Ifs? of American History. Here are just a couple of the questions asked in the seventeen essays dealing with counterfactual history regarding the United States.
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- What if the Mayflower had not set sail from England in 1620?
- What if Robert E. Lee had succeeded in destroying the Army of the Potomac?
- What if Japan had not attacked Pearl Harbor
- What if President Kennedy had not been assassinated in 1963?
Interesting things (for some of us) to ponder.
Here’s one more to think about.
- What if instead of rejecting Jesus as the Messiah, the Pharisees, and teachers of the Law had embraced Him for who He was?
Jesus wept over the pending fall of Jerusalem in today’s passage – and for inquiring minds, Jerusalem fell to the Romans about 40 years after Jesus spoke these words
“How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.” vs42-44
What if they had recognized it when God visited them?
God is most assuredly Sovereign, and His will will come to fruition. But we must understand, too, that we still have free will. God may know what we will decide but it is still our choice to do so.
If you are not a follower of Jesus, what would your life be like if you were?
If you are a follower of Jesus, but can’t seem to really put all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength into loving Him, what if you did?
Many things in our lives are water under the bridge but our decisions about our relationship with Jesus are never undoable. We can turn around and follow Him absolutely any time we want to…and He will be right there with arms wide open. What if you chose to follow?
Nov 3rd, 2020, Tues, 1:01 pm
What Do You Expect?
It’s a psalm kind of day.
You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
….You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
….O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever! Psalm 30:11-12
Luke 19:28-38 (<<click here to read the passage)
Most people have a vice of some sort, and I would say that for Karen and myself it is that we enjoy eating out. We are not into high-end kinds of places but like different foods and locations.
On occasion, we will try places that others think are just the best. Sometimes, after trying them, we agree and other times we wonder why and both of us concur, “We’ll not be coming back here!” We have certain expectations that meet our personal criteria and no matter the reputation of wherever it is, if they don’t meet our expectations, they don’t become a place that we would recommend or return to.
The incident in today’s passage is noted in all four Gospels. We know it as Jesus’ Triumphal Entry. Interestingly enough it is just overflowing with expectations. But it would also be the pivotal point in Jesus’ life and ministry.
Anybody that had an inkling of what had been going on in Israel for the past 3 years or so, regarding Jesus, had come to believe that He was the Messiah of their hopes and dreams. No longer would they have to live under the heavy hand of Rome. The Kingdom of Israel would be restored. Their liberation was at hand!
And Jesus seemed to confirm their expectations when He specifically instructed two of His disciples to bring Him a young donkey…that no one has ever ridden. v30 That alone was a fulfillment of an ancient proclamation of the prophet Zechariah
“Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey – riding on a donkey’s colt.” Zechariah 9:9 NLT
It was all very intentional on Jesus’ part but where things pivoted was when they found out the King He was, wasn’t the king they had expected.
What are my expectations, Jesus? I’ve been taught all kinds of things. I have believed all kinds of things. But what is reality? What would You have to say about all I hold fast to? Are those things true…or false? Are they things I want to believe because I’ve always believed them? Or am I willing to let them go so as to know the real You…the true You? And in so doing my life will be forever changed! Your expectations become my expectations…and the journey can truly begin!
Nov 2nd, 2020, Mon, 4:35 pm
High Priority
Even amongst all the craziness, this year has flown by! But, Father, not one minute of it caught You unaware. You have been in control and with us all along! Praise Your holy name!
Luke 19:11-27 (<<click here to read the passage)
I am familiar with the 80/20 rule but never really knew that it is based on what is known as the Pareto principle. This principle is attributed to Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto who came up with the concept way back in 1896.
I thought it pertained to 20% of the people doing 80% of the work. That may factor into the concept to some degree but at its core, the overall principle deals with how things get done.
Say that we have a list of things that need doing. If we looked at our list honestly, we’d acknowledge that some things should be a higher priority than others. Where we run into trouble is putting off the most important things because they are more difficult. Instead, we spend our time doing the things that are easier to accomplish but in the whole scope of things they are not very important and have very little impact on how we move forward. Interestingly enough, more times than naught, it breaks down to 20% of those things needing to be a priority and the other 80% really aren’t that important in the scheme of things.
In my years at Kohl’s, this concept was fleshed out many times over. We had numerous associates who could busy themselves (and I use that phrase very loosely) for an entire shift and accomplish very little. Other associates – and these were much fewer in number – were able to knock out all kinds of projects on their shift because they were able to identify important tasks, regardless of difficulty, and got them done.
As followers of Christ, it is vitally important that we identify things of high priority and take action to see those to completion. Our problem is those things are more difficult and it’s much easier to fiddle around doing little piddly things that are really not that important in the big picture of God’s Kingdom.
Jesus commanded his disciples (and that includes us!) in Matthew 28:19-20a,
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you… AMP
That’s what Jesus’ parable in today’s verses is talking about. He has given us all the tools we need to accomplish the task at hand – not just some of us…all of us. And as His followers, we must wisely use the time and resources we’ve been given. He is coming back and even if we are called home before His return, we will be held accountable for how we handled our share of the “silver” given to each of us.
May our goal be to here our King say,
“Well done! You are a good servant. You have been faithful…” Luke 19:17a NLT
Nov 1st, 2020, Sun, 7:51 pm
A Crooked Man Who Needed Straightening
“There was a crooked old man…” by illustrator Arthur Rackham (1867 – 1939)
A couple of unexpected twists to my day but regardless, You, Father, are still Sovereign and it all is in Your hands. May I never forget or take it for granted. Amen.
Luke 19:1-10 (<<click here to read the passage)
I am certain for many of us that if there were an option to do so, would gladly choose to go back in time and right some wrong of which we were guilty.
In doing a little research on a line of thought regarding today’s passage, I came across a very interesting take on a passage from King Solomon’s book of Ecclesiastes. First, here is the verse,
What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is defective and lacking cannot be counted. Ecclesiastes 1:12-18 AMP
When Solomon wrote these words he was referring, not to anything material like a piece of steel, but rather to the circumstances and events of communal life. An obvious example is that the past cannot be changed. An injustice might be resolved, or an apology given, but many lasting effects remain.
We must remember, though, that God has the power to straighten out what is twisted and to supply what is lacking, yet even He will not change the past. However, He can change the way the past affects us…
You can tell by the crowd’s reaction that when Jesus sees Zacchaeus up the sycamore tree and calls him down to go to his home that he had quite the reputation. He wasn’t just any tax collector; he was the chief tax collector to whom others reported… v2 AMP
It sounds like he was so bad that he gave a whole new twist to the idea of being crooked. And as Solomon said, what is crooked cannot be straightened…right? There is no way Zacchaeus could go back in time and right the innumerable wrongs of which he was guilty. But then…he met Jesus! He met the One who did have the power to straighten him out!
By giving to the poor and making restitution-with generous interest—to those he had cheated, Zacchaeus demonstrated inner change by outward action.*
Lord Jesus, my past has too many instances to count of when I too have been crooked in my heart and mindsets. I realize now that just following You in my head or heart alone is not enough. Though it might be easier for me to go back and “fix” things, the best way to fix things is to live out my faith by changing my behavior. I must repent, turn the other way – towards You and Your directives – and be the follower You need me to be. May I too demonstrate my inner change – it is an ongoing part of my life in You – by my outward action. May I love You enough to do what Your love for me calls me to. Amen.
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Oct 29th, 2020, Thurs, 1:06 pm
Go the Distance
It has been a full day, Father, yet here I am. I wanted to begin this earlier in the day, but I allowed other things to crowd our time out. May our time together be full and Your word sustaining. Amen.
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Yesterday on my morning walk I saw wedge of geese flew overhead and it got me to thinking. Many Canada geese migrate to warmer climes in the fall. One source (American Expedition) shared the following tidbits of information.
Canada geese fly at an average speed of about 40 miles per hour when migrating but may increase their speed to 70 miles per hour if they catch a strong tailwind. Migrations can be as long as 2,000 to 3,000 miles, and the geese are capable of flying up to 1,500 miles in a single day if the weather is good.
It’s awesome to realize that their Creator-God gave them what it takes to go the distance! And what is even more awesome is that he gave us the same gift!
Some days we are hard-pressed to acknowledge that we, too, can go the distance!
In an attempt to take care of myself, I have been making time in my morning routine for a 30-minute brisk walk – quite often it is on the school’s track. That is where the geese flew over yesterday. The nice thing about the track is that it is level and clear which helps me maintain a consistent speed.
I missed my walk Monday in that a couple of errands needed taken care of, so I added about 10 minutes to yesterday’s walk. I find that it takes me about 5 minutes to make one loop. I set the Google Fit on my phone to track my steps, etc. but I enjoy walking each lap in one of the eight lanes on the track. Normally, I walk 6 laps but because I wanted to add more time, I walked all eight.
I admit I am out of shape and I had to push myself on the last two laps to maintain roughly the same speed. And boy was I feeling it in my legs. (You in-shape people are probably chuckling, but I do what I can do!)
Oft times in life going the distance can be a challenge. How many times have we wanted to throw in the towel and give up? And then how many times have we stuck it out and been so grateful that we did?
The Apostle Paul encouraged young Timothy by saying to him,
Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12 NLT
To my knowledge, I have no spectators of my efforts on the track, minimal though they may be, but for a good part of life, that is not the case. I am acutely aware that my efforts each and every day are being keenly observed by those around me. Some people pay absolutely no attention to anything I do…but some watch my reactions and listen to my words. My prayer is that I am true to my word and that my words and actions reflect the Savior to whom I have dedicated my life.
I pray that I have not misled anyone, that I have not been such a poor reflection on Jesus that it has caused people to turn away from Him. We can proclaim our association with Him all we want, but if we don’t live it out in the nitty-gritty of life, we have failed. May we all, as followers of Christ, be determined to go the distance, whatever it takes. Amen.
Oct 28th, 2020, Wed, 7:52 pm