You're kidding ...

This morning I was reading from Acts in the New Testament which is early church history. The next paragraph is my personal interpretation of an imaginary retreat put in the first person. If you want to know more about this, just read Acts , chapter 1 (and further on if you will ...)

One month I went on a retreat to reflect on my relationship with Jesus Christ. On the retreat I kept asking two questions: What was good about my response to the consistent love of Jesus? And where did I need to polish my side of that relationship? Now while I was a pondering, a voice inside me said, 'John, John'. And I replied, 'It is me, Lord'. And the voice said, 'John, I want you to go back in your memory to the one time and location in your life that was the most disappointing, hurtful, and tragic moment you ever endured.' To that I said, 'Lord, you have to be kidding!'

That is similar to what Jesus said to his followers when he appeared to them after his resurrection as is recorded in Acts 1:4 ... "While staying with them (his followers), he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father (which would be the Holy Spirit of God living in the believing community)." Jesus was asking them to not leave the place where he had been executed and where there may end up being a 'witch-hunt' for his followers.

Personally, I have learned that there can be a healthy part of 'staying' in those troublesome occasions if we remain 'calm, cool, and collected'. For if I remain cool then by the grace of God I can intensely grow more mature ... more like Jesus Christ who is the center of love.

In my perspective our nation and world is in one of those times to stay calm, cool, and collected. Yes, we are in a financial mess but to stay calm, cool, and collected is best for all of life.

The invitation is to think back to the most disappointing, hurtful and tragic moment in your life. And to wrestle with how God has helped you endure the past so that those thoughts will expand your trust that God will also help you endure your future.