Priorities
A reading for Wednesday, October 8, 2014: Luke 7:18-35.
How can we know if we are right? Is it clear that we are with the right people, doing the right things? Or are we confused? What is it that establishes our priorities when it comes to faith?
These are the questions brought to Jesus in the lesson today. John the Baptist has these questions, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” The crowds have the same question. "Is this right or should we wait for something else?"
Truth is necessity often sets our priorities. People attend Alcoholics Anonymous not because they want to, but because they need to. Nobody sees a doctor just for fun. Those that Jesus healed and offered the grace of God to did not believe because they had studied the issue and come to the right theological position. They believed because they had a great and intense need for healing and transformation and Jesus was there to fill it.
Perhaps it's the same for us. Do we believe in Jesus because we have carefully considered the issue of faith and determined that it leads us to Jesus? Is faith just for fun or something to do? Or do we believe because we had a need and felt the power and grace of the Lord to fill it?
Maybe we have trouble believing because we don't think we have a need to fill? We believe we are just fine and thus can stand on our own? We even evaluate church on such a basis. How can our needs be met in church when we don't really have any real needs, only ideas about what is right with the right people? "Do these people think like it do?" Confusion rules the day...
Perhaps our priorities are set when we are able to realize that we too are blind, and lame, unable to see, and deaf to our own need for healing. Then we can have the good news brought to us too. Then we can set our priorities for faith and even what church community we are part of.
How can we know if we are right? Is it clear that we are with the right people, doing the right things? Or are we confused? What is it that establishes our priorities when it comes to faith?
These are the questions brought to Jesus in the lesson today. John the Baptist has these questions, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” The crowds have the same question. "Is this right or should we wait for something else?"
Truth is necessity often sets our priorities. People attend Alcoholics Anonymous not because they want to, but because they need to. Nobody sees a doctor just for fun. Those that Jesus healed and offered the grace of God to did not believe because they had studied the issue and come to the right theological position. They believed because they had a great and intense need for healing and transformation and Jesus was there to fill it.
Perhaps it's the same for us. Do we believe in Jesus because we have carefully considered the issue of faith and determined that it leads us to Jesus? Is faith just for fun or something to do? Or do we believe because we had a need and felt the power and grace of the Lord to fill it?
Maybe we have trouble believing because we don't think we have a need to fill? We believe we are just fine and thus can stand on our own? We even evaluate church on such a basis. How can our needs be met in church when we don't really have any real needs, only ideas about what is right with the right people? "Do these people think like it do?" Confusion rules the day...
Perhaps our priorities are set when we are able to realize that we too are blind, and lame, unable to see, and deaf to our own need for healing. Then we can have the good news brought to us too. Then we can set our priorities for faith and even what church community we are part of.
Comments
Post a Comment