Bush. Wall. Sea.

Have You Lost Your Hearing?

Once there was a man who dared God to speak.

Burn the bush like you did for Moses, God
And I will follow.
Collapse the walls like you did for Joshua, God
And I will fight.
Still the waves like you did on Galilee, God
And I will listen.

And so the man sat by a bush, near a wall, close to the sea and waited for God to speak.

And God heard the man, so God answered.
He sent fire, not for a bush, but for a CHURCH.
He brought down a wall, not of brick, but of SIN.
He stilled a storm, not of the sea, but of a SOUL.
And God waited for the man to respond.

And he waited...

And he waited...

And waited.

But because the man was looking at bushes, not hearts; bricks and not lives, seas and not souls, he decided that God had done nothing...

Finally he looked to God and asked,
     Have You lost Your power?

And God looked at him and said,
     Have you lost your hearing?

Max Lucado (A Gentle Thunder)

Here I am pictured eating a turkey sandwhich at about 13,000 feet. Oblivious to the forest fire that has started down yonder. Moral of the story... I probably wouldn't even notice a burning bush anyways.. =)



Radical, Crazy and Irresponsible

The other day I was asked what I wanted to do with my life. I don't know... all I could say is that I want to do ministry and assumed I'd get a good response back for being such an outstanding citizen. (pride.. it's a real stinker.) But to my surprise, they basically told me I was oblivious and unprepared for the real world. Well its a good thing I'm not part of the "real world."

What would a twenty-year old Jesus have said if they asked Him, "What are you going to do when you grow up?" I don't know, maybe something like, "I'm going to turn the world upside down. I'm going to hang out with prostitutes and tax collectors until people kill me." Or what would Peter have said? "Well, I was going to be a fisherman, but then I met this dude, and He messed all that up..." (Shane Claiborne)

(Mark 1: 16-18) As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. (NASB)


Here's the deal... Let's talk about it.
Simon and Andrew had plans. They wanted to chill on a boat, get an awesome tan, drink a few brewski's and catch some fish. (Not the path I would have chosen, but no judgement here.) But then Jesus came and was like "ditch your nets... we will fish for men." And they didn't even hesitate... they just followed Him.
What?!
Here is where the Fisher Bro's and I are very different...

(Christy chapter 1: verses 16-18)
As Jesus was walking alongside a sea of corn off of a gravel road, he saw Christy throwing rocks at unsuspecting cars that were driving by, for she was rebellious. "Put down your rocks and follow Me" Jesus said. And at once she threw a rock at His head and ran away.


Simon and Andrew could have just ignored Jesus, said no, or captured Him in their net for fun. But they didn't... they just obeyed. They left everything... their plans... their homes... their nets. They followed Jesus with a reckless abandonment. Talk about faith!
Faith like this is not accepted in our world today. It is labelled radical, crazy and irresponsible.
So what do I want to be when I grow up? Well... radical, crazy and irresponsible.

P.S.- Eventually I went back to Jesus. I gave Him my rocks and apologized for throwing one at His head. He forgave me =)