Episode 40: April 17 - An Opportune Time

This could be the moment.

There may be another chance in the garden.

But this just might be the opportune time.

When the temptations in the wilderness were

finished (or so it appeared) 

Luke tells us the devil “departed from him

until an opportune time.”                                                (Luke 4:13)

One of the more menacing lines in Scripture.

What kind of time is opportune?

When is one vulnerable to temptation?

When you are down:

      in need, in trouble, in desperation.

      You’ll do anything to get a way up.

      Or try any escape to find a way out.

Jesus already passed that one.

      How down and desperate was he after

      starving for 40 days.

When you are in the middle.

      Life is good.  Life is smooth.

      You’re guard is down.

      You can wander off track before you know it

Jesus passed that one everyday.

      He was always alert to whatever tricks

      anyone might throw his way.

When you are up.

      Riding the crest of the wave.

      Everybody loves you. You can do no wrong. 

      Or can you?

This is the opportune moment to catch Jesus.

      Ride that wave.  Listen to the crowds.

      Give them what they want.  They’ll make you a king.

      Wear that crown and lead the march to victory.

      Come on, Jesus.  Hosanna! 

“Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple,

and when he had looked around at everything…

he went out to Bethany with the twelve.”                      (Mark 11:11)

What?

No rally?  No stirring speech?  No demonstration?

What a missed opportunity.  No.

There was no giving in to the opportune moment 

that would have tempted him away from his true mission.

I wish I had that kind of restraint.

I wish I had that kind of trust in God.

To be able to understand that

what looks like a moment of opportunity

is in fact a distraction

from the true path.

Episode 39: April 16 - One

One

would not want

to compare the will of

God

to a broad path.

Although

at times it seems

there is room

to meander a little

without

going outside the boundaries.

At other times

the path narrows.

Walls

rise on the sides.

There is only

one way to go.

One

might choose not

to go at all,

except

for that invisible hand

placed firmly

in the small of the back

pressing forward.

God

doesn’t talk much,

but

at times

there is no doubt

what God is saying.

(Bonus question:  Is this about us, or about

Jesus facing Palm Sunday?  Or both?)

Episode 38: April 15 - Transition

Walking out of the garden,

Adam said to Eve,

"We are living in a time of transition."

History is measured

between the times of transition.

But today transitions come so fast

there is no time in between

to measure.

We have spoken of God

as the God of stability:

—the rock

—the fortress

—the mountain.

Where is God now?

God is also the God of transitions

who led Abraham and Sarah

Miriam and Moses

into new lands,

and called

Magdalene, Peter and Paul

into a new age.

Don't worry!

God does not fear change,

God initiates it!

"Go...I am with you."

Episode 37: April 14 - What Gets In My Way?

What will other people think?

Is anybody looking?

It’s not what other people will think.

It’s what I think

other people will think.

Probably

nobody is paying that much attention.

But just in case they are

I better be careful.

So in order to avoid

doing something someone might be

upset by.

I miss the chance of

doing some things someone might be

benefitted by.

It occurs to me

it is pretty much impossible

to love as Jesus loved

if worrying about what other people think

gets in the way.

Episode 36: April 13 - Do Something About It

What on earth is going on?

And why doesn't God do

something about it?

To which God replies,

"What on earth is going on?

And why don't you people do

something about it?"

Well, it's not my fault

the world is in such a mess.

I didn't do anything.

"Precisely my point!"

replies God.

"The world is

going to hell in a bucket

because you think it is not.

Because you think it is not

your responsibility

to do something about it."

What on earth

are we going to do?

God, save your people!

God rephrases:

"What are you going to do,

my people,

to save the earth?"

We are waiting for God

to step into the world and do

something about it.

And God will!

Meanwhile,

God is waiting for us

who live in the world to do

something about it.

Episode 35: April 12 - Jack

I only knew him for a few months.

We worked together on a building project.

For a mission.

A shelter for homeless travelers.

He could have been one himself.

His life had not been easy.

"It's a little disturbing."

He confided one day.

"It's the first time in my life

I haven't had an ulterior reason

for what I'm doing.

It isn't for religion either."

Good, I said to myself

Now you're getting the idea.

Jesus' idea.

Jesus was against

ulterior motives.  Including

religious ulterior motives

Doing something for somebody else

so I can get something from them

is ulterior.  So is

doing something for somebody else

so I can get something from God.

Jesus' idea was

doing something for somebody else

because that person-needs it.

That's all.

Not to be rewarded, even by God.

It was a strange idea Jesus had.

If we catch ourselves actually doing it

it's usually a little disturbing.

Episode 34: April 11 - Evidence

"Nobody loves me anymore."

She spoke from the bed that is

now her home.

"That's not true,"

I wanted to reply.

But I couldn't.

What evidence do I have?

She has evidence.

Those who used to love her

are gone.

Every long day that passes

without a visitor

is evidence

that nobody loves her anymore.

"Some people still love you.”

I could say it . . .

but can I prove it?

Who will give the evidence:

a visit,

a card,

maybe even a flower?

"What reason do I have to live?"

she asked,

Maybe the reason

is so we can learn

how to say,

"I love you"

not just with words

but with evidence.

What is her name?

She has many names.

You probably know one of them.