May 20 - Leave the Dead

Read: Matthew 8:19-20; Luke 9:57-62

And Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead." (Matthew 8:22 ESV)

Life and death. You are alive or you are dead. That's pretty much how we think. That is especially how the naturalistic kind of perspective trains you to think.

Really we are, all of us, born into death. The curse of sin that was brought into God's creation by His first created couple is something we are all faced with. And the only thing that rescues us from that curse is life in Christ.

The question of life or death is the question of Christ. To be in Christ is to be alive. To be outside of Christ is to be dead, even though you may still draw breath. This is to what Jesus was speaking of. He was drawing followers to himself that could be counted on guide Christianity in its infancy. Jesus was, and still is, looking for people who would be willing to walk from anything and everything the natural life had to offer in order to discover supernatural life in him. Where does that leave you?

I don't believe God is asking us to leave and reject our loved ones. He is however calling us to leave behind death and follow him into life. Life in Christ.

May 15 - Peace Speaker

Read: Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. (Mark 4:39 ESV)

I have been in a few terrifying storms. It kind of comes with the territory when you live in Arkansas. Still, I have never been in a storm that was so bad I feared for my life. I have also never been stuck out in open water during a storm. As such, it is pretty hard for me to imagine the kind of fear the disciples were experiencing. But, I have been through some pretty trying times in my life. And while I haven't experienced the kind of palpable fear produced by a literal storm, I have weathered a few stormy seasons. I have found myself fearing the precarious nature of my situation. I have found myself asking Jesus to save me from the storm.

Growing up my best friend's mom used to always sing this song talking about Jesus as the peace speaker. It was a beautiful song, but I never really understood the fullness of the words until late in my college career when I entered a very difficult season of life. Jesus was undoubtedly my peace speaker in those days. Even on the days when I was consumed or distracted by the violent environment of my troubles Jesus was working on my behalf. He was speaking peace into my life, into my future, and into my situation.

Looking back on those days now it is hard to imagine having made it through some of life's tough moments without being able to call upon the peace speaker. Like the disciples in the boat, it is reassuring to know that Jesus makes the difference. Also, like the disciples, I can't always understand what Jesus does; but I have found another kind of freedom in not being burdened with the selfish or prideful desire to want to. Jesus speaks peace into chaos and order into confusion. I hope that I can always listen.