Jun 7

Written by:
6/7/2010 2:26 PM 

²²All who were there, watching and listening, were surprised at how well he spoke. But they also said, "Isn't this Joseph's son, the one we've known since he was a youngster?"  ^23-24He answered, "I suppose you're going to quote the proverb, 'Doctor, go heal yourself. Do here in your hometown what we heard you did in Capernaum.' Well, let me tell you something: No prophet is ever welcomed in his hometown.”

I love that Bible passage.  It’s found in Luke 4:22-24.  Here’s Jesus, just coming back home from some MAJOR life events (baptism, days of fasting, followed by temptation by Satan in the desert).  He’s totally revved up to speak to his home crowd—people he knows and loves.  People he should be able to count on for support, right?  Not so fast, there, turbo. The crowd hears that Jesus, the local carpenter’s kid, will be speaking.  I picture all these long-bearded men looking at Jesus, full of self pride for the home-town hero,

“Oh, how well we’ve taught him.  He’s just such a nice boy, isn’t he?”

But then, Jesus shocks them all.  The local quarterback-all-star-clean-cut-superstar shows up in church with tattoos and piercings, telling everyone that that he was not who they all thought he was—the local carpenter’s kid—but was, in fact, the savior  they’d all been praying for.  He announces that He is the fulfillment of the scriptures he just read.  He tells them something totally contrary to their hometown way of thinking.  And not only that—he was there for everyone and not just the locals.  Crickets chirp in the silence that follows his announcement.

Soon someone says, “Suuure.  OK there, Jesus.  Whatever you say.”    You can almost picture their collective eyes roll and toes tap the ground. 

Jesus says, “Fine.  Don’t believe me.  Didn’t really expect you to.  That’s pretty much how you people roll, isn’t it?  You say you want something, but if it isn’t in the package you expect it to be, then you reject it.  And you’ve done this over and over again throughout history.”  (I’m completely paraphrasing the Bible. There is nothing there that says Jesus had tattoos. Please hold all your scathing emails and comments. I’m sure King James is probably rolling in his grave. My apologies.)

You know why I like this passage?  Because it TOTALLY happens today!  How often do we ask God for direction and when He answers us, we reject it because it doesn’t look like we want it to look.  It doesn’t sound the way we want it to sound.  It’s not what I told God I wanted. It’s like we expect God to be our personal Santa Claus.

Dear Santa God,

I have been a very good girl this year.  Please give me the money I need to buy that really sweet jacket I saw at Chico’s.  Also, I need my car fixed so that I can drive to that concert in Chicago.  And if you don’t mind, I sort of need to get my hair done, too.  Please help me to pay my bills and have enough left over for groceries too.  Thanks.

 

Dear daughter,

I love you.  You need to stop spending your money on things you really don’t need.  Then you’ll have enough for the bills, for groceries, and to get your car fixed.  I’ve provided you with a job and good health.  Use it wisely. 

 

Dear Santa God,

Really?  That’s your answer?! 

God is good.  I believe that He often simply shakes His head at me and allows me to learn the lessons I need to learn as any good, loving Father does.  He provides, but He doesn’t force.  He offers, but He doesn’t insist.  He loves, but He doesn’t require.  And the next time God shows me an answer to prayer that doesn’t quite fit the plan I’ve made, I pray that I will see with better eyes.