This morning I read the story about how Jesus was seized in the Garden of Gethsemane. How he somehow knew it was coming, went to the garden to have a heart to heart with God, and then when the seize began how he vigorously fought back. How the men coming to grab him where beaten with in an inch of their life; how they could not even get close to him to touch him due to the fact that he pulled out his “mad bow skills and combined them with his Xmen kick-buttness” and saved the day.
Not really
It was more like an anticlimactic breakup. Where the two parties look at each other, knowing what’s coming and just said “let’s get this over with.”
Jesus knew what was coming, he knew what this would lead to, and he still graciously and nonviolently walked into it.
But not those in his company.
He embodied all their dreams, they where interpreting (wrongly, might I add) years of writings into this man thinking he would be a military leader for the “kingdom of God” aka the “kingdom of Israel.” They had dedicated the last 3 years of their life to this man.
Dreams, hopes, desires… crushed.
So one man grab a sword and started swinging. In his madness he managed to miss a guy's head but delicately slivered off his ear (skill? No, just bad aim)
The blood hits the ground. Time freezes. The tension is thick, the next move will determine between a blood bath or something else.
Jesus speaks into the craziness.
“live by the sword…die by the sword”
In essence I hear Jesus saying, “I know what I’m doing, trust me, your ill aimed violence will not accomplish anything, trust me, not your sword”
Today he might say “Trust me not your….
… quick wittedness
… temper
… dominating presence
… skills
… looks
… bank account
… sheer will
… "
I don’t carry a actual sword around with me (anymore), but I do carry other things I trust in, but may I learn to live not by ______ but by Jesus.
“live by the _______ …. Die by the _________”
Live by Jesus…. Live by Jesus
I’m still reading through the Book of “Matthew.” I’m walking through the chapters that discuss the return of God’s kingdom; The wheat and weeds, the good and bad, the casting out into “utter darkness”, virgins and lamps and the like and I’ve got to be honest about something.
Even through my major in college was directed towards understanding and applying the Bible, even through I’ve been around biblical teachings for 25 years, even though I’ve professionally taught the Bible for 3 years, even though I’m now working on a master degree in Theology, even with all that….
I still don’t get it.
I wish I did, but I don't.
I mean I can parrot back to you what I’ve heard others say, what I’ve heard quote unquote “experts” says. (I know I didn’t need to write quote unquote, I just thought it added to the “effect”) But I can’t say with all honesty that I’m a hundred percent convinced of what all these words mean.
But in the midst of all my unknown, my questions, my uncertainty, I do know…
God is good…
God deeply cares for mankind…
It pisses God off when he see’s the brokenness of this world…
He’s going to fit it all…
And
He’s invited us to be apart of that fixing
So for what the future holds I’m clueless, but I do know with certainty I long to love God and love others. And if I can just get that “figured out” (quote unquote) I’m sure the rest will work its self out.
So here’s to figuring out the simple things… Love God, Love others
(quote unquote)
