Thursday August 1, 2013
In selected
times of Bible study at our Annual Conference this year, Dr. Elaine Heath[i] taught through Luke
5. She characterized Peter (and the
other apostles) this way: Jesus…do
you mean to ruin us?
The first several men that Jesus chose to
be his followers were fishermen – that’s how they fed their families. The implication is, if you get too close to HIM…watch out! Dr. Heath may be on to something.
I’ve been journeying with Jesus for about
4 decades; I’ve been everything from “nervous Peter” to “faith-filled and
doubting Thomas”. That’s not a typo
about Thomas’ faith…recall that when Jesus was headed back towards Jerusalem after
he heard that Lazarus needed a doctor, the disciples questioned Jesus’
sanity. But it was Thomas who boldly
said: Come along. We might as well die with him.[ii]
Thomas was a faith-filled, sometimes-skeptical,
follower of Jesus. That’s not a comfort
zone!
Have you ever felt uncomfortable
around Jesus?
If
not, perhaps we’re not talking about the same person.
If
you’ve ever been pushed into a tight spot, having to make the kind of decision
that will cost you everything if follow Him, you know what it’s like inside
Peter’s skin.
If
being His disciple makes you uncomfortable, and is even scary at times, but you
do it anyway, you know how Thomas rolled.
So…today….comfort
zone ----- or getting uncomfortably close to Jesus?
[i]
Professor of Evangelism, SMU, http://www.smu.edu/perkins/facultyacademics/directorylist/heath
[ii] John 11:16b (TMSG)
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