Matthew Chapter 14 has been an interesting lesson in many ways for me this week. It starts out with John the Baptist being Beheaded. This story has spoken truths in my life this past year in more ways than one..first off, things do not always turn out the way we think. We begin our journey with Christ with great expectation and hope, anticipating wonderful adventures where we will be mightily used by God. WELL, John was mightily used by God, but then his life ended ubruptly in a tragic murder. When I read that, I realize, unexpected things happen, things I haven't planned or prepared for. God is still sovereign! He still loves me and has a plan for me-even after my death! Just because the details of life may be tragic does not mean there is not something really big happening that is beyond my understanding. Interesting..
In verses 22-27 of Matthew 14 we see Jesus appearing before the disciples, they in the boat, Jesus walking on the water. AGAIN -not expected. When I began seeing a theme in my life this week-unexpected things happening at unexpected times I began searching for more of those times in Matthew. What I found where three stories where Jesus appeared in "unexpected ways."
The first I already mentioned/ maybe because of the disciples fear they were not able to recognize the Lord. Fear disables us in so many ways!
The second is in Matthew 13:53 when the people of Jesus' hometown did not recognize him as Messiah because they were familiar with him, "Isn't this the carpenters son?" They assumed things about Jesus, maybe "stereo-typing" Him because of His humbly beginnings. Do we discount people because of their education, age, position? Are we open to God speaking to us througth the ordinary?
The third I found in John Chapter 20. The empty tomb. Mary Magdalene thought Jesus was the gardener. She thought He was dead, assumed things because of her state of grief, therefore her mind could not grasp that it was Jesus standing before her. Do we discount the miraculous because of our sadness and despair? Do we miss the miraculous everyday because we have a lack of faith, or maybe we are not open to the impossible?
We see in all three of these accounts Jesus using the impossible through common things..a garden, a lake, a heritage. DON'T discount the obvious, just because it is obvious. Look for the miraculous today in your job, children, mother, on the highway, in the news-story..I am sure if we adjust our vision, our lives would begin to take on a whole new dimension of hope!
Just a few thoughts from Matthew 14-see ya next week!
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