Come, Follow, Go – Part II Words of Eternal Life

Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."
~ from John 6:66-69 (NKJV)

In the joy of discovering words of eternal life, we may think our troubles are over. Jesus tells His followers to expect trouble.

Words of eternal life call us not to self-fulfillment, but to glorify God. Followers learn from the Master's example to serve and bless rather than curse and forgive—and to love those who seem unlovable.

The disciple who abides with the Master is promised not just a share in the heavenly treasure, not just a crown, but to share in our Lord's glory! Whatever our blessings or difficulties in this world, our reward is in the next.

"Many will follow Jesus as far as the breaking of the bread,
but few will stay to drink the cup of his passionate self-sacrifice."
~ Thomas Kempis

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Copyright 2011, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Come, Follow, Go – Part I Prince of Peace

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest..."
~ from Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV)

We tend to see faith as passive. After all, we receive Jesus as a gift. Works cannot earn salvation. His strength is manifest in our weakness.

But Jesus calls us to active faith. He comes to us not once but each day with an invitation: "Come to Me." He never intends to leave us where He finds us, but for us to walk with Him.

Whether we accept or decline, we cannot remain the same. In acceptance is peace. In declining, we will forever be uneasy, left with the question, "what if?"

"No Jesus, no peace.
Know Jesus, know peace."
~ Unknown

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Clay

Now this is the testimony of John ... "I am 'the voice of one crying in the wilderness: "make straight the way of the LORD," ' as the prophet Isaiah said."
~ John 1:19,23 (NKJV)

Jesus said of John the Baptist, "... there is not a greater prophet ... but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."

John's greatness lay not in being herald to Jesus, but in his view of himself. He readily faded into the scenery when Jesus appeared. He spoke truth without regard for his own well being. He dared not even call himself a prophet, but only a voice.

Each of us is simply clay formed in image of divinity—to reveal divinity as His hands and heart and voice.

Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for disposal of refuse?
~ Romans 9:21 (TNIV)

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Get Understanding

I have more understanding than all my teachers,
For Your testimonies are my meditation...
Make Your face shine upon Your servant,
And teach me Your statutes.
~ Psalm 119:99,135 (NKJV)

A good teacher imparts knowledge in a way the student can grasp. An excellent teacher goes beyond transfer of information and imparts the wisdom to apply knowledge.

The exceptional teacher may also lead a student to understanding—the "aha!" moment of comprehending the power of knowledge and wisdom.

Yet understanding is not a gift from the teacher. In the favor of His face shining upon us, the Lord alone grants the understanding that empowers us to take anything we learn and use it for something of enduring significance—in our lives and the lives of those we love.

Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.
~ Proverbs 4:7 (NKJV)

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Splendor of Sorrow

"It is said of God that
no one can behold His face and live.
I always thought this meant that
no one could see His spendor and live.
A friend said perhaps it means that
no one could see His sorrow and live.
Or perhaps His sorrow is His splendor."
~ Nicholas Wolterstorff

• • •

... but rejoice to the extent
that you partake of Christ's sufferings,
that when His glory is revealed,
you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
~ 1 Peter 4:13 (NKJV)

Untaken

And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not take it.
~ John 1:5

The darkness did not take the Light—did not comprehend, lay hold of, seize, obtain, grasp, understand, overtake, or overcome Jesus. Various Bible translations use different words to translate the Greek katalambanō, a verb which literally means "to take."

Because a dark world does not take Jesus, it will not take us if we are attached to Him. Though we aspire to be bearers of glad tidings, the world may think us curiosities or weak fools; it may find us odious and persecute us.

The smaller we become in the presence of Light, the less we need shrink back from Darkness.

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
~ 1 John 4:4 (NKJV)

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Copyright 2011, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Man of Sorrows, Prince of Peace

The most recent addition to my library is Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo. This credible account by Todd tells of his son Colton's near-death experience and describes several details of Heaven, including meeting Jesus. (Whatever criticism the book has received, I found it consistent with Scripture and glorifying of God, with an emphasis on every person's need to have Jesus.)

When asked what Jesus looks like, four-year-old Colton mentioned, "Jesus has red markers on Him," indicating Jesus' hands and feet. As the years went by, Todd often showed Colton various artists' depictions of Jesus, asking if they came close to the reality. Colton always dismissed them.

Then Todd heard about a child prodigy who also said she'd seen Jesus (Akiane Kramarik), who had drawn a picture of Him. Todd showed her artwork to Colton. A mesmerized Colton said this one got it right.



The fact that eight-year-old Akiane could draw this picture is by itself miraculous. Corroborating testimony from another small child might or might not be considered convincing. What Jesus really looks like isn't a make-it-or-break-it matter anyway.

Nonetheless, when I look into this face, I sense a pain behind the peace which spurs me on. Life's been pretty challenging lately, and the consideration to set aside lay ministry and attempt nothing more than being a stay-at-home mommy has never been stronger. I'm grateful to the Lord for every source of inspiration He cares to use in my life.

I share this picture with all of you with the prayer that you might find comfort and inspiration to remember our precious Lord and Savior—our example—as both Man of Sorrows and Price of Peace.

Who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,
And as a root out of dry ground.
He has no form or comeliness;
And when we see Him,
There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
~ Isaiah 53:1-5 (NKJV)

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Copyright 2011, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

In Pursuit of Joy

Image source: National Geographic

Throughout my Christian walk, joy has been the natural outflow from a heart of gratitude. Whatever other emotion might temporarily overtake me, my default perspective has been that God had no reason to redeem a wretch like me, and I am incredibly, thoroughly blessed to know Jesus. Who can't be happy about that?

The last two years have brought me adversity in more ways than might be openly shared. I've fought back the resulting darkness by the power and grace of God. The joy of my salvation still lives, but weariness has too often come to stifle that joy.

My heart desires its former exuberance.

If I know one thing about joy, it's that the path of joy is marked with gratitude. I sat down this morning and wrote out 100 things for which I'm truly grateful, which I've not always had. By the time I finished, I stood amazed at God's grace to me. I could only wonder, like the psalmist:

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
~ Psalms 8:3-4 (NKJV)

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Copyright 2011, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Reunion

Johnny said it had been seven years since we last saw each other. I remembered only that the years had been painfully long. His absence left a void in my heart that never quite went away, prompting countless prayers for a reunion. Grief over my brother's estrangement even prompted a post from me on his birthday two years ago.

Then we enjoyed a three-hour breakfast together week before last. I was incredibly happy to hold my little brother, kiss his cheek, and tell him I love him.

We both enjoy dancing (a wedding occurrence for me and a weekly occurrence for him), so I eagerly accepted his invitation to join him at his favorite haunt. We did a somewhat complicated line dance that took me a few rounds to catch, but I quickly fell into the Two Step, the East Coast Swing, and a dance I think he called the Ragdoll that was very fast and made me laugh.

And I was even happier.

[Sorry for the poor quality of my phone photo—the only one I got.]

Back at my sister's house, Johnny entertained us with fire. The ignited hula hoop and baton all seemed safe enough. I watched flames dance against night sky as I've done many times before, my mind trying to assure my heart that all was well despite red flags there. It wasn't until I drove away, and the Lord answered my question with a question, that I understood why things didn't feel quite right.

What fellowship ... has darkness with light? (2 Corinthians 6:14)

The darkness in my brother showed itself at dawn and emerged full force at noon. His old hurts which have given way to anger and anger which has long simmered into bitter malice were easily covered with a few hours charm, especially because my love wanted to believe they might have died.

I suppose if we knock on Heaven's door long enough, a loving Father may finally say "yes" to our prayers, if for no other reason than to show us that what we think we desperately want really won't be for the best.

Though Johnny and I will remain estranged, and my happiness proved fleeting, I thank God for a brief reunion in answer to my prayers.

I thank the Lord for countless brothers and sisters in Christ who are filled with Light.

I thank God for Light which the darkness does not overcome.

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Copyright 2011, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Convenient Time, a Myth

Now as Paul reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, "Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you."
Acts 24:25 (NKJV)

Our household is blessed to not live from paycheck to paycheck, though I sometimes joke that we live from tax return to tax return. We are not paupers where money is concerned.

But where time is concerned, I see myself as a pauper. Like the widow with two mites who gave it all to the Lord, I willingly give Him the little time I have and ask Him to look after me where more seems needed.

This spring turned me on my head. Rather than recount all the pressures to overtake me, I will simply confess that I allowed urgency to press upon those two mites of time always given to the Lord, and I suddenly found myself without the time needed for emergencies.

If I think I must wait for a surplus of time before I start giving Him the two mites again, I will remain the poorer.

If I think there will be a more convenient time to speak of Him again, I believe a myth.

My life still feels overwhelmed with urgency. This is not a convenient time to start blogging again. But since convenient seems to be a myth, I'm back anyway. I look forward to seeing all of you again.

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
Ephesians 5:15-16 (ESV)

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Copyright 2011, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.