Step Six


GospelJohn 6:22-29 

Refuge posts on the causeway to Lindisfarne


After Jesus had fed the five thousand, his disciples saw him walking on the water. Next day, the crowd that had stayed on the other side saw that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but that the disciples had set off by themselves. Other boats, however, had put in from Tiberias, near the place where the bread had been eaten. When the people saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into those boats and crossed to Capernaum to look for Jesus. When they found him on the other side, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’
  Jesus answered:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
you are not looking for me because you have seen the signs
but because you had all the bread you wanted to eat.
Do not work for food that cannot last,
but work for food that endures to eternal life,
the kind of food the Son of Man is offering you,
for on him the Father, God himself, has set his seal.’
Then they said to him, ‘What must we do if we are to do the works that God wants?’ Jesus gave them this answer, ‘This is working for God: you must believe in the one he has sent.’


Step Six - Became entirely ready to have God remove all our defects of character


In school we have been discussing saying 'sorry'; particularly saying sorry when you don't mean it. Not lying exactly; but sometimes the word is an automatic reflex (which I have often used on lamp posts and post boxes) or the magic word to get the response you are looking for. The students particularly related to this one; the threat of being grounded, to   get a situation over with, to avoid having to address the real issue.  Using 'sorry' as a end word so that you can get back to what you were doing without actually learning any lessons, changing behaviour or seeking reconciliation. Just like bread, it can serve only to fulfill the needs of the moment. 


Truly sorry is so much more;regret, remorse, a desire for reconciliation and redemption.
To know, without doubt, that you have wandered far from home and taken the darker path.  To be redeemed is to be bought back from this shadow place you have ended up in. 


It is very rare that you are able to buy yourself back - memories of Grimm's fairy tales and deals with the devil - which are never a good idea - usually it involves a rescue. Fair maiden or gallant knight - someone else has to come and get you back; to give the kiss of grace so that you may live happily ever after. 


Jesus tells those who follow him that he is the rescuer; that the words that he brings will change us, will heal us and will feed us with the desire to live in God's light. 


But there is no good in hiding in the corner, or pretending that you can make it out on own -  you have to shout it out - 'I want to be rescued'.


wordinthehand2011















Comments

Margaret said…
This is the very lesson I've been learning this year. Now, I'm much more comfortable surrendering to Godde and saying I'm handing this challenge over to you. What a blessing.
10 May 2011 at 16:30
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Listen

Image
Jesus said: ‘I tell you most solemnly, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate, but gets in some other way is a thief and a brigand. The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the flock; the gatekeeper lets him in, the sheep hear his voice, one by one he calls his own sheep and leads them out. When he has brought out his flock, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow because they know his voice. They never follow a stranger but run away from him: they do not recognise the voice of strangers.’ Jesus told them this parable but they failed to understand what he meant by telling it to them. So Jesus spoke to them again: ‘I tell you most solemnly, I am the gate of the sheepfold. All others who have come are thieves and brigands; but the sheep took no notice of them. I am the gate. Anyone who enters through me will be safe: he will go freely in and out and be sure of finding pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so ...
Read more

On and on and on and...

Image
Gospel Luke 18:1-8 Jesus told his disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart. ‘There was a judge in a certain town’ he said ‘who had neither fear of God nor respect for man. In the same town there was a widow who kept on coming to him and saying, “I want justice from you against my enemy!” For a long time he refused, but at last he said to himself, “Maybe I have neither fear of God nor respect for man, but since she keeps pestering me I must give this widow her just rights, or she will persist in coming and worry me to death.”’ And the Lord said ‘You notice what the unjust judge has to say? Now will not God see justice done to his chosen who cry to him day and night even when he delays to help them? I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?’ A strange Gospel this; mostly because of the insinuation that we can get whatever we want from God just by nagging. ...
Read more

The Fourth Shepherd

Image
There are many characters in the story of the Nativity but one that we rarely hear of is the Fourth Shepherd. When the angels came that night to bring the Good News, they began with the most unlikely. Shepherds were a tough lot, weathered and self-reliant,  who had to survive out on the hills protecting their flock from the weather, the wolves and their own stupidity.  Once the shepherds had gotten over the shock and wonder of the glory of heaven shining all around them, they immediately wanted to go and find the baby; the lights of Bethlehem beckoned as brightly as the stars – ‘Come and see’. The could barely stop to wrap their cloaks around them. They took hold of  their staffs and each caught a light from the fire.  All except one. One young shepherd remained seated, looking into the fire. When the others asked him why he wasn’t ready, he replied that he was; he was ready to stay behind and take care of the flock. The other shepherds ...
Read more