What are you going back to? Why do you want to go back? Was that really working for you?
All questions we need to ask ourselves as we prepare for the return to work, social activities, and church. To get some perspective, let’s look at Peter’s life soon after the resurrection. Peter returns to fishing. That’s what he knows; where he’s always felt comfortable. He could hide here and not have to deal with the loss he was feeling.
But, after awhile of not catching anything, Jesus shows up. You get that, right? Peter was lost, not knowing where to turn. His friends were with him, but he was still wondering what was going on. Jesus found him. Isn’t that just like Jesus to come where we are?
He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. John 21:6
They didn’t recognize Jesus at first. Why not? Maybe there was a fog in the early morning air. Maybe they were just distracted in their frustration of not being able to catch any fish.
We think that we go to Jesus. But, that’s a myth – he comes to us. We don’t recognize him many times because we’re not looking for him or he comes in a form we’re not expecting. Often, we don’t go to church or pray to God because we think we’re not good enough. We don’t have our lives together. But he’s not searching for those who have it all together. None of us have it all together. He’s searching for the lost, the downtrodden, the suffering.
(I could go on and on. I have 5 pages of notes from this morning’s sermon, but I’m going to cut to the chase. You can check out the link to the sermon and watch it yourself. Jon’s sermon’s are awesome! No, I’m not telling you that to get brownie points. I’m not even sure he reads my blog. But, I know this message will touch your heart and be applicable to everyone.)
As we forge ahead into our daily lives, let’s not go back to the past. Let’s go into a better place, leaning into Jesus. Include Jesus in your daily life, asking him each morning to take you where he wants you to be that day. Don’t separate Jesus from the rest of your life. He wants to be a part of everything you do. Include him in your work, your relationships, your church.
Go back stronger, more graceful, more loving. Build your life on a firm foundation.
I can’t encourage you enough to lean into the love that Jesus offers us. He can change your life! If you’ve gotten a glimpse of what church can be like through these videos provided by MCC and The Story, visit us. I promise, you will leave feeling blessed and have a new perspective. Looking forward to getting back to the new us!
In Faith,
Pam
Where God Leads 