WHAT'S THE PLAN?

WHAT’S THE PLAN?

            In Jessamyn West’s Friendly Persuasion, Quaker farmer Jess Birdwell wonders, as he takes flowers to a funeral for an orphaned boy who had been beaten to death by his foster father, if this simple gesture is the whole reason he was born?  And, in doing so, has he fulfilled God’s plan for him? 

That passage has stuck with me for years.  After all, how do we really know what God’s plan for each of us is? What makes us think there is one?   Oh, we can string events together and build a broad outline, but no one can guess what the truth is.  Wise parent that He is, God has given us all the tools and guidelines it takes to follow and then sets us free.   But it seems too scary out there on that limb all alone!  One of Jesus’ goals was to convince people that God is ever present and no one is actually alone. With Jesus as our companion, things become clearer - not less scary maybe - but clearer. 

            

All the great adjectives, phrases and descriptions of good, honest, loving people apply to Jesus.  He was compassionate and tolerant, but he was not a fool as the moneychangers in the Temple discovered.  He drew people to him because he smiled and looked right at them, acknowledging their existence, which didn’t happen often to the poor. Still doesn’t, by the way.  He went wherever he wanted and fit in wherever that was; because he was absolutely sure the love of the Father was with him.  We have both, the love of the Father and the companionship of the Son.  We can’t worry about what will define our purpose, but live our lives in Christ, making every encounter count for something. We have to learn to forgive ourselves when we mess up and trust in the loving grace of God to strengthen us to persevere.  

Blessings and a Happy New Year, 

Carol Lemelin, OPA

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

When asked by the Pharisees why Jesus associated with sinners, he replied,

“Those who are healthy have no need of the physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”  (LK 5:31-33)

Its no wonder Jesus stopped going to Jerusalem and other towns.  His detractors seemed to be everywhere.  Their questions were not innocent.  They all had a secret agenda behind them.  But, we are the beneficiaries of those questions.  All the answers Jesus gave defined his message, both to the disciples and to us.  

Jesus was asked 116 questions during his public life.  Brigham Young University has separated the questions into groups of questioners and subjects.  What interested me most were the answers Jesus gave.  Some of the answers are very familiar, such as, “You who are without sin cast the first stone”, but others not so much.    

The one that caught my eye was what followed Jesus’ response to the Pharisees’ complaint that the disciples didn’t follow the hand washing custom.  After he told them that what goes in the mouth isn’t the important thing, a disciple said to Jesus, “You know, the Pharisees were upset by your answer.”

Can’t you just imagine Jesus’ response? If Jesus lived in our time, it might have been, a sardonic “Really?”   But Jesus, seeing the disciples concern, realized they were afraid of the backlash. In so many words, He said, “ Don’t worry about this. They are blind and they are leading the blind.  When the blind lead the blind, they both fall into the pit.” He was drawing them away from the hierarchical structure driven by manmade laws, which paralyzed their ability to know God fully. 

My point for bringing this up is that most people only know the Scriptures they hear on Sundays.  The wealth of information about the life of Jesus available in the New Testament will enrich your life. We are given insights there we didn’t know existed.  

We see him as a person.  We gain a much deeper understanding of his life.  We begin to see him more deeply human and find in him a kindred spirit.  Then, living a life in Christ becomes second nature. 

Think of it as an adventure. You don’t know what you don’t know until you know.  God gave you the intellect to explore this incredible life.  Try it, you’ll like it!

Blessings,

Carol Lemelin OPA