Scripture
19So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. 20For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. John 5:19-20
Observation
The healing of the man lame for 38 years at the pool of Bethesda started with this one moment, “When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” John paints the desperate picture well for the reader. “Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches,” but Jesus zeroes in what the Father was doing in that moment with that one man. It doesn’t mean The Father wasn’t going to heal the others as well, but there was one simple assignment in that moment and, with laser-like focus, that’s where Jesus put His attention. Jesus wasn’t led by the immense need of the crowds, but by the immediacy of His Father’s will. Jesus was in a loving relationship and followed His Father’s lead. There’s such an ease to this scene and so many others in Gospel’s. It’s not easy, but there’s an ease to how Jesus did ministry. Jesus wasn’t led by striving, expectations, man’s plans or even what logic would dictate in a given situation. He simply walked through the day with His Father and they did life together.
Application
The good news is that this invitation to a daily intimate walk with God isn’t limited to the super spiritual elite. In fact, Jesus literally invites us all to experience this intimacy with Him on the daily. The Message paraphrase describes it this way, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Mt. 11:28-30). When I couldn’t breathe without help due to double pneumonia it was a very humbling feeling. Every breathe was a chore and, for the first time in my life, I saw every breathe as a gift. To sit here now, breathing in and out without fear or concern is a reset of sorts for my walk with God. As I look at how Jesus did ministry with the Father and calls us to do ministry with Him it’s very much like breathing. Inhale- What is the Father Doing? Exhale- I’m going to do it with Him. Repeat as I walk into the next room. Inhale- God wants to heal this person. Exhale- I’m going to be a part of that healing process. Repeat as I go into this next meeting. Inhale- My plans take a back seat to His presence. Exhale- God is up to something bigger than me and I don’t want to miss it. Repeat as I take His hand and breathe in the possibilities of a life lived in His Spirit.
Prayer
I don't want to miss this reset Lord. I’m done with the striving driven religious life. Trying to make “the good stuff” happen by my strength and getting You to agree with what I’m doing is exhausting. My friend Aaron Bull defined faith as throwing my support in with what God is doing even if it doesn’t make sense. I choose to inhale your Word and to exhale Your Will and repeat this process again and again in the unforced rhythms of grace. This is not some kind of “Zen” passive spirituality, but rather an active participation in practicing the presence of God. Every situation, good and bad, is an invitation to see what You are doing (inhale) and to do it with you (exhale) and to repeat the beautiful motions of grace. You are the breathe in my lungs and I don’t want to live the huffing and puffing of my way of living any more. I take Your hand and walk into this day and I let the expectation of what You’re about to invite me into fill me with wonder.
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