I’m Sticking With Jesus

I’ve half written a couple of blogs this week, but can’t finish them right now. My mind has been too preoccupied with news items from the Church world. Let’s just say the last few days (weeks, months, years…) in many ways haven’t been our brightest and best. If you are unaware of some of the drama of recent days, I’m not going to give any details except to say, we’re a mess. We’re as divided as our country. We’re riddled with sinful actions and attitudes which we have justified, excused, covered up, glossed over and dismissed as “not that bad.” We’ve rushed to reconciliation and restoration when there has been no repentance. We’ve traded political power for compassion for the weak and oppressed, and justice for those who have been wronged. Some of you might be saying, “So, what else is new?” I might be tempted to agree with you. Except…

Jesus.

When I read the Gospels and when I read the rest of the Bible through the lens of Jesus, I have hope for the Church He started. I have hope not only because of what I read or what I believe to the core of my being, but because every day I see Jesus walking around in this dark world, in our country and in my neighborhood through ordinary, imperfect people. Jesus is still at work on this tired and broken old planet.

That’s why I’m sticking with Jesus. I’m trying as best I can to keep my nose pointed right between His shoulder blades and following so close the dust of His sandals is all over me. I get off track. I read too much Twitter and listen to too many “experts” and then I wake up and come back to simply following Jesus and loving the people He puts in my path as best I can.

I love what Bob Goff had to say about this in a recent podcast.

“…we’re all amateurs at this and we’re trying to make our way forward. We’re trying to not just listen for loud voices, but listen for true voices. And say hey, at the same time, I’m not gonna say truth is this variable, but I think we’re looking at eternity through a knot hole, and we’re reporting back as accurately as we can everything we see, but I have to continue to remind myself I’m looking through a knot hole. I think I’m seeing all of it, and I’m indeed seeing 100% of everything I can see, but it ain’t much.

So, that just causes me to be just a little bit more humble. When I’m having an opinion that I want to tell God about, He keeps asking about my heart.”

So, how’s your heart? For that matter, how’s mine?

Oh, I can hear the “Ya-buts” coming. I know them. I’ve said them. You go right ahead and “Ya-but” yourself to death.

I’m sticking with Jesus.