Just Do It

There is a corporation today whose well known slogan is "Just Do It".

In a way, that is how our response should be in our relationship with God.

God had a special relationship with Abraham.

We remember how God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son.

We also remember that Abraham was willing to obey God.

God spared Abraham's son and, according to the book of James, Abraham's willingness to obey God was counted as righteousness.

Yet there was a point much earlier in Abraham's life when God asked him to do something and Abraham obeyed.

This happened after Abraham's father, Terah, settled in Haran.

Terah settled there with his son son Abram and his daughter-in-law Sarai (God had not given them their new names of Abraham and Sarah yet).

It was there that God spoke to Abraham.

Genesis 12:1 (NET) - Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father's household to the land that I will show you."

Notice that God did not tell Abraham where to go.

He said that He would show him.

Abraham was 75 years old when God spoke these words to him.

How did Abraham respond?

He "just did it".

He left the country with which he was familiar.

He left his father and relatives behind.

He obeyed God and, with his wife at his side, he left his old life behind him.

He did not know where they were going.

He did not know how far they were to travel.

He certainly did not know what awaited them once they got there.

All he had was God's instruction and God's promise.

Genesis 12:2 (NET) - "Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, so that you will exemplify divine blessing."

Abraham obeyed.

God kept his promise.

God made Abraham a great nation.

Beyond that, Matthew's gospel begins with the human family tree of Jesus and begins it with Abraham.

Matthew 1:2 (NET) - Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.

Yes, God had a special relationship with Abraham.

God wants a relationship with us as well.

What is God asking you to do?

What gift has he given you to use for Him?

Do you know what that gift is yet?

That is something you must work out with Him.

One thing I can tell you is that it may not be at all what you expected it to be.

Just follow Abraham's example and trust Him.

Trust Him completely.

In other words, "just do it".

Wherever it takes you, you can be sure of two things.

You will be where He wants you to be and you will not be there alone..


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com

Sometimes We Need A Reminder

I have been thinking a great deal about the life of John the Baptist.

In the first chapter of Luke's gospel, we are introduced to his parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth.

An angel of the Lord foretold the birth of John to Zechariah.

He told of his role as forerunner for the Lord and how he would prepare the way for Him.

He even told Zechariah to name him John.

Elizabeth became pregnant just as the angel foretold.

In her sixth month with child, the angel Gabriel visited a virgin named Mary and told her that she would conceive a Son by the Holy Spirit and was to name Him Jesus.

Mary is told by the angel that Elizabeth, her cousin, was also with child.

Mary went to visit Elizabeth and when she did something remarkable happened.

Luke 1:41 (NET) - When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

It appears that even before birth, John was mysteriously aware that he was in the presence of Jesus.

In the third chapter, we read that John preached of baptism and repentance around the Jordan River.

As foretold, he was the voice of one shouting in the wilderness and preparing the way for the Lord.

In John's gospel, we read of his reaction when he first laid eyes on Jesus.

John 1:29 (NET) - On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

In Matthew's gospel, Jesus came to John to be baptized.

John protested stating that he was the one who needed to be baptized by Jesus.

Jesus, convinced John that this had to be and John conceded.

When John baptized Jesus, again something truly wonderful happened.

Matthew 3:16-17 (NET) - After Jesus was baptized, just as He was coming up out of the water, the heavens opened and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming on Him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is My one dear Son, in Him I take great delight."

John's role was foretold.

It is evident that he understood who Jesus was and witnessed firsthand an affirmation confirming this.

Then, something else happened.

John was imprisoned.

While in prison, he heard about the the things Jesus has been doing.

He sent two disciples to Jesus to ask a question.

Matthew 11:3 (NET) - "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?"

John's role was ordained by God.

John knew who Jesus was.

John witnessed the amazing.

Yet, after languishing in prison, it would seem that John was not as certain as he once had been.

John experienced doubt.

How does Jesus respond?

Matthew 11:4-6 (NET) - Jesus answered them, "Go tell John what you hear and see: The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news proclaimed to them. Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me."

Jesus did not rebuke John.

He did not criticize John.

He simply reminded John of that which he was already aware.

Sometimes, those we know experience doubt.

Doubt that can manifest itself in a number of different ways.

We could rebuke them.

We could criticize them.

Or, we could follow the example of Jesus and do what He did for John.

We can lovingly remind them of who Jesus is and what He does.


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com