Take me where I'm not-excuses for miles

Luke 9:57-62

We tend to be a people of “Take me where I’m not.”  I’ve used that phrase in my grief writing so much, that when my followers there see me write it they understand. So, let me do that for you now, and seeing it through the lens of the scripture will follow. 

The way we tend to think of happiness or contentment is “take me where I’m not”.  In other words, we are going to accomplish great things when we get to a space we don’t inhabit now.  You’ll write that book you always wanted to write when you retire.  You’ll be relaxed and happy when you are on vacation.  You’ll be a more content person when you find that someone to marry.   You’ll be happier, less stress, when you find a better job.  There are many, many problems with this thinking.  Not the least of which is, that where ever you go…you bring yourself.  If you didn’t have before, the scenery may change but you won’t.  If you didn’t have the dedication to do whatever it is you think you want to do, one tiny step at a time, when you said it was what you wanted-then you won’t when the scenery changes either.  It really is that simple.  If you want/need/desire to be or do something, then now is where you start and not in some mythical time or space that may or may not come.  The funny thing about realizing this is that, understanding it-putting it into practice-we begin to see what it is we REALLY want and what we simply like dreaming about.  This is what I see when I see our Gospel reading today.

A man, like you or me, sees in Jesus all that he believes he would like to be and do.  That’s not hard to understand.  From his perspective, and limited understanding, He had people who followed him, ladies that followed and supported him with their means, and He inspired in people so many great things.  The guy thinks Jesus had it made.  I can extrapolate this from how Jesus answers him.  Jesus tears that thinking to shreds saying: Jesus answered him,

"Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,

but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head."

And to another he said, "Follow me."

The man was playing a game of take me where I’m not, and like any of us who are in love with the idea of change, but not willing or wanting to effect real change…out comes the excuses.  To put it into modern lingo, “Sure I’ll do that as soon as I __________”  You fill it in with your personal reasons. 

There are thousands of books with hundreds of thousands of words in them about what it takes to be successful in any venue you’d like to pick, whether it’s writing a book or serving in a ministry and all the things between.  Yet, Jesus tells them the only truth you need to know for, not only success in following him, but life itself.  Jesus answered him, "No one who sets a hand to the plow

and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God."

I know that may seem like a grand claim from me, given the simplicity of that sentence, but I don’t think I’m over stating it at all.  Jesus spoke truth, and truth is universal in its’ application.  When we are talking about our spiritual life, in this scripture, we understand that once we make the commitment to follow him (putting our hand to the plow), that we cannot then look around for other things to worship or have faith in and still be fit for the kingdom.  Jesus was telling us, in his answer to the excuse giving men, that very thing.  In my meditations, I have played out how this might have gone had the men simply answered “Yes, Lord.”  I think, had they been faithful like that, Jesus may well have healed the person’s father, and then dropped by the other man’s house where his whole family would have been redeemed. That is, of course, purely my speculation, but given the nature of Jesus and His love, I don’t think is off mark given the nature of Jesus and the fate of people/families who approached him with such faith.  Single-mindedly, with faith, looking forward to The Almighty, move forward, the rest will fall into place.

The second application as far as success goes, I hope by this point is as apparent to you as it is to me.  Set aside your excuses, and your take me where I’m not thinking, and don’t look back as you put your hand to the plow.  If we do this, first to Jesus, and then with all the little things in our lives that we think we’ll be happy when we do…we cannot fail.  The interesting thing about that is, what we think is going to make us happy, or what we should do, may very well change drastically when our eyes are on a more eternal prize. 

Just some food for thought and prayer…

Heavenly Father, my hand is on the plow and my heart looks forward only to you.  There is nothing I hold above you.  You alone are my measure of success, happiness, love, and hope. Bless my humble path with your will.  In Jesus name, Amen. 

Here I am, Lord, send me,

Lisa Brandel