Κύριος Notes

 Adoration

Must Jesus bear the cross alone,
And all the world go free?
No, there’s a cross for everyone,
And there’s a cross for me.

How happy are the saints above,
Who once went sorr’wing here!
But now they taste unmingled love,
And joy without a tear.

The consecrated cross I’ll bear
Till death shall set me free;
And then go home my crown to wear,
For there’s a crown for me.

Upon the crystal pavement down
At Jesus’ pierced feet,
Joyful I’ll cast my golden crown
And His dear Name repeat.

 

 Scripture Reflection: Luke 9: Finding my voice

Lord Jesus following your call on my life is what it is all about...following where ever you lead.  I have been thinking about and praying about the role you have called me to. By circumstances that seemed unremarkable at the time, I find myself back preaching again.

A thought that has been running around my soul on and off has been the issue of finding my voice...the distinctive personal witness to your grace...filtered through my experience. 

How does that happen and what is that process?

I think that this passage has something to do with that process.

 

 ⁵⁷As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."

 ⁵⁸Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

This passage is really the story of three different reactions to You Lord.  The first is someone who comes to you offering to be a follower.  It looks as if this first person thought that there would be meals and lodging included.  In a way they are...but not something that is on our terms.  

There are no reservation that we can place for a Price-line reservation for a room with a view...there is just the internal need to follow the Master where ever and whenever he leads.

 ⁵⁹He said to another man, "Follow me."

      But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."

 ⁶⁰Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

This second person is someone that you approach with a call to follow.  The reaction is interesting.  On the face of it is seems valid request."Lord, first let me go and bury my father." But nowhere does it say that this persons father is even sick...so what he was really saying was to take a rain check until his then living father was buried.

There is no rain check on following...it takes place now...present tense with all the courage and determination that I can muster.

 ⁶¹ Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."

 ⁶²Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

This third response to another person seeking to be a disciple reminds me of the story of Lot's wife...turning to salt as she look back on her burning home.  I remember preaching a sermon series titled "Keeping My Hand To the Plow." 

Not sure if it was helpful to anyone else but it was helpful to me.  It formed deep within me the realization that I was called to this place...that I needed to live up to that call, even when it was painful...that no one else could do what you have called me to do.  So finding my voice really is a simple as listening to your gentle call and following...of coming to the place where your call will be lived out or I will die trying to live it out. 

Lord Jesus speak through this voice...speak through me and use me in your kingdoms advance...use this voice to bring glory to yourself.