2001-09-27 - The Journey

1 Kings 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. (KJV)

American society is very goal-oriented. Because of that fact we tend to hurry from point A to point B focusing on getting to the destination without much concern for things and places along the way. The news is often filled with the spectacular rather than what is important. Not to say that there are not events in our daily lives that do not speak for themselves. The pressing things of life are often not important, and the important things in life are often not pressing.

Jesus stopped along the way from place to place to meet various people. He met Jarius and his family. His daughter was sick with a fever. Those who thought they knew better said she was dead. While Jarius was an important official, even his servant said that Jesus should not be bothered any more. It was not important to keep Him.

Jesus' disciples wondered why Jesus did not immediately depart when the news came that his friend Lazarus was sick. It would be important for the Master to get to Lazarus as soon as possible. Instead why Jesus delayed was unexplainable.

The pressing matter of two serious illnesses were not as important as the delay. The delay created the opportunity to demonstrate His power over disease and death. It was critical that the disciples and those around Lazarus and Jarius be confronted with the impossible to be jarred from their preconceived ideas of God and the relationship between God and mankind.

These stops along the journey to Calvary were every bit as important to us as the cross. If Jesus had raced from the cradle to the cross we would have missed those important lessons. The Lord has important lessons along the way for us too. Our hurried lifestyle means that we often miss the still small voice with which Jesus speaks to us through thoughts, events and others around us. I know my life is just a little more busy than it probably should be. I'm sure many of you can identify with this condition. But let's stop, or at least slow down several times a day and look back over the events of the last few minutes or hours. Tell the people that are important to us that they are with a smile, a hug or a phone call. These are not pressing things, but they are important stops in our journey.

Grace & Peace,
Mike

jmhoskins@gmail.com
http://www.cfdevotionals.org