I remember as a child, I was the one that had to be kept on a short leash, so to speak. Yes, I was that child you read about who can be over a fence and down the road in less than five minutes or the child that can somehow turn on the water faucet outside and have a flooded garden in less than 2 minutes. Yes, and the faucet had a child-proof lock my dad had "to invent" to keep me from turning it on. Still, I had the "power" to turn it on with my little hands! Yes, I was the one child that somehow knew the city worker's had been digging a large hole less than a block from our home and were trying to repair a water line that had broken some two days....before.......but.................because of the turbulent rain for a 22 hour period, all that moisture had prevented them from working on it and there were only three super large saw-horse type barriers that surrounded it. Yes, you guessed it, and a small child of 2 and 1/2 years could get through it quickly. That newly formed hole now held water to the brim and could drown a small child in a very short time. Yes, I was free, no leash on me and I was heading for trouble! My dad thought I was with my mom, and mom thought that I was still in bed napping...................yeah, right???
He had poured himself a cup of coffee by the kitchen sink, looked out the window and saw my short legs running quickly toward danger! He took off running out the front door and down the street just in time to reach me before the fall into the big super size hole that now was filled with a large volume of muddy water and debris. Yes, he spoke for years on that one story alone, but he said he never forgot the way his heart felt when he finally reached me!
But my dad figured out the solution. He had to travel some because of his business and that left my mother on a 24-hour duty to keep two children safe and one of them had this overwhelming desire for "freedom"! So he fashioned this halter that had a clip on the back of my shoulder blades..............fit comfortable under the arms and had this length of cord fastened to the clothes line. Again, you guessed it, I was safe in my backyard while hooked to this clothes line...............so my mother knew where I would be while she worked in the flooded garden or hung clothes on the line to dry. Yes, I was safe from turning their lives into a horror movie before their eyes.
In writing this, I was thinking of the scripture found in the book of Luke.
Luke 9:59-62......59 Then He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God." 61 And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house." 62 But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." NKJV
Being asked by Jesus, to follow HIM, and having some excuse for not doing so seems rather bold and self-involved in what they were doing and not seeing a way out of the mundane. Not following after "life, peace, love and joy" appears as a deficit to me! Taking a look at verse 59, is "let me first go and bury my father." And Jesus, replied, "let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God."
The verse does not mention that this person's father was ill and close to death. It just shows this man had an excuse ready to give about "why I cannot do what you ask". In that day and time.........when someone passed, they were wrapped in linen cloths with spices and placed in a tomb for about 1 year. Then they would take the bones and bury them in the family lot provided. In this, the man could have several years before following Jesus. Again, we have no time-line, but one thing was evident, the person had a reason not to follow. But Jesus told him to let the dead bury their own dead!
Some seem to think that at some point this person came to serve the Lord. I am not certain of that for the Lord told him to let the dead bury their own dead. So the Lord, in His knowing probably saw some issues that this young person was tied to in the world. If it were just the matter of an elderly aging father and being the only one to care for them, I believe Jesus would have given the word to go take care of business concerning the father and then come to follow Jesus. I also believe that there was to be an anointing on the young man to preach and teach the word of God and call sinners to salvation for Jesus told him to go and preach the kingdom of God. I believe whatever words this young man spoke at home fell on deaf ears, but I do believe the anointing held the power by the Holy Spirit to see many come to the Lord. The anointing I believe was that which would compel many to be saved and to serve the Lord with gladness in their hearts.
The other scripture verse is 61, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house." And Jesus, replied, "no one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."
Yikes! What was going on at that house and who was always there? It was possibly a place where we got our way, did things our own way, and had a great time everyday! But anyone knows, especially those who have lived on or even near a farm can readily say that man on that tractor is keeping his focus on plowing that field and not looking back. He is intent with staying side by side with each row and as straight as possible for the next planting.
My question to you is this: " are we truly following Him or are we on a short leash"? Do we keep to the word and look straight before us or do we look back to something we ought to just leave behind? Is our way of thinking keeping us chained to the mundane when God wants to do a "new thing" in our lives?
We should have "godly counsel" on this always. We should not seek advice from tarot cards, the horoscope or psychic readings. If we are to act on God's word then that Word should be that which is leading us. It should be God we hear, and His word that is before us to keep going in the direction of His life, peace, joy and love!
Here lately, I write and teach on this scripture, for I believe the Lord is asking us to follow Him. I believe His heart is much like what my dad experienced that day in the rain when he ran a race with death and saved me from falling into that enormous mud hole. Is there a slippery slope that the Lord is trying to keep us safe from falling into concerning going back to just say"good-bye to our peeps and pals at home"? Are we using excuses not to serve the Lord because we feel that we would lose something and not really have a good life to look back on.
I had many adventures when I was a child, and then as a youth in middle school and high school. But the greatest adventures I have had are serving the Lord and writing this blog to tell others of the Goodness and Love of God! I believe the Lord speaks to us and gives us that scripture that should "captivate" and keep our attention. That word speaks and brings life to us, directing us on a path of His goodness always. Yes, correction will come at times and sometimes more than we think we need, but it is because He corrects those He loves.
Proverbs... 3:11-12
11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
Nor detest His correction;
12 For whom the LORD loves He corrects,
Just as a father the son in whom he delights. NKJV
My dad did what he needed and wanted to do, to keep me safe and out of harm's way. What is your Father trying to do to keep you out of that harm that may bring death to you or yours? It is so much better to follow the Lord and learn of Him who gives to us so generously as we saw when He gave us His Son!
Father, You are the Great I Am in our midst! In Jesus' name, I pray for the protection of Your children today that they are covered by the Blood of Jesus. I pray that no evil befalls them and that no weapon formed against them shall prosper. I pray that they have hearing ears, and seeing eyes and will know Your voice when YOU speak to them. Lord today, I thank You for Your correction. May we not despise it for whom You love YOU Lord will correct. We know this because a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
Holy Spirit have Your way in our lives today. We give YOU full rein here in our lives, our home, ministry and in the work place. Show us where we need to watch our step so that we stay in line with YOU and not venture out in a dangerous place that can cause injury or death to us or our family members. We set our focus right before us and expect to hear YOU speak guiding us into a perfect freedom of Your life, peace, joy and love being strengthened day by day to follow the Lord of glory.
Lord, continue Your love to those who know you, Your righteousness to the upright in heart. (Psalm 36:10-12) I pray that the foot of proud not come against us nor the hand of wicked shall not drive us away.
I pray today that each who read this will trust in the Lord and do good. That they will dwell in the land You bring them to and to enjoy safe pasture. As each delight in YOU the Lord of glory, may these have their hearts desire. I thank You today, that it is YOU that makes our righteousness shine like the dawn and the justice of Your cause like the noonday sun (Psalm 37:1-6) when we follow YOU and Your ways. Amen.
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