Two Lanes of Freedom

OK, so sometimes I paint pictures, sometimes we go for walks down paths, but today I want to take a drive.  Not necessarily a leisurely, Sunday drive…specifically, I want to take a drive to and through the nearest congested interstate area.  Here at the Interstate 40 & 55 intersection, there has been major construction going on.  Massive projects have taken both directions down to 2 lanes, and at some points on both interstates between the Mississippi River bridges and the 40/55 intersection, it’s dropped to one single lane.  Nearly 100,000 vehicles cross the river at Memphis each day, and construction had traffic to a single lane entering Arkansas on both interstates.  It was frustrating, to say the very least. 

But it doesn’t have to be a construction zone.  Sometimes just general traffic design like the tunnel under Mobile Bay (the George C. Wallace Tunnel, if you’re interested) takes traffic down to a few lanes.  You’re blowing down I-10 headed toward the beaches of the Gulf Shore on four glorious lanes of unhindered speed…right until the tunnel.  Then those four glorious lanes of speed are funneled down to 2 lanes of bumper to bumper slowness.  Sure the tunnel is fun to go under, but it’s the same thing as the construction zones.  And everybody within the sound of my ticking keyboard (since you’re reading this) knows the basic scenario.  Some people get over early and patiently wait in line in the correct lanes to wait their turn to go through.  Meanwhile, others go flying by in the lane that ends and hope to find a hole in traffic just big enough to jump over at the last minute.  Typically I get really mad at those last minute lane jumpers.  They can see the signs and flashing lights – but they ignore it until the last minute.  And it frustrates me!  After all, I’ve waiting patiently and safely in the correct lane all this time to wait my turn to go through the tunnel.  Sometimes they have police officers sitting near the construction zones to encourage getting in the correct lane early, but even with that it’s just a suggestion…not real command to get over.  And you have two basic options.  Get over early, taking the safe route, or blow by in the lane that runs out and try to jump over at the last minute.

But the end result for both is the same.  We both go through the construction.  We both go through the tunnel.  And since I’ve spent quite a bit of time sitting in this construction traffic lately, and have this funny little knack of noticing things like this…I noticed it.  And now I’m passing it along to you.

Listen for the Whisper that tells you the Gospel call is a lot like going through construction on the highway, or going through the tunnel under Mobile Bay in Alabama.  Like the drivers in Matthew 20 where some saw the construction early and got over to be prepared to go through the single lane ahead.  While others decided to wait until the last minute then jump over just before the lane ran out…maybe they didn’t wait until the last minute on purpose.  Maybe someone asks them, “why didn’t you get over sooner?” And the driver replies, “Because nobody would leave a gap for my car for me to be able to get over.”  So the “someone” leaves them a gap to get over at the last minute.  Of course, now that person gets to go through BEFORE the person who’s waiting patiently in line for 20 minutes to get their turn to go through!  But then someone says to them, “didn’t you choose to get over early on your own?  And didn’t you still get to take your turn to get through the construction?”

Ok, so there’s no traffic mentioned in Matthew 20…it’s actually the parable of the workers in the field…the ones that came in the last hour were paid the same as the first.  And what happened?  The Older Brother from the Prodigal Son parable makes a guest-starring role.  And he’s grumbling and complaining that those other people get to go through the tunnel, too!  We want them to get caught in that outside lane!  Karma should make them wait there, unable to get over AT LEAST until we make it by them!  So we can point and laugh on the way by.  I mean, come on, we followed the rules and played it safe from the first sign that said we needed to get over, and then not only do they get the same reward, but they get it BEFORE ME!!

To be honest, this is one of those parables that has always confused me a bit.  I was born and raised in the church, essentially.  I’m the older brother in the prodigal son.  I’m the worker in the field that hired on early in the day.  I know it sounds a little stupid to even say it, but I hear other people tell their conversion stories and feel a little jealous.  They almost all seem as dramatic to me as Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus.  Or Moses seeing a burning bush.  Or the Ethiopian Eunuch.  They all get to experience that drastic change of heart…that moment of realization that they’ve FOUND what they’ve been seeking for so long!  And sometimes I get that strange feeling of having “just been here all along”.  I’m the guy that grew up near the Mississippi River and right next to Graceland…so I’ve never gotten that feeling of awe that everyone else gets when they see either for the first time.  And spiritually, it’s the same for me.  I’ve always known the warmth of God’s Love.  I’ve always been a Believer and when I was baptized, it was just sort of the “expected” thing to do.  That’s not to say that I didn’t take it seriously, but much like marrying my wife after we’d dated for nearly 7 years…it was just the next thing that was supposed to happen.  And then this parable tells me that they’ll be rewarded first?  Or is it a metaphor about humbling myself?  Or am I focusing too much on what’s in it for me, and not enough on the fact that it’s offered to all of us.

The trick in it all is to not be jealous of the ones that wait until life’s last minute to jump over to the safe lane.  Be happy for them.  Sometimes they don’t get over in time…they try to get over, and misjudge the gap.  They crash.  They take others with them.  They make it that that much harder for you to get through the construction when you get to it.  So the trick is to rejoice that they were able to get over.  When you hear their conversion story, rejoice in it.  Be happy that they made it to the right lane in time.  And back out of the world of metaphors and into reality for just a minute…be glad for the real drivers on the real roads.  It might frustrate you a little that they got away with it, but at least they didn’t kill themselves or anyone else while trying to jump over at the last minute.  Ephesians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord, always, and again I say Rejoice.”

On the roads, and in Christ, there are Two Lanes of Freedom (to borrow a Tim McGraw song title):  The safe road that starts early and goes long, and the road that flies by quickly and ends with a nick-of-time decision to jump in the right lane.  Both are cause for celebration.  Jesus died for both.  Matthew 20 tells us quite explicitly that the gift of Salvation belongs to Christ, and He may give to whomever He chooses.  The hard part for us “Older Brothers” is to be happy that the lost were found and get to share in our reward.  It’s way too easy for us to judge whether the prodigal sons mean it or not…”no atheists in foxholes” we like to say…and “we know what their life is really about” we like to say.  And to that sentiment, I offer this last simple illustration.

On the day Jesus was crucified…at the exact same time Jesus was on that cross, there were two drivers driving in the lane that runs out.  When it came down to dying with Jesus or dying without Jesus, one thief chose to mock Him and die without Jesus and the other chose to accept the Jesus for who He was.  He jumped over into the safe lane at the last minute.  And Jesus replied to him, “you don’t really mean it…I mean, you just jumped over now because you’re hanging on a cross…and you know what they say about atheists in foxholes.”  Oh wait…that’s what we say.  What actually happened was that the other driver lived his whole life in the fast lane and literally waited until the remainder of his life was measured in minutes to make that jump over to the safe lane called out to Jesus to remember him.  And what Jesus said was, “today you will be with me in paradise.”  The next time you come to some road congestion, find your joy in your Salvation.  Watch the other drivers and be mindful that we each make our choice about when to follow Jesus.  We’ll pick one of two lanes that lead to freedom from sin.  And we’re to rejoice for all who find Salvation.  Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice…yeah, even when you’re stuck in insanely bad, stand-still traffic.  Because maybe now when you’re stuck in traffic, it’ll remind you of the path you chose to get to Jesus.  Then take that time to say a thank you prayer. 

~Dwayne

ListenForTheWhisper@comcast.net

http://listenforthewhisper.blogspot.com
 

Take Me To The Pet Shop

We’ve all heard misunderstood lyrics at some point in our lives.  Whether it’s hearing “Big Ol’ Jet Airliner” as “Big Armchair Carolina”, or Pat Benatar singing “take me to the pet shop” as Cameron did when he was little, or in my case hearing The Box Tops singing “Gimme a ticket for an aeroplane” as “I wouldn’t trade it for an aeroplane”, we’ve all done it.  We all have songs where the singer sings one thing, and we hear something completely off-the-wall different.

What’s equally fascinating is when people search for the meanings behind certain songs or lyrics.  I’ve often wondered if the last living Beatle as he’s laying on his deathbed about to become the last “not living” Beatle will announce to those closest to him, “you had us all along…it wasn’t about Lewis Carroll imagery inspired by a painting by young Julian Lennon…Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds…it really was about LSD.”  I mean THAT story was so widely accepted as the TRUE meaning that radio stations refused to play the song despite continual denials about to the contrary.  Another Beatles song that I like hear people espouse their theories on is “Dear Prudence”.  I read one person going on about how it’s about shy, introverted people in the 1960’s.  “The sun is up, the sky is blue, it’s beautiful and so are you.”  See, that’s an uplifting lyric about how life is beautiful – and so is the shy, embarrassed person.  “Dear Prudence, won’t you come out to play” (they claim) is simply the invitation for those poor souls to break free from the shackles of shy insecurities and break free to enjoy life.

You know what it REALLY is about?  Dear Prudence?  Really about?  It’s a note to Prudence…who has literally locked in herself in her room.  The Beatles had gone to learn about meditation and Prudence Farrow (Mia’s sister) was determined to reach enlightenment.  She locked herself in her room…refused to come out.  The people there said, “Hey, we need to get her to come out.”  So John Lennon wrote Dear Prudence – as a literal invitation to Prudence to come out and play.  There’s no metaphorical inference like in “Blackbird”.  It’s as literal as a mother standing a porch yelling at her kid, “Jimmy get out of the street before you get run over.”  Hey, Prudence, it sure is a pretty day…come on out.  But instead people search for all the hidden meanings and symbols and imagery.  All the while, they are completely missing the simple truth that song is simply a child’s imploring for a friend to come outside.  Nothing hidden about it.  “Dear Prudence” is literally a “Dear Prudence” letter.  Sometime digging for deeper meaning misses the simple truth on things that are obvious.  In other words, we find things that aren’t there.

It’s a problem not unique to Beatles songs.  Read the Gospels and you’ll run across the same problems in understanding.  Over here there’s a parable and a crowd wondering what Jesus is talking about.  Over there is a conversation where Jesus lays it flat out there in plain Aramaic (sorry, it wasn’t plain English even if it WAS plain) and folks don’t want to see the blatant truth.  In Luke 8, Jesus tells the crowds the parable of the Sower.  Even the disciples are scratching their heads.  I’m sure when Jesus was telling it, they were all over in the wings, nodding their heads acting like the kids that got the joke.  Then as soon as Jesus was finished, they rush over to ask what He meant.  He told them the secret.  Then over in Luke 10, Jesus tells the story we call “The Good Samaritan”.  And what prompted the whole scene was a religious expert asking “what do I gotta do to get this eternal life that you’re preaching about?”  Jesus answers him simply “Love God above all else.  Love your neighbor as yourself.”  And what is the reply?  “Who is my neighbor?”  Come on, man.  Is this religious expert really Johnny Cochrane?  If the neighbor doesn’t fit, you must acquit?  This isn’t a loophole game – it’s plain Aramaic.  You don’t need elaboration on that.  But Jesus gave him elaboration anyway, to make sure there was no confusion.  Look, dude.  Everyone that you can help…that’s your neighbor.

Listen for the Whisper that plainly tells you when it’s plain or when there’s something deeper.  Then ask yourself, are you really looking for a deeper meaning because you’re looking for the loophole?  Are you looking to justify what you want to do, or what you’d rather do?  Are you looking for deeper meaning because like the apostles in Luke 8, you desperately want to understand what the Master is teaching you, or are the expert from Luke 10 that’s looking for the loophole.  The tougher question is this:  are you the rich man from Mark 10?  When you find the answer…whether it was an obvious answer or one you had to dig to find…can you accept the answer as the truth?  In Mark 10, the rich man demonstrates he knows what he should do, but when Jesus tells him to prove that he gets it, the man goes away sorrowful.  Why?  Because he knows what he’s supposed to do, but is unwilling to commit to it.  “I love the Lord, but I love my stuff more.”  It’s a common malady.  Putting God in the right hierarchy is tough for all of us.  That’s really what all of these and every other devotional ever written is basically about.  At some point, you have to be willing to lay your crowns at Jesus’ feet and walk away from them.  Like Lincoln Brewster sings, “I’m giving it all to You.”

There’s always a reason behind our search for knowledge.  Some learn to simply to know.  Some learn to know how to exploit a weakness.  Some learn to understand.  Why are you learning?  Are you learning so that you can justify what you do.  Searching for the legal arguments on which to base your defense?  Are you learning just so you can sound impressive to folks at church when you reference obscure Bible facts and names – but no purpose at all beyond that?  Or are you learning so that you can truly understand?  Are seeking wisdom?  Are preparing for the test of life, so that when the tests come, you’re prepared because you know what you’re supposed to know?  That’s the true purpose of learning: understanding.  And most questions are as deep as you want them to be.  Just like Dear Prudence explained earlier.  Sure the simple answer is “Dear Prudence is a letter to Prudence”, but then it’s a wondering of why they were writing to Prudence.  “Love your neighbor as yourself” is quite literally a simple call to help everyone you can help.  The learning part is to understand why you’re asked to do it.  And the understanding is when you realize that it’s about keeping God on His rightful place on His throne.  The simple part is following the plain instructions – the harder part is understanding why they were given…and then being able to accept that understanding.  My mom tells the story of a family friend who (way back when) misheard the lyrics to the oldies song “Arizona” as “Hair is Golden.”  Then after he discovered the truth of what he was hearing, didn’t like the song anymore.  Same song and same tune, but now that they were singing about Arizona and not Hair being Golden, he didn’t like it anymore.  Twist that back to the rich man from Mark 10 and we have the same situation.  He liked it when he was walking around singing “Hair is Golden”, but one day he ran into Jesus on the street.  And Jesus said, “the truth is that ‘Arizona’ is the name of the song”, and the rich man went away sad.  He didn’t like the truth.  He liked his misunderstanding of the truth better.  But the truth is the truth whether we like it or not.  We learn so that we can understand it correctly from the beginning.

~Dwayne

ListenForTheWhisper@comcast.net
http://listenforthewhisper.blogspot.com

 

 

 

Prayer Ministry - March Prayer

March, a Prayer for Missions.

Matthew 28:16-20 is the Great Commission.  Matthew’s Gospel ends with a resurrected Christ instructing His disciples to proclaim the Good News to the whole world.  In March we pray for these ongoing efforts.

Holy, compassionate God, we thank You for the gift of Salvation offered to us.  As your children, we have been set apart from the world (Exodus 6:7), and we are called to be an example to the world to show the blessing we have of walking with You (Isaiah 42:6, Isaiah 49:6, Isaiah 60:3).

We praise You for Your greatness and compassion in giving eternal life to all who believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ (John 3:16), and we ask that you help us to understand that it’s a gift never intended to be selfishly hoarded for ourselves (Matthew 28:16-20).  Our call is not only to love You, but also to declare Your love and majesty to the world. (Acts 1:8, Isaiah 40:9)

For those near us, we ask that we let our lights for You shine brightly and unobstructed by the worries that affect us daily (Matthew 5:14-16).  Let us also remember that not even the brightest lights can be seen nor the loudest speakers be heard around the entire world when originating from a single spot.

Loving Father, the Peace of Salvation can only surround us when we believe and accept Christ.  As Paul tells us in the book of Romans, if there is no one to preach, then there is nothing to hear.  If there is nothing to hear, then there’s nothing to believe.  If there’s nothing to believe, then those who never hear are lost (Romans 10:13-15).  Help us be willing to step up to proclaim Your message to all.

Like when You called out to Jonah to go to a foreign land (Jonah 3:1,2), sometimes we let our pride, our prejudice, or our fear keep us from going.  We ask that You replace our stubbornness with the courage of Paul after his encounter on the road to Damascus (Acts 26:14-18).   Whether You call us to walk across the street, or drive across town, or relocate to the farthest corners of the map, give us the strength to step forward to dedicate our lives to spreading Your message. 

Help us to be like Isaiah.  Like a child in a classroom frantically waving a hand in the air to be noticed by the teacher, Isaiah stepped up and said, “Here I am.  Lord, send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)  It takes courage to step forward, when we’d rather hide behind our reasons and secretly hope to not get called on by the teacher.  You, Father, offer all of the courage we need and more as we’re told in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Father God, we pray for those who have already heard and answered the call to go preach.  We pray for those that have left their homes and traveled to foreign lands to preach the name of Jesus.  We ask for their protection.  We ask that You lead them to fertile fields where Your message will be eagerly received.  We pray that their harvests are bountiful, and that the fields they plant continue to spread.  We pray that they always rely on You, and that they always give the glory of their efforts to You.

Lastly, Jesus told us in Matthew 24:14 “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”  Jesus told us that He won’t return until the gospel has been preached to the whole world.  Help us to realize that if we truly want Jesus to come quickly, then we all need to find someone who doesn’t know Your Son, and introduce them to Him.

And we ask this and all else in Jesus’ name,

Amen