You have a thought, do you act on it? Even if doing so makes your thought ultimately meaningless? Or do you keep playing the pointless game that offers emptiness as its reward?

Jesus is the only point to anything.

Everything else is madness.

1. I wouldn’t have talked with Satan.  I would have fought him ‘end times’ style.
2. I wouldn’t have chosen Judas or Peter.
3. I wouldn’t have ended with one wedding party.  Jesus Water business!
4. I would have rescued John the Baptist.
5. I would’ve eaten during every Sabbath right in front of the leaders.  “Hey Caiaphas, could you pass me the lamb?”
6.  I wouldn’t have spoken in parables.  I’d have spoken plainly.  “What are you doing?”
7. I would’ve talked more ‘trash talk’ to the storm.  “Ooo, big scary storm!”  I’d have turned it on/off again just to scare the disciples.
8. I would’ve pushed off the bleeding woman and rushed off to save the kid. 
9. I would’ve fed the whole world and have given it a continual source of nourishment until the end of time.
10. I wouldn’t have put up with the Pharisees.
11. I wouldn’t have spoken so harshly to the Syrophonecian Woman.
12. I would’ve done miracles with a little more style.  Call out for a crowd, door prizes, etc.
13. I would’ve constantly kept name dropping after the transfiguration.  My bro’s!
14. I would’ve made more of a show during exorcisms.  Maybe karate casting…
15. I would’ve destroyed the perverse/wicked/evil people and delivered my people from Rome.
16. I would’ve made everyone rich.
17. More karate at the temple for a black belt cleansing.
18. I would’ve talked more trash to anyone who would question me and then do a miracle showdown.
19. I would’ve dubbed the teacher of the law who answered wisely as a replacement disciple.
20. Crucifixion?  No way!

If I was Jesus, mankind wouldn’t be saved, and we’d still be under the law.  I’d still be alive healing and helping the world.  It would probably be a mix between the king the Jews wanted and a Marvel superhero.

My wife didn’t want me to think this way and would rather me consider ways I am like Jesus.  But I told her I’d rather see the mysteries of His plan.  His plan IS a source of nourishment until the end of time, the bread of life/living water.  He is the fulfillment of the Wisdom of God, worthy to be praised.  I wouldn’t have bothered with prophecies.  Only He held the keys to God’s plan, I wouldn’t know what to do with them, nor do what was necessary to pave the way for our salvation.

I know it’s a backward way to get there, but even wrapping my mind around what He did and why brings me to worship.  Amen.

A couple of weeks ago, I was outside watching the sunset.  I know a lot of what we are able to witness outside involves timing, and that evening was no different.  As I watched the sunset I noticed little rainbows in the clouds on either side of the sun.  I found out that since the 1600’s people have called a similar phenomena ‘sundogs’.  As I watched the rainbow clouds fade in and out of sight, I commented to the person standing next to me that I wondered if they ever connected to form a halo around the sun.  Then as I watched, I saw a thin layer of cloud provide the canvas and a faint halo appeared.  I excitedly asked the person next to me if he saw it.  At first, he said no, and I felt sad for him.  I told him it was there and I encouraged him to look harder.  Then as we watched, it became brighter till finally, he said, “Yes, I can see it.”

When I thought on that later, it occurred to me how similar at times seeing that halo was to seeing God’s activity in our lives.  We know God is good, trustworthy, and faithful.  Even when we may not see Him, and our hopes mislead us, we know He is there.  

Like the halo, it started with wonder.  Then as I watched, my wonder manifested into reality, and I saw what I had hoped for.  Then I wanted to share my excitement that I could see my wonder, my conviction, and through my insistence, another saw it too.  This was not by manipulation, but by joy.  No, not everyone will see it.  Only those who look and seek for God, like the halo, will find Him, Psalm 63.

Oh, what a wonder He is indeed.

Thank You, Lord Jesus 
for showing us the path 
on top of these waves.

My eyes need to be fixed on Jesus.
My faith in the sureness of His steps.
My comfort from His outstretched hand even when I sink.
I welcome His rebuke like living Water to a thirsty land.

May I not seek to hide and justify my weaknesses,
but may I relinquish such faulty pride to Him
that I may receive His never ending joy.
It is far greater, and is able to bless me
no matter how deep under I am.

When I sit back and think about the world and the different tensions we allow to exist, science and faith being an example, I recognize the false inheritance we’ve gained.

The different players involved that lead the charge to fight for so much less than what Jesus freely gives are people who gladly embrace the leaf that strangles the mayapple. They’ve held on to that which Jesus through His death and resurrection gave us freedom from thinking that by doing so leads to their enlightenment. Stories of looking behind the veil to reveal a fearful old man instead of recognizing how Jesus tore that separation and opened the way for more than what Dorothy could’ve imagined. The Matrix also tried to imagine it, but the best that could be seen was a dark fear based control revealed only when you accept the limits as a choice between two pills. Both pills lead to less no matter what special effects Hollywood, today’s Egyptian magicians, gives it.

No matter the history we are taught in school, no matter the names and titles we give ourselves that only reveal the limits of what we allow ourselves to gain, no matter the level of degrees of our fallen knowledge, we can never come close by our own efforts to that which Jesus accomplished for us. His shores are beyond imagining. The path to get there lies on top of the waves, not through them. The gateway of death itself was broken, the old way of the veil, the leaf, gone.

What were we meant to become? Where healings abound, where visions manifest to alter reality like words to a storm, where acts of wonder transport with no pollution to distances unattainable no matter the speed, no matter the inertia. Jesus, 1500+ years before the Enlightenment, gave us the keys to His Kingdom, and we’d rather these chains. We think that what we can gain through thousands of years of trial and error, achieves for us true, pure, and unadulterated progress. A progress that will forever lead to more chains is what awaits us down that path, but that is the lie you think limits me. That’s fine. Take your path, revel in your discoveries. I will follow my Lord to a place where 5 loaves and 2 fish can feed thousands, where coins are found in a fish’s mouth, where a donkey lies in wait to be called by the King, where water is changed to wine with no slaves.

I sit back and think, why would we do this? A lie is easier, well, that is its call. The inheritance gained is so tragically less, filled with slavery and death. If we would only look at the Door He opened and enter. I can only imagine what Jesus said leads to greater things than what He has done. That is what we were meant for, or rather,

that is what He meant for us.

To those who want more of God in their lives, they will receive more. For those who like being comfortable in their cage, they will wish for more, but won’t be able to find Him in their self-pity.

To those of the ‘more’, He gives without limit. To those of the ‘cage’, the door has been unlocked.

The ‘more’ cannot force them out of the ‘cage’, and that is hard. Why won’t they come? They’ve listened to lies. The ‘more’ aren’t perfect, but the ‘cagers’ feel that is what you have to be to be free,

and that is their cage.

To those who shine when surrounded by darkness, I salute you.

For them, the long nights of constant struggle with little to no sign of any coming aid become testaments of what strength of faith resides within them.

To those who persevere, a gift is given to them, a crown.

I know the thoughts of those who strain to hear Him, but only nothing greets their ears. “Of what use is a crown?” “Give me even a portion of what You promised, and I will be content.”

To those who struggle and claw for a crumb, a feast awaits.

Desperation is not the robe we wear. The scars come from the ravaging hunger against the sea of sand and hopelessness that threatens to swallow any existence, any sign that faith was here.

For them, their story is not one of continued pain but of joy.

Who is to say that the fact that you remain is not of the foulest stench to the enemy? He waits for you to pack up and go, he would have long ago. You are a mystery to him.

For those of the long night, your struggle is not in vain.
For those hounded by thoughts that betray hope, hold fast.
For those neck deep in emptiness, He will come for you.
For those of the remnant, your light shines unfailingly.

I salute, I bow, I bring you a royal goblet filled with the Blood of the King of kings. To the world, even our own eyes, we are madmen.

Who waits for His coming like a monk on the furthest rock?
Who holds their lamp and keeps it burning?
Who clothes themselves in sackcloth as if silk?

You do. God be praised, you do.
Thank you.