Friday, March 2, 2012

What's Missing

See if you can figure out what is missing from this video of what I did today.



Since MOM has to spend most of the day tomorrow in Salt Lake at an ethics workshop and won't be here to help type out my normal Saturday post I thought I'd do it now.

I want to talk to ya about when life isn't what you thought it was going to be.  The Gospel of Mark 8:31-38 tells a the story when Jesus tells Peter "Get behind me Satan" and then tells those gathered that if they what to follow him they need to take up their cross and follow him.  But right before he says this he has asked Peter who people thought he was.  Finally Peter say, "You are the Christ".  And all is happy and roses as far as Peter is concerned.  The confession of Peter, "You are the Christ," is the turning point in the story.
That's what Peter thought. And that's why Peter is shocked at what comes next. He is "blown away."  He never expected Jesus to says, "OK, now that you have made that confession, prepare to take up your cross and follow me to Jerusalem."

Peter is like, "Wait a minute. I thought we were going back to Galilee? They love you in Galilee. The crowds are crazy about you in Galilee. Everything is fine in Galilee. Why do you want to go to Jerusalem?" And that's when Jesus Rebukes Peter, "Get behind me, Satan!"
Jesus then gathers himself and explains, being a Christian doesn't mean just following me around Galilee. It also means following me to Jerusalem.

Do you know what Galilee is? Galilee is where the living is easy. Galilee is sitting in worship and listening to sermons. All these wonderful times where you just sit around with other people who, for the most part, agree with you and talk about what it means to be a Christian and what Christ means to you.

But there is a difference between following Jesus around Galilee, and following Jesus to Jerusalem.  "Whoever will save their life will lose it; and whoever loses their life for my sake and the Gospel's will find it. What will it profit you to gain the whole world and lose your soul?"

You see it's different now. Being a disciple is different after Peter's confession. And I think I know why. I think Jesus is heading for Jerusalem because someday you will go there. You don't choose to go there. No one chooses suffering. No one chooses to enter a hard time in their life. But someday you will go there. Sometimes dumb decisions lead us there, but you didn't plan it. Sometimes circumstances beyond your control leads us there, you didn't plan that either.  We planned on spending our life in Galilee, where the living is easy.  But one day you may find yourselves walking to Jerusalem...alone.

Life just has a way of doing that to us, picking us up and putting us into situations that we didn't train for, we didn't volunteer for, we didn't want. But for better or for worse, this is the situation we find ourselves in.  You might find yourself saying, "This isn't the race that I entered."

It seems to me that so many feel that when hard times come it means their religion or their faith has let them down. That God has abandoned them.  But this scripture is here to tell us that when hard times come, your faith is to lead you on, and to show you that you can get through this in a way that new life will come to you.

You don't choose to take a hard journey, but you can choose how you are going to make it. You can behave badly, or you can behave nobly. "What will it profit you to win the world and lose your soul?"
Blessings,
Goose

20 comments:

  1. Dear Goose,
    Me hopes your Mommy has fun!
    "You don't choose to take a hard journey, but you can choose how you are going to make it."
    Me really likes that!
    Me is going to post it on Facebook.
    Thanks Goose
    Kisses
    Nellie

    ReplyDelete
  2. Goose, I had trouble watching the whole slide show due to my messed up internet. But, I still think that I know what is missing. Bert!

    You are so wise. I think that the hard times have shaped me even more than the easy times. I learn things about myself that I never would have known otherwise. I love your message that life isn't about what happens to you but it's about how you handle what happens to you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I was going to say where is Bert too. What an awesome post, Thanks for sharing. Oh Yea, Happy Dr. Seuss Day!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh, I am sure you miss Bert very much, but he will be back with you soon! Thanks for this truly inspiring post!

    Your pal, Pip

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ah Goose, I am glad you had a good time, but I am gladder that you missed me. I sure miss goin out with you guys. My Vickie says next Friday when we all meet again, that I can go.....

    She told me that you are coming to stay at the day care tomorrow cause your human has to go be pastorly.....So I'll see ya in the morning. YOu can visit with me while My Vickie takes all the other dogs out for a walk.

    Life just isn't fair all the time. But It is still really good.....

    ReplyDelete
  6. Of course you are missing Bert. :) I think what you wrote about finding a way through tough times is very true.

    ReplyDelete
  7. At first I was going to say "sound"... then I realized Mom forgot to turn the speakers on for me. Then I read your post and I knew - Bert and all of your other friends are missing!
    Great post, Goose. And we're never alone. Ever.
    Luv,
    Dave

    ReplyDelete
  8. BERT... Bert and your other furends are missing.

    HEY.. there are two pics that remind me of Fields of COTTON like in Arizona and Mississippi.

    Beautiful pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Glad you and Bert will see one another tomorrow Goose. It's hard to have to wait for a friend to recover their health and vitality. We wish so much that they could be healed NOW! I know you must miss each other a lot!

    ReplyDelete
  10. A good lesson for the times Goose, especially for us. We would definitely prefer to live in Galilee right now, but looks like Jerusalem it is. But believe you me, once we can scrounge up enough money for a ticket, we're heading back to Galilee!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh, Goose, it's like Bert had to go to Jerusalem. He didn't mean to go intentionally, but I be he's learning a lot in the situation he sadly had to be in. He's learning about patience and the kindness of others who will support him when he's hurt. That's a lot of learning about trust.

    This post completely resonated with me. It begs the question, "Do you stay where you're comfortable for YOU or do you go where God is leading you for Him? Being comfortable today seems silly when you think about eternity with Him. Beautiful post!

    By the way, have you read Kisses From Katie? We think you'd love it, Goose!

    Happy seeing beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Nice video,,,,and even better words to live by. We were not promised perfect lives, but we were promised that HE would be there to help us through our tribulations if we simply ask HIM to help us.

    ReplyDelete
  13. You had a lovely snowy walk but Bert and all your friends were missing! We think hard or difficult times make us what we are..we learn as we go along. We hope you have a good day tomorrow whilst your Mom is away.
    Big Nose Pokes
    The Thugletsx

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Y'all,

    You look so lonely out there without Bert and not even one of your other friends. :(

    Just hopped by to catch up on your happenings and say hello! Have a great weekend even if your human is away!

    Y'all come by now,
    Hawk aka BrownDog

    ReplyDelete
  15. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It looks like you had fun. I'm sure that Bert will playing with you again soon.

      Delete
  16. Looks like you had a nice time in all that snow, but Bert was missing!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I see two things missings....Bert & warm weather! Great song!

    ~Higgins

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Goose
    You had a nice time but Bert is missing, right?

    I don't know what is happening with Google but I couldn't blog in Bert's blog today .I will try tomorrow .

    Kisses
    Iris

    ReplyDelete