There is a story about the choices we make and the outcome of those choices:

“Fred inherited $10 million, but the will required him to claim it either in Chile or Brazil.  He chose Brazil. Unfortunately had he chosen Chile he would have received land where  uranium, gold, and silver had just been discovered.  In Brazil, he then had to choose between receiving his inheritance in coffee or nuts.  He chose nuts.  Too bad!  Soon after, the nut market collapsed, and coffee went up to $1.30 a pound wholesale, unroasted.  Fred lost everything.  To raise enough money to return home, he sold his solid gold watch and bought a ticket to either New York or Boston.  He chose Boston.  When the plane for New York taxied up, he noticed it was a gleaming new 747, complete with red carpets,  and stylish people and hostesses serving wine.  The Boston plane, however,  was a 1928 Ford Tri motor with a sagging frame that took a full day to get off the ground.  It was crowded with crying children and tethered goats.  Over the Andes, one of the engines fell off.  Fred made his way to the captain and said, “I'm a jinx on this plane.  Let me out if you want to save your lives.  Give me a parachute.”  The pilot agreed, but added, “On this plane, anybody who bails out must wear 2 chutes.”  So, Fred jumped out of the plane and tried to make up his mind which ripcord to pull.  Finally, he chose the one on the left.  It was rusty and the wire pulled loose. So, he then pulled the other handle.  This chute opened, but its shroud lines broke.  In desperation, the poor fellow cried out, “Saint Francis save me!”  A great hand from heaven reached down and seized the poor fellow by the wrist and held him suspended in mid-air.  Then a gentle, inquisitive voice asked, “Saint Francis Xavier or Saint Francis of Assisi?”

         How we answer the questions asked of us in life and the choices we make can have life changing results.  We can choose to go it alone with God or simply go it alone on our own.  The question is age-old:  Will we choose God over our self-will, or will we choose God’s will over our own?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Merciful God, guide me in my decisions around those choices in my life that always lead me to go it alone with you rather than living my life on my own principles.

         In an age when people were looking for someone with power, Jesus fit the bill.  He seemed to have drawn large numbers of people toward him, causing them to change their lives and their lifestyles.  He spoke with power and authority and seemed to have a plausible, believable answer for every question that was asked of him.  Yet, with all of the public acclaim, though people knew his name, he also had everyone guessing who he was.  They couldn’t tell whether he was an old prophet raised from the dead, some new prophet that had raised his head since the death of John the Baptist, or another prophet from the past who lived, yet, who had never died.  Power draws a certain amount of respect from people, regardless of their walk in life.  It also raises our curiosity about the person who commands such respect from people only because of what he says and what he does.  But one thing that remains true.  Jesus has remained a mystery to a lot of people.  Not because he tried to shield people from knowing who he was, but because he did what others couldn’t do, said what others weren’t saying to bring clarity to God’s word, and did it with such authority that left many people amazed.  Some people didn’t know who Jesus was then, and some don’t know who he is now.  And as in times past, there are those who think they know who he is, and yet, Jesus still remains a mystery to many.

• What about Jesus made or make him a mystery to you?
• What led you to believe in faith that Jesus is God’s sent Messiah?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
God of wisdom and Revelation, thank you for removing from my heart and mind any questions about who Jesus is. May I always be numbered among those who can claim him as the Messiah, the anointed one from God.

         Questions about whether we walk with God or leave to live life and go it alone on our own terms isn’t a new phenomenon.  Even Jesus had questions about his disciples desire to stay with him.  After all, there was a mass exodus by some even after Jesus had openly displayed what God was able to do through him.  But sometimes what Jesus said was difficult for people to digest.  And it’s not that what he said wasn’t true.  It’s that some people draw a line in the sands of their faith about what they’re willing to accept and what they’re not.  Peter couldn’t deal with Jesus’ story of betrayal, punishment, and death.  He had his own idea of how God’s plan was to work out.  Those who chose to leave in this cycle of Jesus’ life had their reasons for choosing not to go it alone with God.  Some leave because God is not moving fast enough — again, on their terms — to bring about the conclusion to God’s eternal plan.  Others choose not to come at all because they can’t believe who Jesus is — his life, his death, the resurrection, the ascension — and other stories about his life.  Questions about who will stay and go it alone with God and those who choose simply to go it alone remain.  But the choice still is still ours to make.  Who we decide Jesus is to us will inform our decision to stay and go it alone with God or to walk away and simply go it alone.  If we’ve decided that Jesus is Christ, the Messiah, then all other options outside of going it alone with God come off the table and we’re left to go it alone with God — period!

• What issues do you believe might cause someone to walk away from belief in Christ?
• What is it that keeps your faith strong in your decision to go it alone with God?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
God of wisdom and Revelation, Thank you for removing from my heart and mind any questions about who Jesus is. May I always be numbered among those who can claim him as the Messiah, the anointed one from Christ.