Too Much Trouble?

Life has its share of trouble. Illness, injury, natural disasters, even something as simple as tangled fishing line, can make us wish life was simpler. I've told friends that the last few years have been hard on The Lovely Joanne, as she has experienced some kind of disaster every summer, and we want next year off! But what if God had been put off by the amount of trouble
it was going to be, to rescue us troubled humans? Philippians 2:6-11 tells us that the Son of God didn't consider it too much trouble to come and live among us, and he willingly gave up the comfort and powers of eternity for discomfort and a short life here on earth. That tells us we aren't "too much trouble" for God, because he loves us.

But what if Mary had considered all the trouble she would go through as a pregnant single woman under suspicion from all her relatives and friends, and said "no" to the call of God to bear the Messiah?

What if John the Baptizer had decided that living in the wilderness, eating locusts and wild honey and wearing rough clothing, was too much trouble?

What if Peter, James, John and Andrew had decided that a steady career in fishing the Sea of Galilee was a good life, and following this rabbi Jesus fellow was too much trouble -- especially when they heard him describe their future of persecution?

What if those who came after the apostles had decided their doubts and fears were more important than their faith, and that it was too much trouble to keep the chain of discipleship going on down to our age?

And what if you and I consider that we've followed Jesus so long that there's not much more to learn? That being more open to his presence and the healing he offers, is just too much trouble? Well, not only did Jesus come into the flesh with us and suffer with us and then suffer for us, he also lives in us now. That means the Holy Spirit is leading and encouraging us to go out of our way to follow Jesus today. I'm confident that he will continue to encourage you and me to take the steps to follow, and as we do, we'll be so filled with the joy and love of Christ that we won't want to stop, ever!

I'm praying for you to experience more and more of Jesus.