What Do You Do When You Don’t Know What To Do?
Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. 2 Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. 3 Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” John 21:1-3 (NLT)
What do you do with resurrection? God did it. Easter’s over. Now what? Peter went fishing. When I don’t know what to do, I tend to go back to what I know best. Peter knew fishing, so that’s what he did.
What do you do after being the winning quarterback in the Super Bowl, or if you hit the game winning shot in the NCAA championship game? Go to Disney World? But what then? What comes after the mountaintop? Just seek another mountain to conquer?
Jesus was raised from the dead. Now what? Should I try topping that? Seek the next thrill, look for the next “wow”? I still play basketball and there’s absolutely no hope that there’s a new next level of play that I’ll attain. What do I do now? Some people try performance enhancing drugs, but what happens when those wear off?
How do I live once the mountaintop has been climbed, or as Alexander asked, “when there are no more worlds to conquer?”. Women look forward the wedding day and these days weddings are spectacular, mountaintop experiences. But then comes the marriage, and they are typically not quite so spectacular. Now what?
Jesus was raised from the dead. Since Peter didn’t know what to do next, he went fishing.
What about you?
Francis Chan, in his book "Crazy Love", talks about asking the Creator to create a new experience each time we come before Him. We shouldn't keep trying to repeat that same mountaintop moment. Every time we enter a worship service, every time we read His Word, every time we enter into pray- we should ask Him to create in us a new experience with Him. Can you imagine how our spiritual lives would grow and change if we did this on a regular basis? Never looking back at what was (those old "wow" moments), but always looking ahead to what new aspect of Him we will discover! Can you imagine bringing it even further and starting each day saying "Lord, create a new experience in You today, with my spouse (or children, or co-workers, or neighbors, or those in need around me...). Use me to help create that new experience with You, in them." Who would even need those old mountintop moments. There are so many more mountaintops to experience ahead!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic comment by "Anonymous"! It's kind of ironic that even when we are considering a mountaintop experience resulting from our nearness to God, we think of it in human terms -- what can "I" do to climb to the pinnacle again? But "Anon" has it right. The Lord creates the mountaintop experience. We need only ask.
ReplyDeleteI think of the guy from our church sitting behind me on the bus this morning. He's described how he looks forward to his involvement with Project RAKE. Each time it's something new: new project, new needs, different youth on his crew. He has a fresh mountaintop experience every time. Yes, "Anon" has it right.