Jesus, Only a Carpenter?

“Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Mark 6:3 (NIV)

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? (verse 2) Sounds like us doesn´t it?  Aren´t we a suspicious people?  Are we not constantly comparing everything new with what we know as the familiar and acceptable norm?

With our mouths we praise a God in Heaven, we may even go to church and follow a full routine of religious activity.  We may hold our daily devotions, read our books, blogs and other Christian print.  We may often attend sermons, seminars, meetings of all sorts, but we keep our eyes constantly set on the physical known world around us.

How many times have we missed some special blessing from above because we failed to recognize the arm of the Lord at work?  When are we going to learn that the heart of our Creator is not limited to the familiar patterns, words and channels which we expect Him to use?  When will we truly pay Him the honor of having the say on what He means and what He is up to?

When reading of the life of Jesus, it seems a constant theme that wherever He went, people recognized something special about Him, like His teaching, healings or miracles.  But at the very same time they stumbled over the fact that He was just a man.  They couldn´t see that God could work so powerfully here in His creation through the work of a human being. Their first response was one of doubt and suspicion.  Instead of embracing the connection and nearness of God on earth, they held it off at arm’s-length to judge for themselves its authenticity.  They reacted in human terms and failed to draw close enough to God to see what He was up to.

However sad it is to think, there were some simple fishermen, tax-collectors and townspeople who were humble enough to see that whatever was going on, was far bigger than their own experience. They were comforted by coming to One who moved to a greater power.  There were some who believed in Jesus not because they could justify His actions or find somehow to relate to Him, but because they sensed God at work, and they needed to be near that.

Dear Lord, how many times have You had to rebuke us for our stubborn way of lowering You to our level.  We have always tried to limit You to what we can get our heads around.  Forgive us.  Let a little of Your healing power begin to clear our cloudy eyes.  We want to see Your mighty arm at work.  We want to be amazed and overcome with wonder as we draw near to You and witness You at work.  So help us past this barrier we have, heal us, restore us and save us from ourselves so that we may receive even more of You.

Amen