Supposed To Do

So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him.  Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.”  John 5:16-17 (NIV)

As we set ourselves to the task of pleasing God we build up the framework and the parameters.  We use the guidelines, plans and all the right jargon.  But pretty soon all our busy efforts begin to produce something big.  This can and should be most pleasing to God and most of the time we try to see it as that.  Yet many times this mountain that we have created for God gets in the way and we are no longer able to see clearly to God.  We soon have a mountain of going here and doing that and no view is left of the glorious sight of Who it was all for.  Could this be what happened with the Jews of Jesus´ day?  Did they get all carried away with what they considered right and proper in the eyes of God?  Their vision was clouded by a mountain of traditions and laws.  Is this why nobody seemed to be concerned any more about what God was up to?  Did they ever stop to think that perhaps the One to whom all their pious action should honor, was not even in the focus of their heart?

Jesus is moving with a power that is not from this world.  He is healing people in miraculous ways and bringing hearts back to God.  Yet the Jews are getting upset.  They have studied the scriptures.  They have their traditions and their commands.  They have all that they think is right all lined out.  But was anyone really looking to see what God was working on?  When God began moving in powerful ways, why could they not see it?  They got upset because Jesus was stepping on the rules.  They were more worried about that than the fact that suffering souls were being healed.  People were being saved.  The Son of God was inviting men back into a view of God the Father!  Should this have been the most inspiring and most pleasing news?  Should it be ours too?

We can sit back in our most comfortable chairs and accuse others of not looking to see God.  We can pride ourselves on all that we know and do.  But should the first and foremost thing always be the Lord?  Should He loom into our view and hold our focus and our awe?  Should the wonder of the fantastic sight of Him be what occupies our attention?  Or are there things that we too are letting block our gaze at Him? Are we wasting precious hours that could be spent with Him by making big our all-so-important issues?

Is it time we got to the top of our mountains?  Is it time we used any vantage point we already have?  Could we stop our furious scurrying long enough to look away and gaze at Him?  Could we stop examining the dos and don´ts long enough to spend some time with Him?  Could we take this opportunity today to appreciate what the Lord is doing around us?  Could we be amazed and wonder at the work of Jesus Christ right now?  Is this when we will truly find what is supposed to be done?

Dear Jesus, thank you for lifting our eyes.  Please lift our gaze higher than all that we have made of our faith.  Lift our attention far above all that we see and set that gaze on Heaven.  Let us look for You!  Let us contemplate God!  Let us get PAST the issues and TO the Reason!  Let us waste no time fretting over what we are supposed to do and actually start doing it by coming into the Presence of God!  Help us do that now we pray!

Amen