I’ve been contemplating lately how easy it is to miss things. Opportunities, chances to grow or make a difference in people’s life, and conversations or circumstances you could have contributed positively to. But I think the saddest thing we can miss, is to miss what God is doing right in front of us.
The religious leaders missed Jesus when He was right in front of them. He didn’t fit into what they understood or wanted God to do. Instead they criticized, mocked, plotted against and hardened their hearts. They thought they knew it all, and didn’t need to change or grow. They missed what God was doing right in front of them, even when Jesus was working miracles, healing broken bodies and hearts, and setting people free. They missed it! What’s more they were standing by in agreement when He was crucified. (Matthew 23)
If we harden our hearts and determine that Jesus will not lead us. If we decide that we will pick and choose for ourselves what we will allow Him to do in our life, we can quickly find ourselves in the same position as those religious leaders who totally missed it.
The account of Jesus healing the man with the withered hand is an example of just how much you can miss what God is doing right in front of you. When you harden your heart and determine you will be in charge it has a flow on affect. That attitude will spread to other areas of our life. We can’t harden our hearts towards one person or to what God is doing that might be challenging us, and not expect it “shut off” other areas of our life.
“Now when He (Jesus) had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him.
Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.” (Matthew 12:9-14)
We can’t follow effectively, having Jesus position us in the right time and place so we don’t miss things if our attitude is: “I’ll only listen and follow if I can see exactly the road ahead, I will follow as long as it doesn’t mean I have to look like that person, talk to that person, I will only follow if it means I don’t have to grow or change – ‘I’ve come far enough”. I’ll follow you Jesus only if I can live here, drive this car, have this or that, and by the way here is a copy of my life’s plan.
Jesus wants us to have hungry, open soft hearts, who follow easily even if the path is unknown or seems foolish. He doesn’t want us to miss a thing, but it means we have to have a heart surrendered to Him, so that He can position us and lead us in the way we should go.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you” (Psalm 32:8)
Prayer: Lord search my heart and lead me in the way you would have me go. Even though I may be afraid, and have disappointments in my life, I don’t want to miss what you have planned and purposed for my life. I don’t want to miss what you are doing right in front of me. You lead Jesus, and I will follow. In Jesus name Amen.
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