September 19, 2008
Flighty
As
I sat in the backyard praying I noticed a pigeon doing something strange. As far
as I know this is just a common pigeon.
When
I first saw it, I was so surprised at its behavior that I thought something must
be wrong with it. It dipped down into the bird bath, fluttered up again and
repeated the process. I have often seen pigeons drinking but never dipping in
the water. It repeated the process several times and on one occasion even landed
on the bird bath for a moment.
It
did not seem to be bathing or drinking so I cannot explain its behavior. As
quickly as it started, the pigeon became airborne again, flew out around the
neighbor’s yards over my head and off into the tree behind me. It seemed
perfectly fine.
As
I thought later about the strange behavior of the pigeon, my mind was drawn to
the flighty behavior of many in the church.
Many
people claim to be searching for truth. They flock to the church and dip in a
bit, they may even alight for a short period of time, but as quickly as they
come they leave. Often it is not because they do not hear the truth. Ironically,
it is because they do hear the truth but are too self focused to accept it.
John
6:32-66 NIV
Jesus said
to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread
from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For
the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the
world." "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this
bread." Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to
me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. But as
I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All that the Father
gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I
have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent
me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that
he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that
everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I
will raise him up at the last day."
At
this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread
that came down from heaven." They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of
Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, `I came down from
heaven'?"
"Stop
grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. "No one can come to me
unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last
day. It is written in the Prophets: `They will all be taught by God.' Everyone
who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. No one has seen the
Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. I tell you
the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your
forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread
that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living
bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live
forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the
world."
Then
the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us
his flesh to eat?"
Jesus
said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of
Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and
drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For
my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and
drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me
and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because
of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna
and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." He said this
while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
On
hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can
accept it?"
Aware
that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does
this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before!
The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to
you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not
believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not
believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, "This is why I told
you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."
From
this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
The
so called disciples loved the show. They were amazed at the miraculous signs and
wonders. They enjoyed being part of the crowd where things were happening. Yet,
when push came to shove and they were called to decide to follow Jesus, they
would not do so. They heard the truth, they saw it in action and they chose to
reject it. It was too much for their flighty, sin filled hearts to accept.
The
church today is no different. Many come and taste the things of God, but they
refuse to accept them. They nibble at the corners like little mice, but
ultimately the reject the banquet. Do not make their mistake.
Until
next time, may you choose to follow Jesus.
Following
Jesus is not always fun when you have a cross to carry.
Going
to your own funeral is the only way to truly have life.
Until
next time, may you truly live each moment and follow Jesus no matter the cost or
where He may lead you.
Darrel
Mason