Walking With Jesus

WALKING WITH JESUS

His arm is across my shoulder with his hand on my shoulder to help keep me in step with Him. Jesus is a little taller than me. His head inclines toward me as if He’s listening intently to everything I say. I am very comfortable in that place. It is easy to walk like that.

As temptations, lies, things that try to pull me away, as they come, Jesus gives me a gentle tap on my shoulder to remind me that He is here with me and that together we can overcome our enemy. It is just a gentle pull – back toward Him – nothing forceful as I must make my own decision – just that gentle reminder that He is here.

Yet, yet, I find myself leaning away from Jesus, taking His hand and removing it from around my shoulder and walking toward that thing that is pulling me away from Jesus.

When I glance back I see that His hand is still stretched out to me and the look on His face is one of compassion and understanding. It is as if He is saying to me – though He doesn’t speak – ‘I know how that pulls at you. I understand that it is enticing, that it looks pretty, but please do not go there. You will be hurt – badly hurt.’ And His hand is still extended to me – an invitation to come back under His arm of love, and to continue our walk together. And, even when I stupidly turn from Him and go to that thing that draws me – when I finally come to my senses, I look back and see His hand still stretched out to me and with tears in His eyes, He says, ‘Come to Me.’ He weeps for me, for the pain I have brought on myself and He weeps for what has been lost between us.

Yet, His hand is stretched out still and He says, ‘Come to Me, let us walk together.’

I timidly turn, not knowing if I am really welcome, for I shunned Him before. I chose to walk away from Him.

As I take halting steps back to Jesus, with my head hanging in shame, I feel His eyes on me and I look up. I look up to see Jesus with both hands extended toward me and His arms open wide and a huge smile on His face., and I run – I run into His welcoming arms. He hugs me to Him and I know I am home again.

He holds me for awhile, then gently turns me and we begin our walk again, as best friends, with His arm draped gently, lovingly over my shoulder.

Walking with Jesus.

When you walk with the Lord

In the light of his Word

What a glory He sheds on our way

While we do His good will

He abides with us still

And with all who will trust and obey

Trust and obey

For there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus

But to trust and obey

Run Unleashed

A Few More Things I've Learned From A Two-Year-Old

Kyra knows how to run. 

She runs just to run, not worrying about the consequences. She sees a place to run and she runs, not necessarily with any goal in sight. She runs for the joy of running. She runs with joy overflowing. 

Like Eric Liddell in Chariots of Fire, “When I run I feel God’s pleasure.” I think Kyra feels the pleasure of God when she runs. She may not be aware of it, but she enjoys running. 

Hebrews 12:1-2

You don’t even have to say ‘run’ to Kyra; just give her a little open space and she is into the wind, grinning and enjoying the thrill of feeling the wind blowing through her hair. This picture is an excellent example of what it means for Kyra to Run Unleashed.

I do believe that God wants us to Run Unleashed in this world. We let so many things pull us down, slow us down, thwart the joy of being alive in the world.

God created us to enjoy this world.

I encountered ‘Run Unleashed’ as I was on my way to a mountain top in Hong Kong to seek The Lord. 

It’s not unusual to have to go through a shopping mall to get somewhere in Hong Kong. And that is what I was doing on my way to the mountain. As I passed through I saw these words painted across the window of a sporting goods store - Run Unleashed.

It was in big, bold letters and almost as if the words were forcing themselves into my range, as if to say ‘Don’t miss this.’

I was going to the mountain top to meet with God and He sent me a very clear message on the way.

Just a quick aside here - Don’t miss something of The Lord because it appears in a place where you weren’t looking for it, or where you’d never expect to find it.  Stay in tune with the Holy Spirit and He will show you great and mighty things.

So, one very clear message that I received that day was to go all out. Run the race expecting to win the crown.  No one ever enters a race to finish last; or even second for that matter. Every runner wants to take home the gold medal.

That is the way it should be in life for us. We should strive to go for the gold in God’s Kingdom.  That is the race that matters the most.

So, like my sweet Kyra, run for the joy of it all. 

Run Unleashed.

Go To the People

Go to the people, live among them.
Learn from them. Love them.
Start with what they know; build on what they have .
But [for] the best leaders, when their task is accomplished, their work is done, the people will remark, 'We have done it ourselves.'
Lao Shi, Chinese philosopher. 
From the book, Biting the Bamboo by Dr. Tan Lai Yong