7/26/2023

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Acknowledge Him in all your ways and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 2. 5-6)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

Why do we seek out straight paths? I could borrow from a song title “On a clear day you can see forever” to serve as support to an answer to that question.” We long for unimpeded views of what lies ahead of us. We are not fond of “what waits for us around the corner.” This is a tool used by cinematographers producing horror movies. How many times have we said during those movies “Don’t go around the corner!” Sadly, life is filled with more corners than straightaways. Dangers seem more prevalent in the corners but the straightaways are deceptive in their allowance to “freely run.” Just ask any racecar driver or grand tour bicyclists about that truth and you will hear all kinds of stories. Straight paths and wide open spaces promote a sense of freedom and liberation. Even David included this truth in what we call the 23rd Psalm. From the green pastures and still waters to the valley of the shadow of death to rise which leads to the House of the Lord forever, we are exposed to the liberation of “trusting in God with all our heart.” We know the benefit of such “straight paths” and open spaces. They include: food, water, shelter, comfort, company, protection, provision, encouragement, empowerment and an eternal reward. With that in mind, why would we not want to pursue “straight paths”?

I mentioned yesterday in brief, about Peter who found himself confronted by straight paths and avoided them. Peter, whether he was Simon the fisherman of the “old” covenant or Cephas the rock of the “new” covenant, was characterized by his straightforward approach. It was his cousins, James and John- the Sons of Thunder, who usually are characterized by bluntness. But, Peter was direct, to the point and outspoken. Sometimes the title of “Bull in a China Closet” might have been more fitting. Peter often spoke before thinking but he had his powerful moments such as his great confession in the mountains above Caesarea Philippi. But, there was that one early morning during Passover in 29 A.D., which was not a shining moment for Peter. Peter was confronted by the arrest of Jesus with the challenge of stepping on to the straight path which his faith would present. Being on that straight path and in the wide open spaces leaves one to be vulnerable, exposed and a target. We hear Peter’s desire to follow Jesus in Matthew 26.25 “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny you!” Famous last words to which Jesus would reply “Peter, I tell you that before the rooster finishes crowing this morning, you will deny me three times.” Maybe that was an agitating factor which filtered Peter’s actions the rest of that evening lasting until the early morning hours. For Jesus, the path was now not only straight but nearing its final destination. What might have seemed so far away that it would never come, as seen in the distance from a high perspective, not came rushing in like a wave from the ocean to the shore. And it crashed! Headlong, it crashed. It confronted the reality of the moment and forced decisions to be made. Jesus was ready but Peter was not. All the bold and brave talk in the world, did not prepare Peter for what was coming next. It came right at him. It was speeding down the straightaway and there was no place to hide. At the table, Peter spoke confidently “If it means I may have all of You, then don’t just wash my feet, wash all of me from head to toe.” But, he would also chime in with the other disciples as “Is it I?” when Jesus announced that one of them would betray Him into the hands of the authorities. It was Peter, along with James and John whose snores were the only thing thundering in the Garden, who believed he could sleep with one eye open and meet the expectation of Jesus to “wait and pray for Me here.” He failed three times to “keep watch.” Finally, Judas of Kerioth and the Temple Guards made their “straight” way to where Jesus would be found. He was not in hiding. He did not lurk in the shadows. He was fully exposed even in the garden sanctuary by that Passover’s supermoon. It was a bright as day that night. In the conflict which ensued, Peter struck Malchus with a sword and lopped of his ear. Then caught between the setting of the moon and the rising of the sun, Peter found himself in the shadows created by the warming fires of those who had no place to sleep awaiting the Passover consecration which would come. Others had witnessed the arrested Jesus being lead mercilessly into the court of the High Priest. They knew there would be trouble. Roman centurion eyes lurked everywhere. Tension was high. And then it happened. Caught in the “straight away” of accountability, Peter turned the corner instead. He failed to acknowledge Jesus and thus spar his life by disasssociation. He said three times, “I do not know the man. I am not one of His followers. I have no part in whatever He has been doing.” And it happened. The path no longer was straight. It became a maze of conflicts of the heart, mind and soul. He ran. He ran into things. He ran into people. What he didn’t want was attention drawn to him. What he got was a stumbling attention-gathering getaway. All eyes were on him, the shadow he cast and the trail of dust which rose behind his unwashed feet. In his spirit he heard his own words and now was haunted by them, “I will surely die with you but I will never deny you.” And the cock crowed and crowed and crowed.

Mighty ones of God, have you heard the cock crowing in your spirit? Have you turned right or left instead of moving straight forward to do what you knew was the right thing? Have you deflected or denied the opportunity to declare yourself a Christ follower, believer and doer? Have you trusted God’s light less and your own shadows more? Have you leaned on your own understanding instead of acknowledging the truth of God’s word calling in your heart, mind, soul and conscience? Have you veered off the path that leads “through” the valley of the shadow of death and instead camped on this end longing for “that end” which is the way, the truth and the life? Have you been like the rich young ruler who, when confronted with the cost of discipleship, turned and walked away contented to acknowledge living in fear was better than living in faith? That person is in us. That person has been us. That person may be us in this moment in history as the culture and climate of doubt, fear, shame, entitlement, empowerment and self-grandizement grows into gray haze where there is no right and wrong, good and evil, left and right, male and female, slave and free. It is a place where we can be easily hidden consumed by the nothingness which happens when we dare not acknowledge Jesus as Lord. And in that moment, we truly do fear what lies around the next corner. What we fear is the “dead end” and no ability to turn back. Peter found that corner and it lead him to the Upper Room, the Empty Tomb and empty nets on the Sea of Galilee. Where will that corner find you?

TODAY’S PRAYER IN LIGHT OF GOD’S WORD:

Father, Your love is almost beyond our imagination as to its full meaning and implementation. Yet, in Jesus you have made it abundantly clear. We desire more than simply to be saved. We want to be harvest gatherers and change lives even if the world refuses to change and accepts the dead end as its only end. Pour out Your Spirit on us and clear our minds, hearts, souls and bodies so that You can use all of us to bring about Your good. We want Your will to be ours. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.