Don't Miss The Obvious!

I heard a joke not too long ago and I thought I'd share it with you...

The Lone Ranger and Tonto went camping in the desert. After they got their tent all set up, both men fell sound asleep. Some hours later, Tonto wakes the Lone Ranger and says, "Kemo Sabe, look towards sky, what you see?" The Lone Ranger replies, "I see millions of stars." "What that tell you?" asked Tonto.

The Lone Ranger ponders for a minute then says, "Astronomically speaking, it tells me there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo. Time wise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three in the morning. Theologically, it's evident the Lord is all-powerful and we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What's it tell you, Tonto?" Tonto is silent for a moment, then he says, "Kemo Sabe, you dumber than buffalo. Someone has stolen tent."

I think I can relate to the Lone Ranger on this one. Ever felt like that no matter what you do, after you do it, the "obvious" smacks you square in the face and you KNOW you made a mistake?? This is where the younger generation would sometime interject at this embarassing moment... "Duh!" To add insult to injury, it is especially bothersome when I miss a seemingly golden opportunity to make a difference, and I go ahead and make a "bonehead" move! The irony is almost too much to swallow because what should be an easy problem of addition or subtraction turns into a complex algebraic formula!?! (I hate algebra by the way!)

Ok, enough with the cliches and slang...there are some obvious things, in my opinion, that we as humanity should not be struggling with! There are just some things that we can "put to bed" regarding issues! (There I go with the cliches, again!)

One day, Jesus was trying to enlighten the disciples by showing them the obvious connection between himself and God in John 14:1-13 KJV:

Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (2) In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (4)And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. (5) Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?(6) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (7) If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.(8) Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. (9) Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? (10) Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. (11) Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. (12) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. (13) And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

While expounding the obvious, Thomas the Doubter, as some knew him, completely missed what Jesus was saying. Jesus was saying (pardon me for putting it in my words), "Bud, you mean to tell me I have spent all this time with you, and you STILL don't know who I am"?? (Do ya think the other disciples were saying, "DUH!??!" Makes one wonder, huh?)

We pick on Thomas for his doubting, but really, Jesus was trying to explain to the whole Jewish race who He was...and they just didn't get it...and they still don't!

In fact, Jesus stood up in the Temple reading a prophesy out of the Book of Isaiah about the coming Messiah. When he finished, he said, "This day, this prophesy is fulfilled in your ears" In other words, I AM the one you have been waiting for, for generations!" (Luke 4:17-21 KJV) The Jewish nation is STILL looking for that Messiah, and the sad thing is, He has already come! They missed a golden opportunity...by missing the obvious!!!

The Jews were bound by tradition and a false piety. Many were hypocritical! They were so expecting to see their Messiah arrive and set up an earthly kingdom, that they missed exactly what they were needing and looking for in the spiritual!! They missed the obvious!!! How very sad!

You might be asking, "What are you saying?" I'm trying to explain to you the OBVIOUS! Jesus shed His precious blood at Calvary to take away your burdensome sins, ease the pain that's in your life, and establish a daily relationship with you.

If you are experiencing the overwhelming waves of this life so much that it is sinking your ship, it is obvious that you need to establish with Jesus Christ, which brings great HOPE! In a world that is failing more everyday, in almost every way...the OBVIOUS answer to the ills of life is Jesus Christ!

Isn't it OBVIOUS?

The Lesson of the Pearl

Recently, through my studies, I learned some interesting points about pearls and how they are created. I learned that the formation of a pearl is really just a product of a healing wound that an oyster received. Furthermore, an offensive, foreign substance embeds itself in the most sensitive part of the oyster and a regimen of suffering begins. In the creation of a pearl, an ongoing process of pain produces a treasure of ever-increasing size. The irritation never goes away. The oyster continues secreting the substance to coat the hurt. That secretion hardens and becomes the pearl. The longer the hurt remains, the larger the pearl!

The Bible records a story of a man named Job. He was just an average guy who loved God, but he was about to experience pain and suffering on another level! In one day, he lost farms and livestock, houses and land, his household and family...he lost his reason for living.

Again, he lost it ALL in ONE DAY!

However, the Bible says in all of his pain and suffering, Job did not charge God foolishly. In fact, this average guy's response was anything but average. Job 23:8-11 says: " Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: (9) On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:(10) But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.(11) My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined."

You see, Job understood that even though he could not discern the presence of God in his life, God WAS there and had a purpose for his suffering and pain. The end result of Job's trust was that not only was he restored in every measure, but he increased exponentially and his new gains became greater than what he had lossed! What a testimony!

I wondered how many times I have caused and endured hurts of the heart and the mind during my life? Hundreds of times? Thousands?? Unlike Job, I've questioned the Lord on why suffering and pain even exists? What the purpose? Why do even dedicated people suffer pain? Why does it rain on the unjust AND the just??

But then, my mind goes back to the Lesson of the Pearl, and my understanding begins to be illuminated...

The beautiful pearl does not come from something that strengthens or nourishes the oyster, but only through what hurts it or causes it pain! Before Job could become increased in the way that he was, suffering had to happen! He simply had to endure the pain! But he didn't endure alone, God was with him all the way! I'm sure you've read the poem of the Footprints in the Sand? The one set of footprints was not the solitary steps of the author, but it was the footprints of the Lord carrying him through his trial and pain!

I don't know why God chose suffering and pain to be the catalyst for the pearl exactly, but what I DO know is that when I trust and love God through my pain, He will make something beautiful come from it! The greatest desire in our lives should be how we can love God and we can know Him better everyday!

The Apostle Paul wrote in Phillippians 3:10, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;" Even though Paul knew God through the power, he didn't fully know God until he experienced the sufferings also! And when he did, he was made comformable, or"pliable or usable" unto Calvary.

My friend, it doesn't matter what your spiritual posture is currently, when the sufferings of this life tend to embed itself in the most sensitive areas of the heart, just know that God is taking the hurt and creating a pearl within you! The sooner we learn the Lesson of the Pearl, pain and suffering become easier to handle.