Friday, May 7, 2010
by Dave Sonnenberg
I live about 3 miles from my church. It used to (I emphasize "used to") take me about 3 minutes to go one mile to the entrance to route 370. Then, it was a simple 2 mile quick "straight shot" down the highway (without interruption) to the 355 north exit at which point the church is at the light.
They are building a new highway which has radically altered my path. I jump on 370, go about 1/4 of a mile and then they take me to this goofy jughandle on a new ramp that forces you to do almost a complete circle and sends you back in the same direction you used to go. I go on that and it seems to me that this is the new "route" but I hope and pray that this route is not permanent because it will be nasty when it gets icy. It radically slows down traffic. It seems to be a major obstacle to a path that used to be clear. I hope it is just the way that they had to do it in order to create the new east west highway, but, you can't be sure!
Saul and Barnabas are a bit fired up today because some people have put up obtacles and curves that are not helping others see and expereince Jesus' ways. They seek to get these spiritual jug handles, hurdles, and annoyances out of the way so that people can follow Jesus. Our job as Christians is to communicate the love of Christ in word and deed with clarity. People need to see and experience it right away by the way we live our lives; they need not have us wait to get around to being a dedicated witness.
Acts 13: 1-12
13Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the ruler, tetrarch and Saul. 2While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ 3Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
The Apostles Preach in Cyprus
4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John also to assist them. 6When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they met a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet, named Bar-Jesus. 7He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God. 8But the magician Elymas (for that is the translation of his name) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9But Saul, also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10and said, ‘You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? 11And now listen—the hand of the Lord is against you, and you will be blind for a while, unable to see the sun.’ Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he went about groping for someone to lead him by the hand. 12When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.
I agree, Dave--that is quite a new jug handle we, too, are experiencing on 370--a road that used to be the conduit to many places. I believe recently God ;has presented me with a jug handle of anxiety and stress over occurrances that I have very little control over. Sometimes it's tough to understand the jug handles we are dealt. Thanks so much for your posts.
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