Hello, nice people
I’ve got a decision to make. Conditions are finally attractive on the mountain. So can I find some justification for laying aside my pile of work and being irresponsible for a few hours?—or should I ignore those conditions and carry on with the work load? Should I take a vote? Maybe I’ll go in and give Becki a passionate embrace and let her decide.
Still undecided. I guess I’ll let you know tomorrow how the day played out.
Blessings. Ray
Don’t we have some good reason to be a bit astonished at the astonishment of these disciples?! After all, they had already witnessed a bunch of other miracles Jesus had performed. If He has so clearly demonstrated authority over demons and disease, what would make them think that His power would not include all other realms of physical and metaphysical dimensions? What in the world were they thinking? Were they not connecting any glaring dots? Furthermore, they had centuries of access to sensational Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah. (For example, read again Isaiah 9:1-7.) In the light of them, what were they expecting the Christ to look like?
May I suggest that there is no question among humans more important than the one uttered by these bumbling disciples there in that boat that day?—“Who is this man?” If I am processing Scripture correctly, the answer to that critical question is of such importance that it actually determines one’s eternal destiny. That’s huge! So is that all He is?—just a man?—or just a spiritually-supercharged man?—kind of like the Mormon version of the Christ? Definitely not. I’m convinced that if Jesus Christ is stripped in any way of His being truly GOD in the clothing of a human body, His power and authority over life, death, and eternity suddenly turns wimpy. (Read again Colossians 1:15-20). If this was a matter put up for vote, I would definitely prefer to be overseen by an INFINITE Lord and Savior than one who is limited in his power and authority.
Was Jesus telling the truth in the last chapter of Matthew when He said, “All the authority of the universe has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18, The Passion Translation). I’m banking on that being a true statement—not fiction, and not the inflated claim of a mortal man, no matter how renowned he may have been. Furthermore, I’m banking on His words to Martha to be as valid and trustworthy for me today as they were when He spoke them—“I am the Resurrection, and I am Life Eternal. Anyone who clings to me in faith, even though he dies, will live forever. And the one who lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11:25-26, The Passion Translation). Wow! Let’s not make any mistake about it—no human could ever legitimately utter such a claim.