Being There

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son." John 19:26

One word made the difference -- there.

The other disciples were not present.

The crowd was also absent.

This disciple was not.

He was there. He chose to expose himself. He let himself to be identified.

If he walked with Jesus' mother, people must be talking about on how much he was close to the one nailed on the cross. If he stayed beside Mary all the time when her son was being tortured, the authorities must be on him with some suspicious looks. If he stood under Jesus' feet on the cross, the people wishing Jesus' death must have given him some serious stares.

The absentee disciples must have had real and true concerns regarding his safety. Or how about his brother, James? The one with John who requested to sit beside the Christ when he comes to his kingdom. He is nowhere near his brother during this time.

What we know clearly is this -- the disciple whom Jesus loved, defied all these. He may have no recourse if and when they would come after him yet he knows this was the best time to follow his Lord. He may have did not listen to the other disciples warnings, yet he listened to the Lord's teachings to be faithful until the end.

You can be like John.

Expose yourself as Jesus' follower. Let yourself be identified as his friend, as his disciple.

Walk with him even when it's not popular. Be there for Jesus when nobody else is. Stand under him when everybody are over him.

You can make a difference in this life.

Just be there.

Focus

Soon afterward he journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. Luke 7:11-12

The camera was on him - Jesus.

Then, it was on her - the widow, whose only son is dead.

Both angles of the camera has multitudes.

Jesus was with his disciples and a large crowd following him. The widow as well was with a large crowd from the city.

Both were traveling with large crowds. Yet, the camera zooms on our two protagonists.

Thanks to director Luke.

Luke makes you realize that Jesus should be zoomed out in your life. Your eyes and hearts should be focus on him. There maybe a large pile of life you may have. You have family to love and care for. You have chains of relationships. You have concerns in the office. You have service in the church. The large crowd is part of your life. But Jesus should take the center stage . The crowd only accompanies him.

Focus on Jesus.

Luke also makes you realize how God's eyes are on you as you travel in this life's journey. You may be with parade of death or life, God's cameras are zoomed into you. No matter how thick is the population he has created, his eyes rolls and looks for you. His heart goes after you especially in your lowest of lowest. When death comes to take life. When healing is postponed. When employment is not offered. When family is not one. He walks towards you. He walks to meet you, in your hurt, in your loneliness. His eyes have your face.

Jesus is focus on you.

No Appointment Needed

Jesus departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. Luke 6:12

“I don’t need to make an appointment to eat dinner with my parents.”

This was Aishwarya Rai’s reply to David Letterman when asked regarding the set-up of living with her parents. Since most young Americans live outside their parents’ home at a certain age, they needed to make an appointment to meet with their old folks. If they want to have dinner with them, call first. If they want to visit them on weekends, arrange first. If they want to talk about their problems, give a heads up.

Jesus lives with Father, thus needs no appointment. Jesus has to depart to the mountain to pray to his Father. He had to separate himself from people wanting to have time with him. He did not need an appointment to pray. He just have to keep himself from the crowd asking for healing or miracles,or from the Pharisees looking for his impossible missteps. He came for us to be reconciled to the Father, Jesus has paved the way for us to come to the Father.

 Even without an appointment.

Before writing this, I prayed. At my daughter’s bedside. I did not have to go up to a mountain.

As I was driving to the office every morning, I whispered the Jabez prayer. Again, I did not have to hike up to a mountain.

Everyday, our family prays together. We praise him for being our God. We thank God for his blessings. We raise up our concerns to him. My daughter Praise thanks God for her day at school. My daughter Bless gives him her prayers for healing of people she knows needing it. We do that either in the living room or one of our bedrooms. Sometimes we do it when we are traveling in our vehicle. We need not go up to the mountain.

Depart from your distractions. 

Anytime.

You can come to the Father.

Anywhere.

You can speak with the Father.

Anyone.

Can spend time in prayer to God.

No appointment needed.