REFLECTIONS

August 9th, 2015

He said to another man, "Follow me."

But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."

Luke 9:59

Now!

Ears perked up when the siren sounded. Danger was its message and everyone came to attention with its jarring shrill. Whatever was going on, it stopped. Something more important took center stage. Now!

In my small hometown, most of us referred to the siren as the fire whistle; but it served as more than a fire alarm. Sometimes it warned of a threatening storm. “Take cover,” was its message then and believe me we did. But it’s most common message called our volunteer fire fighters into action. Then, wherever they were and whatever they were doing at the time, they stopped to address the need for quick response. Now! Whatever had been happening moments before took second place to something that could not wait. Priority changed. Everything became different.

Each waking day offers something fresh and new. Whatever yesterday had been, it has past and today becomes a new adventure to live. Mostly today is filled with hope that our lives and our world will be made better by what we will do. Cultivating, planting, tending, and harvesting the fields of our lives is what daily life is all about. All of it works toward a better tomorrow. But reality tells us that with all our forward thinking, plans and activities, all we really have is now to do them. At any moment the fire whistle may blow and priorities will change. Now! And the siren we hear may not blast a jarring message like the fire whistle in my hometown. The siren may be a loving voice softly calling for a change of plans.

“Follow me,” Jesus said to Peter, James and John. Most likely Jesus words were not spoken with the same alarming shrill as my hometown’s fire whistle; but whether he spoke in an inviting tone or a commanding one, his words were even more compelling. Whatever the three would-be disciples were planning or doing, they stopped and followed him. Something more important had taken center stage. Now! Yet too often we respond with less urgency by placing our plans and activities ahead of it.

Today the siren is sounding. “Follow me,” Jesus calls. A fire needs your immediate attention. Now! A storm is on the way. Now! Stop everything. Something more important is on center stage.

Follow him.

Now!

You are the light of the world,

Richard +

www.reflectingthesavior.org


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