journey onWord with us

After almost 40 years of marriage, today was new. My wife and I were on a trip to Vancouver for a conference and to see our daughter. Our flight was late to Toronto and we had about thirty minutes to reach our connecting flight. To put our plight in perspective, we had to exit the plane, run to customs, clear customs, run across the airport to the last gate (navigating stairs and escalators), and then, of all things, we had to go through TSA again (but now in Canada). However, the journey wasn’t what surprised me … it was my wife’s laser focus. She exited the plane, headed for customs and left me behind.  She had determined we would not miss the connecting flight and trusted that I could run fast enough to eventually catch her. At customs we had to answer the “Who are you and what are you doing here?” question over and over.  Clearing that area, Genel hit the road running again.  Leaving her daughter stuck in a foreign city alone was not an option and she was purposeful, intentional and not to be denied. I caught her at gate D39 where we entered a full plane of about 300 people, just in time to get my passport back and board with her. All mothers understand getting to your child, no matter their age!

I wonder what would happen if…

The focus of all Christ-followers was as intentional as my wife, living with eyes directed at Jesus, purposely fulfilling His plan for us. I truly believe most Christ-followers in America love Jesus, but not with the intensity that I witnessed in my wife today. If we did, a lost world would see Jesus lifted up in every part of our lives. One of my favorite Bible verses (Hebrews 12:2) starts with the words, “Fix your eyes on Jesus.” In a positive sense, we are to have an obsessive fixation on Christ … but do we? Your life (and mine) is dictated by our focus on Jesus (or lack thereof). If I were to ask you, “Who you?” (redeemed through Christ and a child of God), and ”What are you doing here?” (is your life reflecting Christ’s love to the world), could you (with confidence) say your life reflects your identity?

I wonder what would happen if…

Your life and mine reflected our identity as conveyed in the sentence above. The context of those words came from a cute story I read today in Wayne Cordero’s book JESUS, Pure and Simple. Enjoy the story and don’t miss the point.

A discouraged rabbi in the Siberian tundra wandered from his home. Disenchanted with his ministry and life, he aimlessly ambled into the wintry night. The only thing that was colder than the evening air was the chill in his own soul. He was so discouraged that he aimlessly wandered by mistake into a nearby Russian military compound that was off limits to any civilian personnel. The only sound was the crunch of the freshly fallen snow under his boots, when the evening still was broken by the brash bark of a Russian soldier brandishing a rifle.

“Hey!” he shouted, startling the rabbi. “Who are you and what are you doing here?”  The rabbi thought for a moment and looked up. “How much do they pay you each day?” he asked innocently. “What does that have to do with this?” the soldier growled back.

The rabbi said, “I will pay you the same sum if you will ask me that question every morning. “Who are you and what are you doing here?”

Christ knows the focus of your life today. Can I ask you (and me), “Who are you and what are you doing here?” If you are struggling with truly fixing your eyes on Jesus, immediately bow and turn your eyes back to Him. Our looking to Jesus and living out His purpose should be our goal every day. It wouldn’t hurt us to ask every day, “Who am I, and what am I doing here?”

My wife is a mother, and today she intentionally and purposely focused on it! As a Christ-follower, will you do likewise? The results will affect eternity!

If you are reading this article, and you are not sure that Christ is your Savior, please email us. We will contact you and share how to know your eternity is sealed in Christ.

By the way, we made it to our flight … but our luggage did not!