As they all come from the same mother, it’s no surprise to me that my three daughters have a degree of determination and tenacity. They set their mind to something and they will pursue it until the end.
Of the three of them, though, the middle one makes me chuckle the most. She doesn’t mess about talking and hyping things up or getting upset or vexed about something. She will get something in her head and plan towards it and enact it with a single-minded fervour that is quite something to behold. When she’s on it there is little that can stop her.
I don’t think it’s a trait unique to her or her mother either. We were reading about Jesus’ trip across a lake at the end of Mark 4 going into a needed encounter with a man possessed by a legion of demons at the start of Mark 5. Jesus initiated the trip across the lake, even though he had crowds following him from his side. He initiated it saying that it was about time that they took a trip. By all accounts the sole purpose of the trip was to come across that guy.
The trip however featured quite a severe storm that threatened the vessels and those on it. Serious stuff indeed that led hardened and experienced fishermen to get into quite a fuss. They even woke Jesus up to accuse him of not caring about the situation. They, like us, were about to get another lesson in knowing what it is to be with Jesus when He’s on a mission. Not even a tumultuous storm threatening the lives of the occupants is going to stop Jesus when He’s on a mission.
How reassuring is that for those on a mission with Jesus? How reassuring it is to know that if you are on a mission with Jesus whether it’s a storm or a shipwreck or being arrested by a guy keen to take advantage of apostle-killing season, nothing will stop you completing the mission.
That’s reassuring … to those on a mission with Jesus.
(Photo by Joe McDaniel on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 