Yesterday, I was going through the photo stream on my phone when I came across dozens of pictures of a movie star my young teen daughters have a crush on. I don’t understand technology enough to get why these appear in my photo stream, but I enjoyed the giggle of picturing them mooning over the heartthrob of the day. I have heard them talk about this boy as if they know him. They know his birthday and favorite food. They binge watch the show he stars in. They read magazines and information web sites to learn all they can about him. I am certain they would cry, scream or faint if they ever saw him in person. Their friends would hear about their life-changing encounter for years to come if they ever met this young man.

I have heard Christian friends hope and pray over the years for a “Beatific Vision”. The expectation of audibly hearing God’s voice or receiving a visit from an angel is an encounter they believe they need to have their spiritual life set on fire. I understand the longing; can you even imagine how wonderful? I would surely react with the same crying and fainting display of a teenage girl.

In the Old Testament, we see Adam, Moses, Jacob and others have their lives radically changed by beatific visions, and we learn how all the “B.C faithful” studied the law to gain understanding of God. They wanted to know Him, but they made lots of mistakes and got off track in their understanding because they did not have the full vision and understanding of who God is. When Jesus came to earth and began his ministry, the mystery was revealed.

“Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.” John 13:3 (NLT)

“But for us, there is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live.” 1 Cor 8:6 (NLT)

 

On this side of the cross, we do not need a beatific vision. God has revealed himself through His son Jesus Christ. We can know all we need know about him. We can study what he cared about, how he acted, what he was passionate about and how he lived. We have testimonies and accounts from dozens of witnesses in the New Testament who lived and walked with him. They recorded it for us so there would be no more mystery. We can be absolutely sure. We have been given God Himself in the Holy Spirit to live in us and help us understand.

My girls truly feel like they know the young heart throb, but they cannot be sure. It is entirely possible that there is a PR team who has showcased this boy to be something that in reality, he is not. We Can know God, but many of us approach reading our bibles like my teenagers approach the dreaded summer math packet. We need to model the lovesick behavior of a teenage girl in our desire for God. We aren’t stuck with the hollow resources of Teen magazine or IMDb.com. We have the inspired word of God.

One day we will see him and hear him and be physically embraced by him, but if our spiritual lives today need a boosting, then we need to get into his word. There is no substitute, and we will be filled.

This morning, I dropped Mary Moore off at a bus headed to cheer camp. M2 was so excited and I as I stood there, towering above all the tiny parents and cheerleaders, I was amazed at this new cheer world. Everyone spoke in loud, crisp shouts. There were bows on everyone and everything and even though it was 5:30 in the morning, they all hopped and zipped around without breath or pause. M2 fit right in.

M2 has wanted to tumble and cheer for years. We accommodated her request a little over a year ago with tumbling/gymnastic lessons, and decided to dive into the cheer world 2 weeks ago. This week, I was reminded of a video M2 had posted years ago, when she begged for gymnastic lessons. She was teaching the cyber world how to do a back walkover and her first point of advice was “to just not think about it, because if you do, you will fall on your head. ”.

M2’s advice should encourage us all in our practical and spiritual lives. We have a tendency to over-think things that we really know how to do by instinct. This morning…after I detoxed from the cheer immersion… I read the account in 3 of the gospels when Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James and John to “Follow Him.” In each account, the fishermen “Immediately followed Him” (Matt. 4:22). They “left their nets at once and followed Him” (Mark 1:18). “As soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus” (Luke 5:11). The disciples didn’t over-think it. They heard his voice and his calling and they knew it was the only choice. They didn’t think about the fish or what to pack or what they were leaving behind or what would happen next. They didn’t make excuses or rationalize, and they didn’t worry about falling on their head. They had decided to follow Jesus… No turning back, no turning back.

We also know what to do in our pursuit of following Jesus, but we often over-think it. We hear the small still voice of the Holy Spirit, but we dismiss it as a wandering thought. We see a need, but we don’t try to meet it, because it interferes with our schedule or our comfort zone. A friend is brought to our mind, but we don’t call or reach out, because it seems weird or too vulnerable to connect. We miss the victory and blessing because we are thinking too much instead of just doing it.
M2 continues to bless and amaze me. She is so open to try new things and love new people. She just does it. We would all be in a sweeter place if we followed her example of “Just don’t think about it.”

Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” Mark 1:17 (NLT)

I am almost to the end of the Old Testament in my chronological bible, and boy, I sure am ready for Jesus. Today’s reading was a bunch of genealogies, and as I raced over the unfamiliar names, I made special note of the names I recognized (Boaz, Judah, Jesse, etc.). Skimming lists of names is not unusual for any of us. We look for our kids’ names in box scores, and our names listed as contributors to annual funds. As a child, I would always flip through my school’s address book to double check that here were 2*’s by my name (hutch alums understand). We check, because we want to be recognized; we need to matter. We feel the need to belong. The OT genealogies did the same thing for their tribes and families.

I belong to amazing parents and a wonderful husband. I sign letters all the time using my full name. Pat and I named all of our children after family members. We are building a legacy and hope it will continue. We are not alone as parents to yearn for our children to follow in our footsteps. I am still holding out hope that one of my kids will go to The University of Kentucky, but my greatest prayer is that they will love Jesus. Of all the lists they will have their names written on, the only one that matters is the list of names on that final judgment day.

I look like my mom and I have her sense of humor. I am diligent like my dad and have his competitive spirit. My children are tapestries made up of different quirks and qualities inherited from their parents. They are not especially pleased with everything they inherited, or with everything I try to teach them, but they will likely never question what I care about the most. I love Jesus. I love their dad, and I love them. That is the legacy I am trying to build and one that I pray will carry on for generations to come.

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” 2 Timothy 1:5 (NIV)

“I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.” 2 Timothy 1:12b (NIV)