Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him,
“Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.”
(Luke 9:57 NKJV)
One of my Scripture readings for today included Luke 9:57-62. In response, I wrote a paraphrased dialogue that I imagined between Jesus and myself.
Me: I will go wherever You go.
Jesus: I am going, but I'm not staying. I will always be on the go. I have no roots.
Me: I really want to follow you, but . . .I don't want to miss out on anything this world offers. I'm pretty rooted to this existence. What if someone I love dies and I'm not there to say good-bye or to give them a proper burial. Aren't these rituals important?
Jesus: My ways are not like yours. You don't get it. Everyone dies. I'm interested in the living. Life has its roots in eternity. Be concerned with eternal life and living. That's why I say, "Go and proclaim the kingdom of God," my kingdom is about living.
Me: Ok, I guess I can let the dead bury the dead, but what about my loved ones. The ones I live with, wouldn't it be nice for me to say farewell, let them know I'll be gone. That I'm picking up my roots and moving on.
Jesus: You don't understand. I'm not asking you to plow under your roots. I'm just saying your focus is on temporal things. One who plows looks forward, making sure the rows are straight. Looking back doesn't accomplish my purposes. If you look back, you can't really follow me. I'm moving ahead. I not concerned about establishing roots. I am the Root; everything grows and flourishes because of Me. Attach yourself to Me, and live. Then the kingdom of God will be your way of life.
Sure is hard to make that commitment, isn't it? I enjoy genealogy -- but that's looking backward, yet forward. And I like history, and journals (other peoples' that tell about their lives), biographies, etc. In a sense those are all looking back.
ReplyDeleteThis really gives me something to think about.
This is a hard concept...I think the past is important and the testimony of past lives can encourage us to keep moving forward. I have to think about this one as well...I always find that Jesus' teaching has that effect...he's always pressing me to think deeper and differently about how life appears on the surface. :)
DeleteGosh,Kel, your thoughts about roots just made me sigh.You so nailed it--as I am feeling rootless these days with my house upside down. Not sure when I'll land again.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great dialogue to 'listen' to.
Jody- I just posted over at your spot...and it occured to me that roots and routines have similar qualities...roots give stability and so do routines, so no wonder when we are uprooted we feel out of sorts...so here's to hoping your life won't be upside down for too long! But also that you can sense yourself being further rooted deeply in the love of Christ!
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