DAY 88

I BELIEVE IN YOU!

Judges 7 & 8 and Luke 5:1-16

Today in the Old Testament we finish the story of Gideon; he has come far. From a frightened man hiding in a winepress to an effective judge, Gideon certainly did much to honor the Lord. Yet none of us is perfect, we read he had a concubine. I will defer comment on the concubine, might I point out that she was from Shechem. Shechem was now part of Manasseh but had long been a Cannanite center for Baal worship. That is a story for tomorrow, for today, we come to the close of a man’s life where he clearly heard God saying to him, “I believe in you”, even when he did not believe in himself.

In the New Testament today we have Jesus getting into a boat, teaching, calling some of His disciples and giving us that famous line, “I will make you fishers of men”. We have read this call in both Matthew and in Mark. I went back and looked at those blogs to make sure I am not repeating myself, and I don’t think I am, so here goes: People are always amazed that “they dropped their nets and followed him”.

Are you? I am, in part, but only in part. The Jewish school system of the day, primary school, was for both boys and girls. They memorized the first five books of the Bible – memorized them. The best of those went on to secondary school and they memorized the rest of the Hebrew Bible. The best of those (so the best of the best) upon graduation were interviewed by Rabbi’s. The Rabbi not only wanted to know if they were smart, they wanted to know if those being interviewed had what it took to “be like the Rabbi”.

If you were not selected you went back to the family business. Some went to press olives and some went to fish. That is who we find in the boats; men, probably relatively young men, who have memorized the Hebrew Scriptures, but had Rabbi’s not think they had what it took. Rabbi Jesus looks at them and he might as well have said, “Hail O mighty man of valor”(Yes think of yesterday) instead He says, “Follow me”.

The difference is that they follow. Unlike Gideon they don’t try and talk Jesus out of it, they follow. There will be times when they fail, even abandon (as I type this it is Holy Thursday, the night they will abandon) and times Jesus will be utterly alone (as you read this it is Good Friday). Yet Jesus calls, saying, “I believe you can be like me”. That is what Rabbi’s do with people they believe in.

As you read this on Good Friday remembering Jesus’ death a Cross, you know that in a few days He will rise to new life, and right before His Ascension He will commission His disciples to go into the world…because He believes in them…He has no Plan B…this is it…these 12 are to tell the world. They, and those after them, have done a pretty good job. Sure they could have done better, that is always the case. Yet you and I know the Good News, it has made this far…and now it is up to us…and on this day Jesus hangs on a Cross looking at you saying, “I think you can do it…there is no Plan B”. God bless you.