[learn_press_profile]
“Dad, I need some help with something.” This is a call that I have gotten regularly since the kids went to UBC. Of course, when I hear that I have a little trepidation run though my system. Is something wrong? That’s the first thought, but more often than not it is about homework. Then my mind goes elsewhere. Am I going to be able to help? How long is this going to take? STRESS! Then it usually ends with a complaint on my part. Why did you wait until 11 pm to ask for my help? For some reason my stress levels go up as soon as that call comes.
Don’t take this as a complaint; I love it that my kids call me to help them. My conversations with my dad during college went a lot like this: “Hey dad! How are you? Is mom there?” So, I am happy, but stressed. One of the big problems is that I really can’t offer them much help with their homework. I haven’t ever studied physics and their high school math was well beyond what I was doing in my university calculus class; so, we know that their UBC math assignments aren’t going to be achievable for me. Let’s not even start with geological engineering! So that stresses me out as a dad! I really want to be able to help them and I can’t fix their problems.
Now I really shouldn’t be stressed. They aren’t calling for me to DO their math, physics or geological mapping stuff. They aren’t even wanting me to fix their problems because they aren’t looking for Super Dad to come in and rescue them. They are calling because they just want to talk through it with someone. If I could just slow down a little bit and listen to what they are really asking rather than jumping right into my inability to fix their problems, I wouldn’t get stressed. If I just listen for what they are looking for it all works out.
In church a couple of weeks ago, we told the story of the blind man who encountered Jesus on the road – Jesus’ last miracle in the gospel of Mark. We focused on the fact that the blind man could see better than the people who were already following Jesus. The disciples shushed the blind man assuming that he was just a stressor within the system. They told him not to bother Jesus, but the blind man would not take no for an answer. Jesus was impressed. Jesus decided to heal him on the spot, and the no-longer blind man began to follow Jesus.
But I want to bring up another point here rather than just the healing episode. I want to look at the question that Jesus asked him. Jesus said, “What do you want?” He wanted to know what the blind man was looking for. And the blind man had an answer that was as beautiful as it was deep – “I want to see.” This is an important question for us to be asking ourselves and even asking each other. What is it that we want? What are we looking for? Maybe if we knew what we were looking for in our faith and our church, things would be easier for us. If we allowed Jesus to ask us what we are looking for, maybe we would better be able to see and receive his answer.
I think too often we do the reverse of this. We go to Jesus not really being sure of what we are looking for. We go to Jesus because we are told that we should, or we always have, or we have our own motivations. But we aren’t really aware of what we are looking for. Or maybe we go to church because we think that is what he is looking for from us. But if we could just learn to hear Jesus ask us what we want… If we could get past the stresses of life to be able to reflect and answer on our own… If we were able to get past selfish ambition and vain conceit, maybe we would be able to find what we are looking for. Maybe then we would be able to grasp how deep, wide, and far the love of God extends.
Ask yourself now in a time of prayer, “What are you looking for from Jesus, or maybe better in Jesus.”
As a pastor, I must admit I am a little stressed about that right now. I am ready to help. I am wanting to help you to listen, to see, to gather, to find not only what you want, but what you need. That is the way I am wired. And right now, I am struggling with the idea that I am either unable to provide it or I don’t even know what it is. As we have been wrestling with the slow regathering of the church coming out of the pandemic, I am tempted to want to fix everything. I am tempted to rush everything. Let’s do studies! Let’s do gatherings! Let’s do meals! Let’s worship! These are things that I would LOVE to see us get into. But my stress levels might be better to see if I can slow down and ask you what you are looking for.
I am here to help, but I can’t do that if I don’t listen. So, I want to know what you are looking for. But even more than that, I want to know that you know what you are looking for and then maybe we could find that together. In part, this is really asking you – what are you looking for right now? What is important for you at the church? What are you hoping for from your pastors? How can we help you find what you are looking for from the church and from Jesus?
I am trying to learn to not get stressed about it, but to learn to listen to you and with you for your hearts’ desires. And then we can learn to sing God’s grace!!!
