Hi Folks:

We finally have some snow and took advantage of it by sliding on Saturday at a friend's hill. I shovelled a path on their pond and took a few runs down the hill.

Yesterday I went swimming in a local lake as part of the fire department's ice rescue training. A bunch of us put on dry suits and took the plunge to try various methods of self-rescue and to practice rescuing others. I thought it would be worse than it was (colder, tougher), and I was a little nervous about it all week - another lesson to me about how anticipation of something can be a lot worse than the actual event.

Blessings,

Troy

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For the past weeks we've been talking about following Jesus. We've seen that not everyone followed. Wealth held one man's heart. Security and comfort held another man's heart. This week we see that family held a third man's heart.

Several times I've tried an experiment with my anchor. I slipped it overboard, let it run out, and then tried to move it by rowing or paddling. I've tried this on sandy and muddy bottom with the same results. Not surprisingly, I couldn't make the boat move. One day I tried this in shallow water without the boat. Could I dig in my feet and pull it? I thought for sure that it might at least budge. No way. Anchors can have a lot of holding power.

Families have a lot of holding power on our hearts. How do we reconcile family obligations with following Jesus? This seems like a funny question since the church has championed the cause of the family. In addition, family values have permeated our society. Never have more parents attended hockey games, band concerts, and events.

Nonetheless, this is the issue which comes up in Matthew 8. A man was interested in following Jesus, but had a few things to do with his family first. As Jesus gave the orders to set sail for the other side of the lake, the man asked Jesus to wait. "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."

Jesus answered the man rather surprisingly, "Let the dead bury their dead." (Matthew 8:18, 21-22)

Jesus was not being insensitive. He was probing the man's priorities. Who was he going to follow - his family, or Jesus? Does this mean that Jesus is against the family? No, of course not. But it does mean that there may be times when following Jesus conflicts with the expectations and demands of family members. In this way family may be an anchor if we are afraid to let them go or disappoint them. Jesus was ready to leave and could not be delayed.

As a pastor I must constantly work this out. Service sometimes involves time away from my family or evenings out. Sometimes "family time" is interrupted. Sometimes we have to uproot our family to follow God's call.

As a pastor, I also see other people struggle with this issue. What will my family say if I'm baptized? What will they do if I go to church instead of the family event? Will they bother me if they see me reading the Bible? What will my children think if I go out to small group or Bible study? Will I have time for my family if I commit to do something at church?

We can't be so busy we have no time for family. That's wrong. But we can't be so family-minded that we have no time for Jesus.

I'm interested in what you think about this. Is this an issue for you? How have you struggled with it?

I hope this helps. Be OnFire,

Troy.

Feb 12, 2007. All Scripture from the New International Version.