John 7:Crazy God

No one ever spoke like this man! John 7:46

This might be an understatement. Jesus has said some crazy stuff so far. In fact, not even his brothers believed in him (v.5) until after his death. Couple that with the amount of times the word kill is written in reference to him and we have the most extreme character in human history. Yet extreme is exactly what we need. A run of the mill king, politician, philosopher, or teacher would not have made such an impression on history, nor our faith, that we still speak of them in volumes so many years later.

No, we needed a radical God for a radical salvation.

Be aware then of an average faith when nothing about Jesus was average. He never calls us to mediocrity. Jesus uses hyperbole to shake us out of our slumber and call us forward to the brink of madness. He doesn’t care about our comfort as much as our character. Do we have a radical character that when prompted by his Spirit, responds with a resounding “Yes”? It is so easy for us to settle. Whether in relationships, finances, or time management, we are a people of great comfort. Jesus understood this and challenges us to stare into the abyss of our average while drivning us to something greater.

Chances are, if it doesn’t make you squirm a little – if it doesn’t wreck you with a divine cocktail of fear and awe – perhaps you are settling.

Pray: Dear Jesus, thank you for being entirely different than what we think we needed. If left to us, you would be comfortable and easy. Yet, you challenge us with your direct love and call to movement. Lord, help us in our fear, for we know that your perfect love drives this out of us and gives us an unmatched confidence. May we live in boldness in response to your voice. Teach us how to follow you through all life’s circumstances. We love you with awe and reverence. Amen