Mark Sorensen When I looked at the alarm clock, the time was 1:38 a.m. My heart was pounding as what brought me out of my slumber was a rather large “pop” that sounded like a gunshot in our backyard. I immediately sprang from bed and ran out of the bedroom, through the living room, and out into our backyard to see what was going on. It was somewhere between the living room and my running into the backyard that my brain started to whisper to me, “Hey, Mark. What if you don’t want to meet whoever it is making that noise in your backyard?”
So, there I stood, on my lawn, in boxers and T-shirt, sporting a very distinct bed-head look, without glasses and not wearing my contacts. What I found was mostly dark and blurry. That is, until another large “pop” sounded in our neighbor’s yard over my fence, followed by a large explosion of color. And there it was. Fireworks. Kids were actually shooting off fireworks – at almost 2:00 a.m. Fun fact: I checked the Scriptures, and though Jesus does say, “Love your neighbor” (Mark 12:31), He does not specify that this commandment must be honored between the hours of 1:00 and 4 a.m. 😉
You know that life is full of those moments, right? Had you encountered the rich, young ruler shortly after his brief exchange with Jesus in Mark’s Gospel, I am certain that – on the other side of Christ’s command to “give everything you have away to the poor and follow me” – you would have found that he was left dazed, disoriented, and confronted with a challenge from Jesus that seemed incomprehensible. Yet, the life Christ offered him on the other side of that invitation was one of beauty, color, and adventure. All that was necessary was a willingness from the rich, young ruler to let go of what was controlling him and to take hold of that which desired to set him free. This is Jesus’ desire for us all.
Don’t let noise and “stuff” distract you from the greater adventure of hearing His still, small voice and experiencing the beautiful and explosive life of love He is calling you toward. What I know about God is that He specializes in calling us into waters that may seem deep and may make us uncomfortable. However, the beauty is found in His taking our hands and guiding us. He provides the adventure, we just give our obedience.
So, to you my friends, may you hear the sweet whispers of Christ calling to you, “Follow me.” And then? Buckle up. An amazing race awaits.
