(Further reflections on “A Chief Tax Collector”—Sunday 22-Jan-2023)
We, in many ways, are like Zacchaeus (cf. Luke 19:1-1) who faced different obstacles in drawing closing to Jesus. It can be physical, psychological, emotional, and even spiritual. For every obstacle we face, there is always an opportunity or invitation to draw closer to Jesus.
Reading God’s word in Psalms, we saw a full range of human emotions in facing life’s troubles or obstacles. Solving our life problems with replacement or distraction won’t work in the long run. For example, if we are sad, we tend to find something fun to relieve the pain or distract ourselves from feeling it. Or when we are hurt, we tend to find ways to burry or numb it. It could be anything from entertainment to substances or things that keep us distracted from the current pain.
Obstacles either lead you to making more complaints/excuses or create opportunities for you to draw closer to Jesus. This is how our relationship with Jesus develops. If you have been Christians for sometime and never had an intimate talk with Jesus, you are simply having a religion, which is an empty shell which might just be outwardly looking good.
Fear can be a huge obstacle in drawing close to Jesus. Most of the time people know their fears and want to overcome it. But too often fears have crippled many Christians who always have well-structured reasons to defend when they are exposed. They are prone to burry or cover their fears. As a result, fears continue to grow and eventually they are identified with it. So fears become their identity. Virtually in everything, they will find an obstacle and excuse to have their fear rest on it. Strangely, this makes them feel safe.
So what are the obstacles that you are facing? List them out and bring them to the Lord and you will begin to see opportunities and invitations from Jesus. Try it out. You will be amazed.
May it be that in every obstacle we face, we find an invitation and opportunity to draw closer to Jesus and deal with them like the way Christ did.
—
Pastor Lap
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