Do you see it?

In Luke 13 Jesus expresses sadness over Jerusalem because the people don't recognize prophets, and they never have. 

As he enters Jerusalem (Luke 19), Jesus openly weeps for the city. "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes."

Do you know what will bring you peace? So often we do not. We think we know, and we pursue those things, and so often end up disappointed. 

The truth is often hidden from our eyes. This is why we need our eyes to be opened. 

Where do your eyes need opening?

• a relationship
• a job
• an attitude
• a decision
• a regret
• a promise
• a challenge
• faith
• trust

Let's ask God to open our eyes. There is so much we need to see!

Why so sad?

Jesus had set his sights for Jerusalem just before his death. He declared that he would encounter opposition, be arrested, be tried and executed, and rise on the third day. Huh? His disciples could not get his meaning, especially about the dying part.

On his way to the Passover showdown in Jerusalem, Jesus expressed his sorrow for the city (Luke 13:34f). He lamented the state of the city: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 

Jesus is frustrated that the people of Jerusalem were so blind and deceived. He is sad that his people would not listen to him, and that they did not recognize him. He offered them such hope and redemption, but they rejected him. 

The religious establishment of Jerusalem had a long track record of missing the message of prophets. This day would be no different. The authorities rejected and even persecuted those who spoke truth. And even Jesus's closest disciples weren't tracking. 

No wonder Jesus was sad. Their rejection would mean pain for Jesus and hardship for his people. Nobody likes rejection, but Jesus knew that it was the only way for redemption. He walked intentionally into this hardship, so that he could take on the powers of evil in all their intensity. And he knew he would overcome for us.

Losses

Life is full of losses. You can lose your keys, your shirt, or your life savings. You can lose your health, lose a relationship, lose a loved one. Some losses can be recouped. Some are permanent.

There is no way to live without losses. We work to minimize losses, of course. There are good strategies for avoiding loss in every sphere. 

Because loss is inevitable, we do well to learn ways to cope with loss. Here are some suggestions.

• Anticipate loss. Don't be surprised when it happens.
• Have a plan in place for the event of loss. You might call it a Plan B, or contingency, but what would you do if you lost your health or your spouse or your savings?
• Decide now that you will be OK, even in loss. If you learn to trust in God now, you will be better off when you have to trust him in hardship.
• Build relationships now, so that in loss you will not be alone.
• Hold onto things lightly. When you lose your looks or your health, which is almost inevitable, you can still find meaning in life.

A Better You

Some famous football coach described his job as leading his players to do what they don't want to do, so they can achieve what they want to achieve. 

Seems like this applies to life. There are lots of things we really want to do, all the time. But you can't do what you want to do all the time. You can't drive through a red light just because you want to. You can't take items from a store without paying for them. The immediate consequences might not be pleasant, and most people consider the risks to be greater than the possible benefits.

Doing hard things can lead to good things. It's a truism that nothing worthwhile is easy. Some will hear an outstanding piano performance and say, "I'd give anything to play piano like that!" No they wouldn't. They are not giving music the attention and energy required. The pianist has surely given so much to achieve that level of proficiency: time, study, practice, money, effort. 

That's what spiritual disciplines are all about. They are are an outlay of effort toward the end of spiritual development. Some disciplines may be enjoyable for some people. The discipline of fellowship can be most enjoyable, and so can the discipline of solitude. I guess there are those who enjoy fasting and scripture memory. But whether you like them or not, spiritual disciplines are effort aimed at greater goal.

Another truism is that everybody wants to be better, but nobody wants to change.

We can change our habits so that, over time, we can become a better version of ourselves. We can do what we don't want to do, to achieve what we want to achieve.

Self Denial

Why would people want to deny themselves? We don't want to. Self denial is willingly forgoing something desirable. It's choosing a course of action that goes against your normal inclinations.

Self denial goes against our (typically) selfish human nature. It's just like Jesus to instruct us to go against our selfishness. He said, "If anyone would come after me he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." That sounds like a path to a lousy life, but Jesus insisted that it's the way to real life. Christians are called to live like this, and it's challenging for all of us.

There are lots of ways to practice self denial. Here are a few suggestions.

• Choose the longest, slowest line at the grocery store.
• Let the other person be right.
• Stop insisting that people understand or see your point of view.
• Give away a prized possession.
• Forego a favorite food (for a season).
• Get up early for some unselfish purpose.
• Donate money to a worthy cause.
• Offer sincere compliments, when you are in a foul mood.
• Acknowledge your short comings to God and ask for forgiveness.

The more we deny ourselves, the more our mental wiring is reconfigured, making us less self-centered and more others-centered. That's a good thing.

Wisteria

The wisteria is in full bloom here in North Carolina. Traveling across the state today, we could see the flowering vine all along the highway. 

Wisteria is one of those vines that I never notice until it blooms. It shows up on trees and fences, draping across forests. During other times of the year I don't even see the vine. 

There are a couple of life lessons. Some of life's encumbrances, like vines, seem to be a big burden. But sometimes those burdens can be beautiful. In the proper season, we can enjoy the beauty and the fragrance. 

Another way to see the lesson of the vine is that some things are beautiful in life, but only for a moment. They are really choking us out with their tentacles and foliage. But every so often these burdens look nice. The occasional beauty of the burden keeps us from freeing ourselves. And so we let the vine keep growing, even though some day it may choke us out.

Two lessons to choose from. Maybe one applies to you.

Adaptogens

I had never heard of adaptogens until I read the label of an elderberry beverage. It boasted a bodacious 6 adaptogens per serving. Well OK. Who could turn that down? So I chose that beverage with my lunch last Saturday at LOT 2540, and it was good. I have heard about elderberries having some healthy properties, boosting the immune system, and all that. 

But I had to look up "adaptogens" to see if it was really a thing. According to Google, adaptogens have benefits including: 

Reducing stress and anxiety, Improving mood and cognitive function, Boosting energy levels, Enhancing immune function, and Protecting against aging. 

Adaptogens usually come from plants, and must be natural.

I hope that knowing Christ will reduce my anxiety and maybe improve my mood. I would like him to improve my cognitive function and give me energy. He can keep me from getting sick, and I want to cooperate with that. I don't expect the Lord to protect me from aging, but maybe he can make me more mature as I age. I try to stay tuned-in to the Spirit and hope he helps me to become a better human.

But I think I will also gladly consume some adaptogens when I have the chance.