Our Part

Dad was a key worker in the local church league: he stocked the concession stand, lined-off the fields, even called balls & strikes sometimes. And, he taught me early how to keep score! I started with an old metal scoreboard then graduated to an official score book. I must admit, however, the "fun" of it all wore off pretty quick!

More than ten years ago, I stood in upper Jerusalem at the pool complex called “Bethesda, ” and tried to imagine the helpless and hopeless surrounding those waters. The people believed an occasional stirring of the waters brought healing to the first who entered -- it was their hope-of-healing. Then came Jesus! Today, self-help books line shelves, commercials boast cures, and spiritual guides promise countless paths to inner peace. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (John 14:6). Do you really believe this? This is really important because we cannot confidently confess belief in Jesus unless we confidently live the truth He speaks. Let me put it another way: we lie when we say we trust Jesus but live otherwise! A friend of mine said, "we only live what we really believe." Jesus told the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your bed, and walk.” (John 5:8). Scripture records that the man “… at once … was healed … took up his bed and walked.” (V.9). That's trust at its core – no doubting, no contemplating, no rationalizing, no praying about it, no nothing except trusting obedience. Jesus doesn’t offer hope -- He IS Hope! He is our confident expectation. Keeping score was my part of helping the league run smoothly as well as helping my Dad. Jesus is sure and faithful; He’ll do His part --- let’s do our part!