Jesus’ Authority Is Sufficient

You know, just this past week, I was reminded of an event that had occurred some years back that I wanted to share with you all. This young lady, in her mid 30s was at a time in her life when everything seemed to be going great! Every time she turned around things seemed to be falling right into place. It was a full life mind you, meaning her schedule didn’t leave much wiggle room but all-in-all it was good. You see, at the time, she was a single mom of two young children. She enjoyed her 9-5 job, was a fulltime student and had recently accepted a position as the children’s pastor for a struggling baby church (who had been in existence for probably less than 5 years). But she could see the light at the end of this tunnel for it was her final semester and the culminating project was the last mountain she had to climb. So, like I said, her schedule was a full one but she was loving the place that she was at in life. The trickiest part for her lately was sufficiently juggling it all, especially with that final project right around the corner. I remember her praying one day, asking God if He could help her find the time she needed to get this final project done. Well, she had a vacation planned for her family and upon returning two things happened. First, the office manager at her 9-5 presented her with an ultimatum. While she was away, the decision had been made to change things up in the office and the new position being offered to her would require her to be away from her children 5 nights a week instead of her current schedule where she was away only 2 of the nights. Immediately knowing that this wasn’t even a possibility for her family, the young lady (out of options), resigned. She returned home and that evening she received a call from the senior pastor of that struggling baby church. After lots of praying, him and his wife had decided that they were resigning…they had felt like they had done all that they could and they were tired…the church was closing its doors. The young lady turned her attention to God and said, “this isn’t exactly what I had in mind when I was asking you for time to finish my final school project.”

Ever been there? I promise I’ll get back to this story a little bit later but what I really want to know is, have YOU been there? I’m gonna go out on a limb and suggest that perhaps we all have at one time or another. In fact, experience would tell me that I’m making a pretty safe assumption as I look out amongst you and with rather certainty say that “everyone of you either have had or will have to face a time in your life that you’re not anticipating, like that young lady, and that, if given the choice, you’d rather not find yourself in.

Perhaps it will appear to be a perfectly devised plan or a decision which seems “perfect” at the time…maybe it will be a day that has all the appearances of the start of a “perfect” one – you know the one, when everything just feels “right with the world;” every time someone asks you, “so how’s it going” the only natural response would be “Great! Everything’s just ‘perfect’”…then all of a sudden, ‘wham’ you’re face-to-face with the unexpected. Totally caught off guard; blindsided.

Maybe it’s a call you get from the doctor telling you that he would like to discuss the results of your most recent exam, something came back of concern. Or maybe you arrive at the office and find a pink slip waiting for you. It could be a call from your child’s school notifying you that there has been a terrible accident and that your child was involved. Or, maybe you come home from a long day of work and find all your spouse’s belongings gone and a note left for you, in their place …what do you do??

Well, after first denying such a thing is even happening, after unsuccessfully attempting to blame somebody (anybody) for your predicament, and after the anger finally begins to settle, my guess is that you may attempt to respond in one of four ways:

Some of you may decide that the only thing to do is to face the situation dead on! After all, up until now, you’ve always been pretty confident in your ability to maneuver in and out of life’s situations and so you figure this must be treated no differently. You take the “bull by the horns” and you are ready! You’re ready to do whatever you have to to get yourself through this! But as you plow full steam ahead matters only worsen! So, still determined, you roll up your sleeves and continue to “push through”…but nothing! No amount of effort seems to make a bit of difference. No matter what you do you find yourself in an ever worsening condition and the only thing you have to show for all your efforts and hard work is sheer exhaustion…now what?