jesus ran

busy-ness is a disease. in my opinion, it is probably the most effective tool the enemy uses against us christians. it seems, if he can't keep us from doing something, he'll get us to do everything so that we're too busy to be effective in anything. it really is quite disturbing.

i had a dinner appointment with a pastor recently. as soon as we sat down he told me he was going to have to leave in about thirty minutes to make it to a meeting at the church. i was thinking, "are you kidding?" he wasn't. thirty minutes passed, he asked for his bill and left. i had hardly touched my quesadilla explosion. (we were at chili's...i don't recommend this dish) so i sat there about another twenty or so minutes by myself.

i scoured the bible for the phrase "Jesus ran"...i didn't find it..."Jesus jogged"....nope...."Jesus walked briskly"....nada....

besides making me question Jesus' physical health regiment, it seems to me Jesus was never in a rush to go anywhere. in luke 8, jesus was on his way, when jairus ran up to him and pleaded for jesus to come to his house and heal his daughter. she was dying. it was jairus' only daughter, so you can imagine how desperate he must have been. on the way to the house the crowds were so thick, jesus was almost crushed. worse than driving down Georgia 400 at rush hour. jairus is starting to sweat. if only jesus could get there in time, his daughter would be healed. then jesus stops.

next is the whole scene with the bleeding woman. jesus heals her, but can you imagine what jairus must be thinking?! "come on, jesus, run! my daughter's dying! don't you understand what's at stake here?!" embrace his frustration.

cue the crisis.

it's too late. jairus' daughter dies. jesus took too long.

then jesus says something crazy. "Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed." and she was.

i think busy-ness is a lack of faith. jesus didn't have to rush because he knew he was in control. we don't have to rush because we should know jesus is in control. ministry is way more about being present than it is anything else. jesus was always present. most of the people i know aren't. Lord, give us more faith.