Christian Commentary Encouraging Devotions

Getting to know Him better.

The book is sub-titled, "A beginner's guide to a larger Christ".

"Not another book about what we already know, but one about what we overlook.

In "Ten Things They Never Told Me About Jesus" author John Bell explores

facets of the personal life, relationships and ministry of Jesus

which are seldom the stuff of preaching or conversation,

but which are all rooted in the Gospels and are necessary

if we are to be freed from the passive stereotypes which still dominate thinking about Christ."

Let's not take Jesus for granted.

Do you think you know all there is to know about Him?

"The unexamined life is not worth living."

Socrates said that at his trial for heresy.

He was on trial for encouraging his students to challenge

the accepted beliefs of the time and think for themselves.

The sentence was death but Socrates had the option of suggesting an alternative punishment.

He could have chosen life in prison or exile, and would likely have avoided death.

But Socrates believed that these alternatives would rob him of the only thing that made life useful:

Examining the world around him and discussing how to make the world a better place.

Without his "examined life" there was no point in living.

So he suggested that Athens reward him for his service to society.

The result, of course, is that they had no alternative and were forced to vote for a punishment of death.

Luckily, we don’t have to choose between an examined life and death.

But the sad thing is, most people avoid leading an examined life.

It’s not that they don’t have time or make time.

They actively avoid examining their lives.

People who do examine their lives,

who think about where they’ve been,

how they got here,

and where they’re going, are much happier people.

No one has all the answers.

And no one’s life is free from trouble and strife.

But those who have some sense of where they belong in the universe

also have a context for understanding how all the elements of their life fit together.

If there are two people, one with a map and one without a map,

who has the better chance of reaching her destination?

The one with the map, of course.

When you set aside time to examine your life,

You get to choose your destination; You get to set the goals;

You get to determine the path; You get to decide how long it will take;

You get to decide whether you’re on the right path or the wrong path."

- Karl W. Palachuk, who goes on to write...

"In other words, you begin to know your self and to take control of your life.

You decide who you want to be and begin to become the person you want to be.

Examining your life brings tremendous freedom."

For me, as a follower of Jesus,

with a whole lot to learn about what that means and looks like,

"take control of your life" is not what I'm after.

It's about giving up control and letting Him run things.

That's what Lordship is all about.

So, with this one caveat...about who's in control,

examining your life is a worthwhile pursuit.

And there IS a map to help.

The Bible.

And we can learn more about Him.

By spending time with Him.

In prayer.

In the Word.

This is all spurring me to begin reading through the Gospels again

asking,

Who are You, Jesus?

What's important to You?

Teach me what it means to be Your follower.