What are My Options?

Americans love to shop!   I guess you knew that, but the question is why?  There may be a lot of other reasons for why, but I believe the main reason is because there is an almost limitless number of choices a shopper can make in our economy and culture.  This allows the customer the opportunity to browse and consider what he or she considers to be the best option.  Another reason many people love shopping is the fact that much of what we shop for is not strictly need based.  We may buy it, but we may not really need it to live or function normally.  Consequently, shopping in many ways may just be a random act of being a consumer of unnecessary stuff.  Peoples’ garages are usually filled with it!

Personally, I must admit that I do not enjoy the shopping experience, and my usual modus operendi is the "get in and get out approach.”  I would think a lot of men feel the same way.  Of course, there are exceptions, so if you're a man who loves to shop, don't stop reading now.  And if you’re a woman, I also confess that my wife loves shopping for the both of us!

I have another idea about options and choices that I want to share today that resonates for all of us.

  In Mark's gospel there is the story of Jairus, a Jewish synagogue ruler whose only daughter was dying. This man Jairus, throwing his personal, social,  and religious beliefs to the wind, sought Jesus to come to his house to heal her.  On the way, the urgent procession was halted by another woman whose faith for her own healing became an example for Jairus himself.  Moments after seeing that her great faith in Christ resulted in her miraculous healing, one of Jairus' house servants simultaneously  showed up with devastating news.  His daughter had actually died.  His advice was to trouble the Master no further.  In other words, for Jairus, all hope is now gone and even Jesus can't help you now!

Have you ever felt like that?  Do you feel like that now?  Well it's a lie, and in reality, Jesus is the only one who can reach you where you are right now.  However, the most important element of this story is the next thing that Jesus said to this utterly distraught father and vulnerable religious leader.  The text says,

but overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, Do not fear, only believe (Mk 5:36).

There are going to be times in each of our lives when these words of Jesus are needed and necessary.  Perhaps if you are a Christian, you already know this, but perhaps someone is reading today who thinks that there are really other options that can deliver you. Maybe you have been led to think that there are a host of available options "out there" other than turning to Jesus Christ.    There aren't.   Jesus gave the two possible responses which reflect the human response to death, suffering, and loss.  The first one fear,  is no option at all.  It is simply the recognition that there is nothing in this world that can help us when the bottom falls out from underneath us.  There is nothing that can permanently satisfy the human heart and fix our deepest hurts....except the one who said these words to Jairus that day.  The only other option is what Jesus said next.  "only believe".  Believing in Jesus Christ requires you know two things; who Jesus is, and what He did for us.  

Who is Jesus?  Let Him answer that question!

I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (Jn 14:6).

Without Him there is no going, Without Him there is no knowing, and Without Him, there is no living.  In short, Jesus is God in human flesh.

Luke, the physician told us,

And there is salvation in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12)

What did Jesus do?   Luke 19:10 states "He came to seek and to save that which was lost."  To save us from the penalty of our sin He took our sin upon Himself on the cross so we could be set free from death (separation from the body), and hell (separation from God forever).  I Pet 2:23-24 tells us, "He himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.  By His wounds you have been healed."

For the believer in Jesus, these words spoken to Jairus two thousand years ago may be exactly what you need to hear today.  Don't yield to fear!  Don't believe there is no hope.  Don't accept that your war is lost!  It is not over until the Master says so!  Do what the Lord says right now,  Only Believe! That is our only option if we want forgiveness and a future with Him!  Refuse to think or trust  anything else.  Embrace who Jesus is and what He did for us all right now, and turn from everything else, everything.  Believe!