"Don't ask the question if you can't stand the answer." That's a line I remember from some point in time. I also recall that "it's better to ask for forgiveness than it is to seek permission."  I'm not convinced that either of those phrases are scriptural or necessarily wise. However, I do recall thinking that Jesus often doesn't give the disciples or us the answers that we're looking for with our questions.

Having faith in God and Christ's providence is conceptually a fact of Christian life. Right? Well that's great except that I know plenty of people who pray a lot, read scripture a lot, and live each day as if it's a divinely given gift. All of that observable faith doesn't endow them with the gift to plant trees in the sea. I'm not really sure why they would want to perform such a miracle. They can't feed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fishes either. That's something many of us would like to be able to do. I conversely know plenty of Christians I respect who question their faith all of the time. Are there consequences for their doubts? Doubting Thomas and his peers still get to encounter the Risen Christ from time to time.

Miracles and momentous decisions may force us to think that we need to be extraordinary people in order to be "normal" disciples. What if that isn't the point? Let's leave the trees in the ground and look at another aspect of Jesus' teaching. Just showing up is a great place to start. Being involved in a Christ-like but simple manner is often what God is looking for us to accomplish. David Lose writes: "Faith, in other words, is doing what needs to be done right in front of you and this, Jesus says, the disciples can already do. Folks who feel daunted by discipleship need to hear that sometimes faith can be pretty ordinary."

Let me take a chance to offer thanks for the faithfulness I recently observed. I was truly impressed and grateful for everyone's contributions at last week's Community Commitment Sunday event. There were lots and lots of innovative, devoted, and faithful signs in our parish hall.  It was terrific to witness the many ways that St. James' disciples are proclaiming the Gospel by sharing their time, talents, and treasures in this community. You offered all sorts of expressions of your faithful stewardship and hopeful aspirations for our church. I"m excited that we're moving into a time when we will show up in all kinds of inspirational and fruitful ways. We may not transplant any mulberry bushes in the Atlantic Ocean anytime soon. We will, with God's help and each others support, become increasingly faithful in all sorts of nourishing and blessed actions and prayers. 

Blessings Along The Way, Jim+

This short video poses a very simple but complex question: How much trust are you willing to place in God?  How much risk are you willing to take when God poses a faithful question to you? Take a look and see where you fall out on this question?