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When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?’ And they argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say to us, “Why then did you not believe him?” But if we say, “Of human origin”, we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.’ So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And he said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ‘What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not”; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, “I go, sir”; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax-collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him. (Matthew 21:23-32)
"Give me $3 of Jesus on pump one." That's what I thought I would call this devotional. I heard it from someone a week or two ago, and it was based on how most of us respond to Jesus. We want just enough Jesus to get us through the day or week. To go beyond that would be too much commitment. We want "in," but not all in. Jesus would say if we're not all in, we're out. To illustrate that further, the late Frederick Buechner, pastor, chaplain and writer wrote: "IN THE SPRING of 1953, I had left my job at Lawrenceville to be a full-time writer in New York, and it was that fall, with my third novel failing to come to life for me, that in some sense my life itself started to come to life for me—the possibility, at least, of a life in Christ, with Christ, and, on some fine day conceivably, even a life for Christ, if I could ever find out what such a life involved, could find somewhere in myself courage enough, faith enough, craziness and grace enough, to undertake the living of it." (Originally published in Now and Then). Notice he says he could have a life IN Christ, or WITH Christ, or FOR Christ; and still admits that he didn't know "what such al life involved," but sought the courage, the faith "and craziness and grace to undertake the living of it." He did become a very successful writer and serve Christ as a pastor.
Jesus has the authority to call you and me into a life with Him. He proved that to those who sought to kill Him in the above passage; but then speaks of the faithful life. Two sons, asked by their father to do his work; one said no, then does the works anyway; the second says yes and never does it. Yet, the work still awaits. And asking for $3 of Jesus on pump one doesn't cut it. We must be filled up to serve Him as He calls us to do. We must be all in. Jesus, when it comes to us, does not hold back. He's ready to fill us with His grace and love to live the life that serves God.
PRAYER: Loving Father, forgive me the times I take the "$3 of Jesus on pump one" attitude towards You. As I read the Bible may I seek to be all in. As I pray, let me be all in. As I seek to speak about You, let me be all in. There are already too many just doing the littlest possible; You have called me to be all in. May it be so. In Christ Jesus' name I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
