God has a way of doing things that doesn’t always fit with how we think.
Which I think is a good message for us to hear as we commemorate Sanctity of Life Sunday today. Because like Samuel, Philip, and Nathanael, Jesus has called you and I to follow Him. In fact, He wants all people to follow Him. But that doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy. Sometimes we may not understand how He is calling us or where He is leading us. Sometimes details will be lacking, or the way will be surprising, or maybe even it will be us asking: That way? Can anything good come out of that way?
I think that especially true of life issues, which can affect us so deeply and profoundly, and is the question we often ask about them. When an unexpected or unintended pregnancy happens, or the flip side of that, when a couple wants children but finds out they cannot have them. Or when a couple, excited about having a child, finds out part way through the pregnancy that the child is severely disabled. Or what about when disease strikes or an accident happens in the prime of life, and suddenly what you used to be able to do you can do no longer. A man loses his job and can’t find another; he can’t support his family anymore and feels his life is now useless. And then there are all the issues that come at the end of life, for the elderly, the infirm, the sick. It is easy, when these things come upon you or a loved one, to cry out like Nathanael, can anything good come out of this? And since the implied answer to such a question is no, because it’s not what you want or expect or think could be good in any way . . . you look not just for an answer, but often times for a way out; an end to that life that is now an issue.
But that’s not the way the story of Nathanael turned out. Though the implied answer to his question was no – nothing good comes out of Nazareth – Jesus surprised him. Jesus saw him before he ever saw Jesus. Jesus had come to do something that Nathanael believed and hoped for, but had no idea was happening now, and had no idea was – or even could – be happening in this way. Through a man from Nazareth. And this was just the start. Nathanael would see a lot over the next three years that would surprise him mightily, especially the cross – the life issue so horrible that it didn’t even require the question, can anything good come out of this? . . .
God has a way of doing things that doesn’t always fit with how we think. And so if there is a life we have an issue with, it’s usually not that life that needs to die, but us. We who have the issue. For really that life isn’t the issue, our sin is the issue. Our sin which thinks it knows that nothing good can come out of this situation, or this life, especially since it doesn’t go along with my plans, my thinking, my wants, my desires, and what I think God should do and give to me. Our sin which doesn’t want to be inconvenienced or have to go out of my way. Our sin which fears the unknown, mistrusts God and His goodness, and loves myself more than others and more than God.
And of all that we need to repent. Because it’s easy, too easy, especially on a day like Life Sunday, to simply criticize those who have or support abortion, and who advocate for assisted suicide or mercy killing, and not acknowledge the truth that we have life issues too – lives that we have issues with and we would rather be without. And so people that we murder in our hearts because we think, like Nathanael, nothing good can come out of them.
But like Nathanael, God has a surprise for us. For you. The empty tomb. The empty tomb that preaches to us that the God who can work good even through the horror of the cross, can work good through the crosses He places on you as well. Because that’s what they’re for – your good. God’s not against you, ever. He’s for you, more than you know. He’s for you, even in ways that are surprising and unexpected and maybe turn your life upside down. Because just like Nathanael, God saw you before you saw Him. And has plans for you, too, to see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. For you to be with Him in Paradise.
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