Reach for Jesus With Joy & Intentional WorshipExemplo

Reach For Me

By: Randy Phillips, Lead Pastor, Life.Family Churches

The Cannes, a couple born in Texas, fell madly in love with Japan- the culture, the people, especially the opportunity to make disciples for Jesus Christ. With abandon, they packed up their belongings and headed across oceans to the Asian continent and became Jesus to everyone they would encounter.

After many years of working the Asian soil, they desired to have children in the land they loved. But the agonizing reality became apparent- they could not have biological children. They prayed and fasted. They cried out for God’s help. It is all-consuming for anyone who has known the struggle of infertility - a hue that colors everything you do. After much prayer, they decided to adopt a child from Japan.

Through the Lord’s favor, they could meet with the director of a local Japanese orphanage. The date was set. The appointment secure. Their nerves heightened by this momentous day. As they entered the orphanage, they saw rows and rows of stainless-steel cribs perfectly aligned, fluorescent lights, and the eerie sound of silence. Stillness, though each bed held a beautiful child- a silent soul.

The Cannes were overwhelmed with emotion as they walked the rows between cribs. Which child to choose? Who gets to be in our family among so many? How will we know which one is the right one?

Mrs. Canne, overcome, ran out of the orphanage with Mr. Canne following closely behind. He hugged her tightly as she sobbed over the daunting choice they would make.

The big-hearted missionaries held hands and prayed, “God give us a sign. Help us to know which child should be ours.”

Upon entering the doors again, they held hands and walked the rows looking into the faces of gorgeous little girls. Halfway down the middle row, one little girl stood on her tiptoes, reaching for them with extended hands. That’s the one! And she was. She was chosen among so many because she demonstrated a need for salvation.

Numerous bible stories come to mind about people who reached for Jesus! Those who would not be silenced and those who demonstrated an active posture.

One of my favorites is a blind man named Bartimaeus. Living in a stainless-steel crib of hopelessness and darkness, he would not remain silent when he heard the savior was coming by.

Mark 10:47-49 When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout,

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

48 “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him.

But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

49 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”

His sight was restored. His future changed. All because he had the faith to cry out and reach out. Jesus responded to such boldness.

What about you? Why remain enclosed and encased in neat rows or neighborhoods? Why remain stoic and stayed. Lift your voice in worship. Stand up in an act of faith. Jesus is passing by.

In the Gospel of Mark 6:48-50, there is a story of a group of men who by the arm of their own strength are trying to fight an unbeatable enemy. A great storm had overtaken their boat and they are defenseless to help themselves. So, Jesus, who instructed them to get into the boat, decides to take a stroll on the water. I love the way the bible describes the scene,

He (Jesus) saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them, they were all terrified when they saw him. But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!”

Serious trouble has come upon the world we love. We are struggling against a trifecta of pandemics; health, cultural and spiritual. The wind is fierce, the waves are high, and our hopes are tossed side-to-side.

So many of us have felt isolated and emotionally disoriented. Desperately trying to make sense of what our new reality has become, we focus on the stats, the breaking news and we reach for the things that comfort us. What we need to do is reach out to Jesus.

I’ve always been curious about that one sentence in this passage from Mark’s gospel “He intended to go past them…” I’ve never known quite how to interpret this. He loved them all. He wanted to save them all. He cared for them all. Yet, he would have passed them by had they not demonstrated some type of action that demonstrated their need for Jesus.

The bible contains many passages that deal with seeking the Lord as he passes by:

•Acts 17:27 27God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.

•Ps. 105:4 Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.

•Zephaniah 2:3 Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land.

•Isaiah 55:6 Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.

Here’s what I know for sure, Jesus is not intentionally hiding his face or his presence from us. But He does want us to demonstrate our need for salvation. We are, at the end of the day, trapped in cribs of our own making, but the Savior is passing by.

Join me in standing on your tiptoes of expectancy with arms lifted and crying out to the Lord for the salvation of our world, our nation, our communities and our families.

Recently, I had the joy of writing a song called, “Reach for Me” with Christian singer, Matthew West. My music group, Phillips Craig and Dean recorded the song on our latest cd, You’re Still God. I pray as you listen to the song, the Holy Spirit will quicken you to rise up and call out to the Lord to save us. And He will!