Thursday, 5/30/19 – Discipleship: Assurance

Perhaps you’ve seen the commercial: a dancing trio clad in pink jumpsuits clutch chest, stomach, derriere, and sing “When you have nausea, heartburn indigestion, upset stomach diarrhea….yeah…” Its an ad for a popular stomach-coating antacid.

The dance reminds me of what some have labelled the 21st century ‘Macarena’ as panicking palms pat breast pocket, front then rear pant pockets seeking reassurance they have neither forgot nor lost cellphone, keys and wallet. If any one of these come up “lump-less” sheer panic sets in for it means they have left one of these items behind!

It’s much worse when you actually forget a person! (Remember that first “Kevin!” moment in the 1990 film Home Alone?) Jesus got left behind once too. He was only 12 when he went with Mary and Joseph to the Passover Festival. Luke picks up the narrative in chapter two…

After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. (Luke 2:43-46)

The only way to retrieve forgotten things is to return to the place where they were left behind. If you left home without them, then to home you must go to retrieve them.

The Christian’s assurance is that Christ goes with him. Are you conscious of His Presence as you go about your day? Have you brought Him with you?

God in the Morning
Ralph Spaulding Cushman

I met God in the morning
When my day was at its best,
And His presence came like sunrise,
Like a glory in my breast.

All day long the Presence lingered,
All day long He stayed with me,
And we sailed in perfect calmness
O’er a very troubled sea.

Other ships were blown and battered,
Other ships were sore distressed,
But the winds that seemed to drive them
Brought to us a peace and rest.

Then I thought of other mornings,
With a keen remorse of mind,
When I too had loosed the moorings,
With the Presence left behind.

So I think I know the secret,
Learned from many a troubled way:
You must seek Him in the morning
If you want Him through the day!

Do you want that deep assurance resting within you each day? Seek Him early every morning.

Press on…

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