Jesus and The Mooch

"The Mooch"

“I will not leave you orphaned;

I am coming to you"

(from John 14:15-21)

Have you ever experienced feelings of being lost or abandoned?

This is “The Mooch”

He earned that name after he appeared at the sliding door of our deck with a forlorn look.

Like many feral cats, we have no clue where he came from and how he happened to choose our deck.

So, being kind to cats, Elaine fed him.

From then on, we could count on his appearance.

Sometimes he would stay for an hour, sometimes he would stretch out and enjoy the sun most of the day.

His one rule was: don’t try to catch me.

One day he didn’t show up.

Then he didn’t show up for three days in a row and we concluded something happened to him or he simply decided to move on in search of another deck with a sliding door.

Once again, “The “Mooch” was on his own.

Jesus, though, made a promise to his disciples: he would not abandon them.

It’s hard to get through life without experiencing feeling lost or abandoned.

Certainly, Thomas and Philip had those feelings when Jesus talks about leaving his followers. (Jn 14:1-14).

Instead of leaving the disciples feeling abandoned, Jesus promised to return “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me.”

Jesus reminds the disciples and us, those who follow Jesus’ commands love him; they will be loved by my God, and I will love and reveal myself to them.

Comments

Every Christian's Journey

"When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him." Luke 24:31,32a To me there there all kinds of road trips. They all have similarities such as destinations and travel experiences. Years ago Elaine and I took a camping trip out West. We drove Utah's Route 12 between Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon National Parks. This part of the road trip meant enjoying God's beautiful creation. One of the experiences we still laugh about was the constant daily lunch menu of PB&J sandwiches. Luke's major theme is traveling the Way. In the gospel, Jesus travel TO Jerusalem. In Luke's Acts, the disciples travel FROM Jerusalem proclaiming the Word Empowered by the Spirit. On the Emmaus road trip from Jerusalem, two disciples, probably Cleopas and his wife, experience a stranger's presence. The stranger reveals himself as Jesus by explaining what was said about him in the ...

Hope in Unexpected Twists and Turns

Hawk's Nest Overview " Now on that same day two of disciples were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles [ from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had h9appened." (from Luke 24:13-35 ) The Hawk’s Nest is a scenic, cliff-hanging stretch of NY State Route 97 offering dramatic views of the Delaware River. Originally a one-lane dirt road built in 1859, it is known for bald eagle sighting, scenic overlook, and its twists and turns. "Just as the Hawk’s Nest Road winds unpredictably, so too do our days. For example, one day started off unpredictably, with the electrician arriving at 7:30, followed by the plumber at 8:30, and then a sincere thank you note delivered in person at 9. "Our current polarized society creates complex, unexpected twists and turns that are difficult to navigate." The Emmaus Road story is one of hope in times of twists and tu...

Traveling by Faith

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 No, I'm not still stuck on I-81 hoping to be on my way as soon as possible. A tow truck big enough to haul a tractor-trailer rushed past on the shoulder followed by a VDot pick-up. I had faith that somehow the road would be cleared or traffic detoured around the crash. Slowly, we came to an off ramp, were directed up it, across a main street and down a ramp onto I-81. We we on the road again. This, of course, is a shallow understanding of Hebrews 11:1. For me, hope is in found in God's Word as I look at what is, could be, and should be as I head toward the "Highway of Holiness" to be among the righteous who walk on it. The author of Hebrews describes faith as assurance and conviction. Faith is trusting God. For example: By faith Abraham, was called to go somewhere to receive his inheritance. He obeyed and went, not knowing the destination. Faith is walking with ...

An Elder Pilgrim's Reflections

Search This Blog