"Two by Two"

"The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." (John 1:43-45 KJV)

  "Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty; the LORD, invincible in battle." (Psalm 24:7-8 NLT)

  How often I wish there were more chances for me to have a do-over, a chance to just make something wrong into a right; or at least take something back that I said or did, as if it had never happened. No, it just does not work that way, so we must just live with our mistakes and try not doing them again. Yes, try is a three letter word for maybe! 

  This is the part of the story that makes me take a second look. Where was Jesus going from, as He would go forth into Galilee? It is maybe just me, but I have always been amazed by way God changes the direction of way things come about. Just when you think there is gong to be something that will turn out one way, God flips it around, and makes it all about something else. 

  Taking a serious chance to understand what might be going on, we need to first understand what it is that God is looking for, and way it matters for us to be available to step out when He calls us to follow Him. I am still wondering what, but I have given up on trying to figure out why. That said, nothing is out of the ordinary with the way God chooses to work; whether it is by comfort or pain, poverty or riches, man or beast, land or sea; nothing is too impossible with God, when it comes to making His will come about! 

  If you have not been paying attention, this went from those two who followed Jesus, to Jesus finding Philip, and saying, "Follow me." I know, it is just part of the story, we shouldn't read that much into what isn't being said; like Pastor Mike always says, 'If the Bible is silent about something, then it is probably shouldn't be said,' or something in that form or fashion. 

  Anywho; here is a little taste of something to chew on, Matthew Henry adds to this mix, speaking of Philip: "What mistakes and weaknesses he laboured under: he called Christ Jesus of Nazareth, whereas he was of Bethlehem; the Son of Joseph, whereas he as but his supposed Son. Young beginners in religion are subject to mistakes, which time and grace of God will rectify. It was his weakness to say, We have found him, for Christ found them before they found Christ." 

  As it is, there is really nothing that gets by God without His knowledge of it; there is nothing we can do to change what God is going to do, despite what some might try to say: If God said it will happen, then it will happen, regardless of what we say or do! He is the one that is pulling the strings...

"I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me." (Philippians 3:10-12 NLT)