"The Essence of Change"

 "Then the disciples went away again unto their own home." (John 20:10 KJV)

  "Then Job replied to the LORD: "I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked, 'Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?' It is I - and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. You said, 'Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.' I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance."" (Job 42:1-6 NLT)

 Something we need to look at, is, as if we need to have something changed withing us! Regardless of how we might feel about our current life, as if we are doing just fine; as if everything is good, and there is nothing we need, nothing is wrong, and everything is perfect. No matter how you might think it is, you really aren't there, not even close! If you don't know what I am talking about, I feel for you, because you cannot see the fault within you.

 As it goes, Peter and John are adjusting to something; call it conviction, or call it revelation; whatever it is, it is leaving them void of enthusiasm and expectation of what comes next. I mean, what is a person to do? For over three years they have been hanging out with the Messiah, who is now risen, but not within reach! 

 If I had to relate this to something natural, it would have to be the feeling you might have after you do something extraordinary: being overwhelmed by what just took place; and, at the same time, feeling a giant void in your heart, because it has passed, maybe to never be experienced again. This is really not that unusual, because it is pictured in the Bible, time and time again. 

 If you to study the lives of many famous Preachers, the more amazingly they had preached and were able to put forth the word, causing people to change their way of thinking, the more likely they were to be inflicted with some sort of emotional or mental disorder. Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon; the list goes on, but they are known more for what they could do, not for what they had become; or how they might have ended up! 

 Better than most! Is the real truth, because this life is temporary and extremely fragile! But the joy of seeing the huge welcoming in heaven, that is what it's all about...

"Jesus told this story to his disciples: "There was a certain rich man who had a manager handling his affairs. One day a report came that the manger was wasting his employer's money. So the employer called him in and said, 'What's this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.' 

 "The manager thought to himself, 'Now what? My boss has fired me. I don't have the strength to dig ditches, and I am too proud to beg. Ah, I know how to ensure that I'll have plenty of friends who will give me a home when I am fired.'

 "So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come a discuss the situation. He asked to first one, 'How much do you owe him?' The man replied, 'I owe him 800 gallons of olive oil,' So the manager told him, 'Take the bill and quickly change it to 400 gallons.' 

 " 'And how much do you owe my employer?' he asked the next man. 'I owe him 1,000 bushels of wheat.' 'Here,' the manager said, 'take the bill and change it to 800 bushels.' 

 "The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light. Here's the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home."" (Luke 16:1-9 NLT)