Laura has completed putting the February Reading Notes into one document just as she did with January. If that is a help for you, they are available at https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/posts You'll see the document for the February there.
Laura and I have been using the January notes and I really like having a hard copy with me when I'm reading my Bible.
Lord bless,
Dan
Following as a Destination
The thought of following the Lord seems like a lot of other "requirements." The simple way to follow is just to obey. In a way it seems like the fulfilling of other commands, such as being righteous or being holy, is just to obey. Then, to obey becomes defined as staying out of trouble. If you don't lie or mess up in any big way you're OK. If we're not careful, simply being moral becomes what it means to be a follower of Christ.
So I was reading in John 12 where the Greeks showed up seeking Jesus. Jesus understood their arrival as a signal that the time of His glorification/death/sacrifice had come. Then Jesus became very somber and not only restated what He had said about being a disciple, He intensified it. It was an interesting moment. Here is what Jesus said about following.
John 12:26 RSV - If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him.
When I read this it struck me. Following isn't just obedience; it is a destination. It means that Jesus is Himself present, walking into a situation in front of us, expecting us to come in right behind Him. What an interesting thought. It means that when we notice a person and have that thought that maybe we should say something to them, the Lord is standing next to them, waving at us to come over. It means that when a hard situation develops that puts us on the spot, Jesus has already gone into the discussion before us.
I know we know this, at least theoretically, but it is truly true. Jesus' presence is seen in these verses and adds a sense of depth to them.
Phil. 4:5 RSV - Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand.
Mark 16:20 RSV - And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen.
Luke 10:16 RSV - He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.
Following is actually following. He is doing His work and going before us. He just needs us to follow Him. When people respond, they are responding to Him. If it is rejection, rather than feeling sorry for ourselves, we should think, "Lord, I feel so bad they they threw egg on your head. They have no clue who you are." I think you get the picture.
So, that is what the Spirit nudged me with and it not only makes sense to me as I follow Him in the harvest, it might have also opened my eyes to what it means to walk by faith.
Written on, and sent with great effort from my iPad.
If you are interested, all the January reading notes are in one Word document at https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/posts
Laura and I are reading our January notes--hard copy--enjoying them and I'm making revisions for 2014.
Thank you for all the prayers for me and Laura. I was happy to think that this was my last assignment. In some of you who are reading, I feel I may have made my contribution to the harvest. That would be more than enough for me.
I think of Noah seeing all the people who rejected God for 100 years while building the ark. Then after the flood I'll bet he was disillusioned seeing that virtually no one was interested in the promise. One day in Noah's last few years a new man stepped into the community. He not only listened to the stories, but Noah could see him grasp the promise in faith. This man was Abraham, who was born 50 years before Noah's death. I have to think that Abraham's interaction with Noah was used by God to develop Abe's faith and to show Noah that his labor was not in vain.
In all of our work in following and making disciples, the Lord will bring people who will love Christ and follow Him into the harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples who make disciples. That makes it all worth it.
And it looks like the Lord has another assignment for me. So I guess I'll stick around.
My Recent Adventure
Looking back to the last week:
Lots of people we've mixed with have had colds or the first phases of the flu. So, I didn't give much thought to being out of breath one day when I was exercising. No pain, no gain, right? You just work through it. That has always worked for me.
Then, I have always had some chest pain, going back to my teens. After many EKGs, stress tests and having atomic waste material injected into my heart, I was told that I probably had scarring on the bag around my heart that might become irritated when I'm getting something.
Sunday night I was taking a one hour study walk. I had walked two hours that morning with no problem. Now I noticed something. My chest felt tight and my jaw was hurting a little. It is amazing what begins to ache when you get the flu. So I kept walking. I also was praying in between the stuff I was working on. I thougt of people I had visited in the hospital who had mentioned symptoms like I was feeling. In all my praying I told the Lord I was ready to go. Maybe the Reading Notes we're my last assignment.
By the time I returned to the house, I had experienced new pains including my back, which never hurts unless I have the flu. Once home I thought of going to the ER, but wonder of wonders, the pain and discomfort vanished. Later it returned and vanished again and I slept like a baby.
Monday morning, the 31st, I walked for two hours with very little problem, but once I was home, the discomfort in my chest and jaw became nagging and wouldn't go away by finding a good position to stretch out. Then the pain left and I thought it might be good to get an appointment for a physical. Then the discomfort returned and I called the Dr's office to see if they could do an EKG (less expensive than the ER). Given my symptoms they told me to go to the ER.
The Baptist hospital has a branch in Collierville, about two minutes away. I told Laura I had better go, she agreed and moved me to the door. I drove.
When I arrived I only had light symptoms and was anticipating this would be a false alarm and a waste of money. They took an EKG which showed that everything as normal, but they drew blood. When my discomfort increased they did another EKG and this one showed something, but the pain went away. When the blood tests came back, they found the tiniest trace of (.75) of an enzyme found with heart attacks, usually around 5. So they began to feed me nitro. The discomfort returned. They gave me morphine to no effect. They put me on heparin, gave me a shot of nitro in my IV and the discomfort only increased. So much for the miracle of medical science. I was actually immune to morphine. Then it got bad, big time. Chest, jaw and back were totally aching. I was sweating and sick to my stomach. Thankfully the garbage can was within reach.
That was the heart attack. Thankfully I was there long enough to show symptoms. Thankfully the lord had me fully medicated when it hit. They began setting up a catheterization, but there wasn't a bed in the main hospital. Suddenly there was a bed and I endured the most distressing ride I have ever taken. Anything you do is no fun, and anything you take doesn't help when you're having a heart attack.
When I was put in a room it seemed like "forever" before they began to do anything. Of course, I had to be admitted. In the meantime the distress subsided, especially if I walked. I actually went through a little "escape" skit that amused a couple friends who were there. I was still convinced a couple Tylenol and some benadryl was all I needed. Then came the EKG and more nitro and morphine and I was resting. I was also told that without any doubts, I was in the middle of a heart attack.
Our pastor visited and prayed with me. There was lots of joking around and I was taken in for the catharization. You're awake during the procedure. This all sounded like science fiction to me. After the doctor had been poking around for a couple minutes I asked when he would start. He was almost done. I saw a bone on the monitor and he told me it was my right knee. Cool! He had found a total blockage in my RCA (right coronary artery), put in a stint and we were done.
Today, January 1, 2013 they are trying me out on different drugs to work with the stint. Also, therapists and dietitians are off today. The Dr. Guerra turned out to be a believer who grew up in Mexico playing soccer in a poor neighborhood. According to him, it was a simple procedure and except for not running and lifting for a week, when I'm released, I can go back to walking 2-3 hours a day immediately .
Laura and I are thankful for how the Lord planned all of this. Having a heart attack, fully medicated in an ER was nice planning. The support of our church was very touching. The few restrictions and quick recovery time is a blessing. Both Laura and I see the Lord's hand in letting me finish the Reading Notes. If this had happened any earlier, it would have kept me from finishing. Now with this thorough check up and stint in place, I'm ready for the next assignment.
Sometimes following the Lord seems vague. Does he really mean what He says? In Philippians 1:21-30 (RSV) Paul says, 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If it is to be life in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. 27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear omen to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict which you saw and now hear to be mine. That wasn't just for Paul. Later in chapter three he says, "let those who are mature be thus minded."
The word and faith keep us from the damage that comes from thinking this life is all there is. Following our Lord in the harvest keeps us strong, balanced and forward looking. Loving the Lord keeps us filled with joy, because one way or the other, when our work here is done, we will see Him.
