It's Your Turn

The Bible notes to get me through Advent began with an ancient prayer – Maranatha. It translates as “Come, Lord Jesus”. It’s an Aramaic word. Its Latin equivalent is “Adventus”. It’s all about asking, waiting and preparing for Jesus to come. It encompasses all the tenses – Jesus has come as the baby in the manger. Jesus will come again, that second coming, as king. Daily, the present tense, Jesus comes as we make space in quiet times and carve out sacred places in the busyness of life.

Every year I challenge myself to write a poem a day, based the Bible notes. Some years I start well but finish poorly if at all. Other years I’m more that a day behind and there are gaps. This year, the only poem I have still to write is the last one. I have twenty-nine poems written on each day or sometimes the day after. I think there is just the one sonnet in there. Most are just a few lines. I like them because they are immediate heart responses rather than carefully crafted to fit a form. As ever, I have rhymezone.com to thank for word choices.

All of the Sunday notes have been the same, focussing on that word “Maranatha”. It’s the same devotional each time, applying it to my personal life, my friendships, my church and the world I love in – Jesus, come.

I was wading back into the words thinking that I had already “done” it, when the Holy Spirit said, quite clearly, “It’s your turn.”

One of my favourite films is “Hitch”. It’s about a man, played by Will Smith, who gives advice to other men who really don’t know how to navigate the dating scene. Women are a mystery – a scary mystery if you are looking to date one. There is a scene when Will Smith is talking about kissing. It’s the end of the date, the couple are standing on the doorstep about the say goodbye and there’s a kiss expected. It’s not a tongue down the throat exploration, just lips meeting. The man, apparently, goes 90% of the distance and waits for the woman to move 10%. There’s nothing pushy or demanding. The rest of the scene is very funny.

It was as is the Holy Spirit was saying He had done His 90% in drawing near and was waiting for me to move the 10%. Just as I had been asking for Jesus to “come” at Christmas, He was now asking me to “come” my part of the way. I wrote this in response:-

Come

so there you are

In the boat

not exactly safe

with the wind howling and

the waves higher than your head

water lapping at your feet

fear snapping at your heels and

He says, “come”

Come

so there you are

In the boat

not exactly safe

with the wind howling and

the waves higher than your head

water lapping at your feet

fear snapping at your heels and

He says, “come”

just remember

who started the conversation

you said

“if it’s you…

tell me to come”

so there you are

In the boat

not exactly safeso there you are

In the boat

not exactly safe

and

He says, “come”

with the wind howling and

the waves higher than your head

water lapping at your feet

water lapping at your feet

water lapping at your feet

you are

walking on water

All because

He says, “come”

And

with the wind howling and

the waves higher than your head

water lapping at your feet

you come

I remember preaching a word once on the story of Peter walking on water. The rest of the disciples never left the boat. But they weren’t invited. Jesus’ challenge to “come” was not a universal, one-size-fits-all command. Peter wasn’t the faithful, obedient one and the rest of them somehow second-class disciples. Peter started it.

just remember

who started the conversation

you said

“if it’s you…

tell me to come”

In initiating the challenge to Jesus, Peter revealed his heart and his faith. He wanted it to be Jesus out there and he wanted to be out there with Him.

So, the Holy Spirit said, “come.” I really want that to be what I hear throughout the coming year, and all the years after that. I want to find myself in some extraordinary places because I start a conversation that reveals my heart and my faith in Jesus. He is out there and I want to be out there with Him.