Stop—Look—Listen!

“Jesus stopped…”
Mark 10:49 (NIV)

As you know, these three words, ‘Stop, Look, Listen,’ are displayed prominently at railway level-crossings as a warning to pedestrians and vehicles that seek to pass safely over to the other side. But I think that these three simple words are also very important as we go through this New Year – 2015.

I’m actually thinking that at this special time, when most of 2015 is laid out before us like a beach of golden sand that is unspoiled, untouched and unsullied, it’s a time for making plans, resolutions and for telling ourselves, “This year I really must —.” Fill in the blanks for yourself; it’s the canvas of your life!

It is also a time to take another look at Jesus and his very special example in our lives, and ask how did he deal with people; how did he cope with difficult situations; how did he use his time to help, love and serve others, and is all this possible for us to achieve in 2015?

Yes! I believe we can if we walk in his footsteps as the apostle John exhorts us in 1 John 2:6 (NKJV), “He who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk just as He walked.” We can if we yield to the sufficiency of Jesus to whom Paul pointed as his source of power! He declares: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 NKJV).

As an additional thought, the Greek word translated “Ought” in John’s letter is Opheilo and also means “is indebted, is obligated” to walk as he walked – those are pretty strong words, aren’t they? But of course, the bottom line is that we have the victory through Christ, as our lives mirror his.

So what about those three words that we began with? Did our Lord “Stop Look and Listen”? Absolutely! In fact they sum up what his life was like as he journeyed around Palestine. One day, as he was leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, Jesus, have mercy on me.” Jesus stopped and called him and he got up and ran to him. Jesus looked at him and asked, ‘What shall I do for you?’ The blind man asked for his sight back and Jesus listened to him and granted that request. Mark records, “Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.” You can read the full account in Mark 10:46-52. Here Christ stopped, looked and listened—I’m sure that if I include these three words in my dealings with those whom I meet during 2015, my year will prove to be a profitable year for others and myself!

Today Jesus still does that for all who call out to him in their distress—he is still stopping, looking and listening for all of us—have you called yet?

Prayer
Lord, thank you for being the same yesterday, today and forever.  Thank you for caring for all those who come to you in need, like blind Bartimaeus, to receive your personal attention and love.
Amen

Study by Cliff Neill

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About the Author:
Cliff Neill is an Elder in Grace Communion Church Luton.

Local  Congregation:
Grace Communion Church Luton
Farley Hill Methodist Church
North Drift Way
Farley Hill
LUTON
LU1 5JE

Meeting time:
Saturday 10:30am

Local Congregational Contact:
Harry Sullivan
Phone:  01908-582222
Email: harry_sullivan@wcg.org.uk