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A few years ago my wife and I bought a 1953 ranch house, and we love it. We knew there would be quite of bit of work to do in order to make it more like us. Most of the walls were painted an amazing shade of salmon, and any wall surface that wasn’t painted was covered in a nifty wallpaper from the ‘70s. The flooring was a mix of old carpet, faded yellow linoleum and ancient hardwood.
There was also this really old doorbell hanging in the corner of the living room – the kind with huge gold-colored bars hanging down from it that would play a song every time someone rang the bell.
I honestly hated it, and we had to paint anyway, so I took down the bars and stuck them in the garage. All I left was the little wooden box on the wall up in the corner.
For probably three years now, I have walked past that little wooden box with the non-functioning doorbell and sometimes think to myself, “I should probably do something about that.” It’s kind of an eyesore and it doesn’t work anyway. Early on I thought about it probably almost every day, but over time it has faded and kind of just blended into the background. I barely even notice it anymore. It still needs to be fixed, but I have pretty much forgotten about it.
There are times I treat Jesus sort of like that doorbell. There are seasons in my life when He is very relevant and apparent. I think about Him daily and am constantly interacting with Him through Scripture and prayer. Then there are days or weeks where He fades into the background. I “pass by” Him daily but barely even notice Him in my life. He just sort of blends into the walls of my day in the midst of a marriage, three little boys, friends and the flurry of ministry that often seems to surround me. Before long I barely even notice He is gone. He just disappears into the pattern of that ‘70s wallpaper.
It's in these seasons I am reminded that I have to be intentional to pursue Him, to make Him a priority.
One of the best ways I connect with Jesus is to reread the Gospels with fresh eyes. I have found this series of questions really helpful for me as I read and reflect on Scripture. Maybe they will be helpful for you too.
- What is Jesus saying or doing?
- What does that say about His character?
- How are people reacting to Him? How does that expose your reaction to Jesus?
- How would your friend who doesn’t believe in Jesus respond to this?
- What is most challenging about Jesus?[1]
[1] Find these questions and others on Gospel-Centered Discipleship.