"How NOW, Jesus?" --> "Now DO My Love!"

"HOW NOW, JESUS?" --> "NOW DO MY LOVE!"

Oliver Hardy was fond of scolding Stan Laurel with his famous, "Well, here's another fine mess you've gotten us into!". We never tired of hearing Oliver complain and it never occurred to either of them to go anywhere, or do anything without the other! That's kind of the way it is with us & Jesus!

I can hardly imagine life without Him now! So much so, that it takes some doing for me to "put myself into the other guy's shoes" who doesn't know Him; (not that the Lord will ever let me forget what my life was like without Him!). I still get into "messes"! And when I do, I usually say something like "how now Jesus?". Oh, I'd like to think I don't blame Him all the time, but I know that sometimes I do!

But that's not what I'm talking about here. Sooner or later, I turn to Him & confess my undoing in the face of circumstances that seem insurmountable to me! At this point, I admit there is no way for me to address the situation to any successful end, and I need help! This predicament may have been the result of something I had done, or something He has instigated, or, it could be an onslaught from the enemy!

In any case, its impossible for me! The minute I ask the Lord for help, His response is always the same: "Do you trust me?". At which point I'm humiliated and respond, "yes, Lord". Then He always says, "DO MY LOVE!". Everything about Jesus Christ's Life was arresting! Any man who was not "arrested' by Him was either a fool, or not paying attention! The same is true today!

Let's take a few of His Words as examples: Mt 5:3-6,10,11 "Blessed are the poor in spirit: ..., Blessed are they that mourn: ..., Blessed are the meek: ..., Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: ..., Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake."

Mt 5:22 "But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire."

Mt 5:28-30 "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."

Mt 5:37 "But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."

Mt 5:39 "But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: ..."

Mt 5:40-42 "And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away."

Mt 5:44 "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;"

Mt 5:48 "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

These are but just a few examples of what He expects out of me - and you too! BUT HOW? "How now, Jesus?" Everything He expects is absolutely impossible for me!

He even says so in Mt 19:26 "But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." But these "expectations" of Jesus humbled, arrested and brought many a stronger man that I to their knees before Him!

Jn 6:66-68 "From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? ...thou hast the words of eternal life."

Poor Peter! More than once he "fell through the cracks" because of his flesh! Here, we see him pinned by this alarming question from his beloved Master!

Remember the crush of his heart when Jesus challenges his love for Him in Jn 21:15-17 "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these (do you Trust me?)? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed (do) my (Love) lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me (do you Trust me?)? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed (do) my (Love) sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me (do you Trust me?)? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed (do) my (Love) sheep."

Only a [Owner-] shepherd loves sheep! And no one knows the un-lovely-ness of sheep more than the shepherd whose job it is to help the helpless sheep, care for the careless sheep and show kindness to their ignorance, stupidity and thankless belligerence! Sheep are actually capable of resenting the very one who protects, guides, cares for and helps save them! Such are we!

Another "giant" of God's servants was Paul! His arrest was most dramatic! Forced against his will to his knees physically by an unknown assailant and afflicted mercilessly, we are given this account: Acts 26:14,15 "And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest."

First Saul hears a Voice (he's blind!) complaining he's torturing & hurting Him! Then the Voice says something incredible! He tells Saul it is hard or difficult for him to "kick against the pricks"! This simple exclamation sets the stage for all the amazing revelations and miracles and persecutions and marvellous adventures these two would share from this point on!

No man ever so "kicked against the pricks" as we see Paul continue to do with Jesus from that time on! Just read his narrations of his own struggles & wrestling with his flesh as he exhibits testimony after witness of his own on-going battle with his flesh!

And it finally reaches a point where he complains about such tortures of his flesh to Christ (much as Jesus had done at their first meeting!), and what reply does he get? A rebuke!

II Cor 12:7-9 "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan (a demon!) to buffet (torture) me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Surely Paul knew the meaning of the question, "How now Jesus?". Jesus expects the impossible! He just doesn't expect us to be alone in the thing! He wants us to share all things with Him!

He says that without Him, we can do nothing! And Paul tells us that we can do all things through Christ Jesus Who Strengthens us! Do HIS love? No one but Christ can Do HIS Love. Ah, but we have the Mind of Christ! He has Given us His Holy Spirit Who Is ABLE! When we ask "how?", he responds, "by My Spirit!". I thank God I was "arrested" by Jesus Christ! Now may I seek to join Paul as a "prisoner of Christ" & "bond-slave" in Love!