March 8, 2019                      John 1:35-42                           Lisa Thompson

This new charismatic and puzzling guy has come to town. He’s got the authorities pretty riled up. A leader who you have been listening to says “Wow, there’s he is. I know that he’s the real deal.” You’re drawn to that new person. You’re not sure why, but you start walking behind him. You want to figure out why he’s special, why he grabs your attention. Suddenly, he turns and speaks to you. He asks you “What are you looking for?” You’re not really sure how to answer this, but you blurt out “So, where are you staying?” You immediately think “I can’t believe I just said that. He asked me what I wanted. I don’t even know. I just asked him where he lives! He’s going to think I’m some crazy stalker, and tell me to mind my own business and  leave him alone.” Much to your surprise, he doesn’t do any of these things. He invites you to “Come and see.”

Invitations are wonderful and scary at the same time.  When someone invites you to their home, they’re inviting you into relationship with them. Relationships are a two-way thing; they require something of you. Are you willing to let this person into your life? Are you willing to give some of your precious time and energy to reciprocate this relationship? Come. Will you have to leave some things behind? In order to make space for this new relationship, what will you have to give up that seemed important to you? See. What will I see differently after I accept this invitation? What have my eyes not been open to? How will this new relationship “color” my world?

In the Gospel story, Andrew is so excited that he runs to get his brother. He has a gut feeling that this experience is so important that he doesn’t want to go without inviting his brother to share in it.  Who do you want to share this experience with?

Prayer–

Dear God, during Lent help me to follow you, help me to see the world through new eyes, and help me to see those people in my life with whom I should share this excitement.