‘Back in 15 mins - do not remove!’ stuck on a box
I went to Church Resources Exhibition https://www.creonline.co.uk/.
The exhibition began on the Wednesday, but was open for set-up on Tuesday evening.
And that’s when I saw the sign pictured:
‘Back in 15 mins – do not remove!’
The month of November marks the anniversary of me losing my hearing.
I don’t find it so hard now, but I used to struggle with it.
The anniversary of when I nearly lost myself.
‘My hearing had gone.
Forever.
And I didn’t recognise this person whose ears didn’t work.
This person surrounded by sound but hearing nothing.’
- Still Emily https://www.emily-owen.com/books/p/still-emily
Maybe some of us are in situations that are making us lose sight of ourselves.
Health, family, church, work….
Maybe you are losing sight of yourself.
When I lost my hearing, I thought I knew what I needed to do to get ‘me’ back – I needed to hear again.
In Luke 19, we read about Zacchaeus.
Zacchaeus, who climbed a tree.
Because that’s what he thought he needed to do to see Jesus.
Zacchaeus thought he needed to change location.
if he could move away from where he was, he’d be able to see Jesus.
Maybe some of us are Zacchaeus.
If our life-location - literal or metaphorical - would change, if we can make it change, we will be able to see Jesus.
Zacchaeus thought he needed to change himself.
He was a short man.
If he could just make himself taller, he’d be able to see Jesus.
Maybe some of us are Zacchaeus.
If we can change ourselves, we’ll be able to see Jesus.
So Zacchaeus scrambles up a tree.
And Jesus says, ‘Come down.’
Come back to that place you think you can’t see Me from.
Come back to that place you think I won’t be.
I’ll meet you there.
What’s your tree?
Your place you think you need to be to see Jesus?
Church? Tidy House? Healthy Body? Productive Career?
Maybe Jesus says to you, Come Down.
When I woke up with no hearing, I wanted to walk out of my life.
If I couldn’t climb the tree to hearing, I didn’t want to be there.
And I assumed God would want to walk out, too.
He’d want me if I could only climb the tree….
Come Down.
I’ll meet you there.
And He did.
He does.
‘Back in 15 mins – do not remove’
With Jesus, there is always a way back.
We don’t need to remove ourselves from situations in order to see Him.
However lost we feel in them.
However much we don’t want to be in them.
However low we feel.
However down we are....
We can stick a 'do not remove' sign on our lives.
On us.
It’s in meeting Jesus right where we are that we begin to find ourselves.
Come Down. Un-Climb.
I’ll meet you there.
Where will He meet you when you Un-Climb the tree you think you need to climb?