“Somebody said…”
“Yeah, I know…”
At church, my husband Jerry and I were walking through the
lobby to the water fountain when we both noticed a retired friend as he greeted
people at the door. In these five words, we communicated. We both knew what the
other meant.
You don’t get it? No, you don’t know our context, our
history, or our Thanksgiving dinner with several other friends. Sitting around the table, one of them had mentioned he’d heard this man had gone back to work.
One glimpse of him had triggered the memory for both of us. We’d both felt sad
to hear that maybe he’d had to supplement his retirement income. (Later, we
found out it was more rumor than fact, but that’s a different devotional.)
This marital shorthand is fun. After thirty-six years, it
happens pretty often that we both have the same thought simultaneously and need
few words to communicate. We feel close and connected as we chuckle together
about sharing one mind.
The Bible says we “have the mind of Christ.” I wish my mind
was as attuned to Jesus’ mind as it is to Jerry’s. I’ve been walking with Jesus
thirty-six years, too. Not as closely as with Jerry, I guess. Once in a while I
feel like my reaction is simultaneously mine and Jesus’. But too often, I’m on a different page.
I want more and more to live in Jesus’ context, to deepen
our shared history, and sit at table with him daily, don’t you? Then, our
thoughts will more and more be his thoughts, our reactions his reactions. Oh,
to share his mind, his heart, his emotions. We are made for that fellowship.
Jesus, give us the heart to walk more closely with you
today.