Happy Wednesday! Bruce took Lamar to the vet this morning. The vet had to give Lamar a local anesthetic before working on him because the area of the hot spot was so sensitive. Lamar cried big basset hound tears. But they got it shaved and cleaned up. They sent him home with two kinds of pills and a spray. But when I arrived at home Lamar greeted me with a wagging tail and waiting for his hot dog treat. He is still not feeling up to par, but he is feeling much better. PTL!

Mark 1:17 says, “Jesus says, Come follow me.”

Have you ever noticed how Jesus issues invitations? Christ invites us to follow Him. He invites the fishermen to become fishers of men. He invites the adulterous woman to start over. And he opens up the palace, sets the table and invites all of us to “come” and join with Him and others at the table of grace to be loved, accepted, taught, blessed and fed abundantly.

This Sunday is Transfiguration Sunday. Jesus invites Peter and John to join Him on the mountain. When they arrive at the top Jesus is transfigured into His heavenly being and along with Him are Elijah and Moses. OMG! Peter and John looked on the face of God and were witness to a conversation between God, Elijah and Moses. The text tells us that Jesus’ garments changed into garments whiter than any white every seen and cannot be described. Peter and John were witness to a miracle.

What if Peter and John had said, “no?” What if they said, no we are going fishing or we are going to go a play basketball with Matthew and Thomas or the other disciples are meeting at Starbucks to chill out over lattes before we go to the next town? Think of what these men would have missed. How would their ministries have been different? These two men were given what I consider a glimpse into heaven. Thank God they did not decline the invitation given by Jesus. Think of what they would have missed!

Jesus calls all of us: “follow Me.” We may not be one of the original disciples, but as believers in Jesus we are called to follow and that makes us His “disciples.” What would we have missed if we declined the invitation of Jesus to follow Him? And what do others miss if we don’t invite them to come with us and follow Christ? We would miss allowing Christ, through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, to “transfigure” or change us into the likeness of Christ through the forgiveness of our sins and the changing of our hearts. Jesus says, Come, follow Me, and bring a friend.

Take joy in the journey. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.