The Bible has a brief mention of some people in Gennesaret,” Stan began, “who have an impact on my faith walk.”
“Gennesaret?” I replied. “What’s that?”
“Seems that it was both a town and a region by the Sea of Galilee,” he responded. “An area Jesus visited with His disciples at one point.”
“So this was a long time ago? How could that have any impact on you today?”
“It has to do with what happened there.”
“What was that?”
“Several things,” Stan said. “In the first place, some of the people recognized Jesus. I’m not sure how that happened, but it was probably because they had heard about Him and He fit the description.”
“For me,” he added, “although it took me way too long, I finally came to the point where I recognized Jesus. I saw Him for who He is.”
“Okay,” I said, “some of the people recognized Jesus. What happened after that?”
“They told other people. That’s what I’m supposed to do as well. It seems that they not only told people about Jesus, they brought those people to see Him. That’s also in my job description!”
“What job description?”
“What I’m supposed to do as a disciple,” Stan replied. “I am to tell people about Jesus and bring them to Him so they can have the opportunity to accept what’s available through His life, death, and resurrection.”
“Life eternally with God when the time here is done, along with the eternal life of knowing Him and Jesus before then,” I replied. “Is that it?”
“That’s it,” my friend,” Stan replied. “Those two things, along with whatever else God may want to do in and through those who have believed.”
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Bible verses to consider:
And when they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent into all the surrounding district and brought to Him all who were ill; and they began to entreat Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were cured. Matthew 14:34-36.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16.
And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. John 17:3.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your provision of life eternally with you when my time here is finished, along with the eternal life of knowing you and Jesus more deeply before then. All through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Thank you for those who helped me to recognize Jesus in the first place so I could accept your free and gracious gift of salvation and redemption through Him. Thank you, too, for the leading of the Holy Spirit so I can continually recognize Jesus and what He wants to do in and through me. May you help me to follow His lead. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you recognized Jesus and accepted all He has for you through His life, death, and resurrection? If not, why? If you have the assurance of salvation, are you continually recognizing Jesus in the sense of being a disciple who follows as He leads? If you are not recognizing Him as much as you would like, do you know how to change that? Is that something you would like to do? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 
As I continue to walk out my faith from when I surrendered my life to the Lord at 23 years of age, I’ve noticed transformations in my thought life. Truth be told, it hasn’t been a straight upward journey but one with many curves, hills & valleys and I assume will continue through the years until I’m “on the train” with other brothers & sisters heading home.
Initially, when I surrendered to the Lord, I experienced a dramatic and frankly, instantaneous sense of release of sin and old nature habits. I sensed an immediate transformation by His love and I instantly desired to please the Lord due to what I sensed.
Along this journey so far, I am becoming more drawn not by what He can do for me, but how I can surrender to Him, to be used to impact others around me. As I yield more to Him and His ways and intentionally continue to develop relationship with Him by reading, meditating, absorbing the written word, having solid Christian fellowship, sharing Jesus with others and through prayer, the old selfish-based nature continues to be “worked out”. The outward change is much more subtle than when I first surrendered, but it is change, none the less. It is in my thought life today that I am noticing more change. Rather than thinking constantly about my needs being met or not, I am beginning to have more concern for others and less for myself! I’ve got plenty of selfish behaviors that need shedding, but I’m beginning to at least catch a glimpse and somewhat understand, that this is possible! It is only recently that I am beginning to scratch the surface of this reality, that is not because of who I am, but because of who He is that change takes place. I just need to surrender to Him in obedience, based in love, His love (He does not just exhibit love, He IS love).
A thank you is in order to “Stan” and “The Train” with the daily thoughts, stories and insightful questions that I have been presented, read & meditated on through the years! So, THANK YOU Stan!
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