On this day as we celebrate the lives of Phil and Roy, I didn’t know Roy very well, but I knew Phil for a lot of years. As I think back, I am reminded of something that happened with Phil a year or two before he went to live with Jesus. One thursday evening Phil came to a chapter meeting and gave away some of his motorcycling equipment, like chaps and a jacket and some gloves. Phil said he wouldn’t need them any more. Apparently he was convinced that his time of riding was over and he would be leaving this world very soon. What is interesting is he didn’t leave all that soon. He still had a couple of years before God was done with him and was ready to take him home.

In Matthew 6:26, 28 Jesus says “look at the birds of the air… Consider the lilies of the field…”. The birds don’t work for their lives, and the lilies don’t do anything to look beautiful. They just are what they are and God watches over them. In essence it is all summed up in verse 31 where is says; “Therefore don’t worry…”. I don’t think Phil was worrying, I think he was saying he was ready to go home.

That is how I want to be, ready for God to take me at any time. I want to let go of all of the stresses and stuff of this world and focus on God alone. I think Phil was focusing on God, and he was ready, but he just didn’t realize that God had some people he wanted Phil to see and speak with before God was ready to take him home.

In “My Utmost for His Highest” on this subject is says; “The people who influence us the most are not those that spend all their time talking our ears off, but is instead those who live their lives like the stars in the sky and “the lilies of the field” – simple and unaffected by the world.”

I think Phil was like that, living simply and speaking the words God gave him when he was spoken to. As we Focus on God, it ways out of each of us “will flow rivers of living water” John 7:38.

I don’t know why it always seems so hard for me to maintain my focus on God. I suppose it is because I get distracted by all the people and things going on around me, instead of remembering that God is in control. HE REALLY, REALLY IS IN CONTROL, and I certainly wouldn’t want to change that.

I want to close with a personal prayer.

Lord, help me to notice your tap on my shoulder when You are attempting to get through to me in the midst of the distractions, so I can redirect my focus back on You. I pray You will use me every moment that I live as I abide in you and you abide in me. AMEN

In John 14:8-14, Jesus is giving his final instructions to the disciples before he is to be arrested;

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Notice what Jesus says; “The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” 

I have a question for you. Who is doing the work? Is it Jesus or is it the Father? Ok, that was easy, “the Father”. Now notice the next sentence;

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name”

So, here is another question. Who is doing the “even greater things”? Is it you, or is it the Father, or is it Jesus? Well, the answer is Jesus.

So how come Jesus is doing the greater works after he goes to the Father, and yet the Father did all the works while Jesus was here on earth?

The answer is really pretty simple. Jesus emptied himself of all his power while he was on earth, and allowed the Father to do all that he desired through Him. After Jesus returned to the Father, then Jesus is able to accomplish the “greater things” himself – through Us.

So the only thing we really need to remember is this; Jesus does the work,  and we are the tools He uses and blesses along the way.