Now and Then

"a little while longer"

John 13:33

One of the things I admire the most about Jesus ~ and believe me, there is plenty ~ is His focus.  Because as a mother, can I just say, multitasking is overrated.  

I used to be proud of my ability to multitask.  But then, I didn't really have a choice.  I mean, I had a choice about being proud about it, but not about multitasking.  When you have little ones, if you're going to get anything accomplished, you have to get good at doing two (or more) things at once.

And of course, it's still necessary sometimes.  But I try not to.  I've come to the conclusion that it's better to be totally there, wherever I am ~ mind and body.  I've become a satisfied, gratified unitasker.

It's not easy.  Sometimes I'm watching TV and doing some work on my computer at the same time.  Baseball is good background when I'm getting some work done.  The mellifluous voice of Vin Scully warms my heart and reminds me of all that is good and right in the world. 

But then I might have to wait a few minutes for something on the computer.  Well, not minutes, really.  More like seconds.  But I can be impatient, so then I might grab one of the kids' electronic toys and play a little solitaire while I'm waiting.  I don't want to play it on my computer, cuz that would slow down whatever I'm waiting for, you understand.

So there I find myself, somehow managing to stare at three screens.  That is a ridiculous sort of multitasking, if I do say so myself.  But see how we have to fight against it?

But Jesus was all there, wherever He was; whatever He was doing.  Teaching, listening, healing, praying. 

Course, at the same time, His mind was anywhere else He needed it to be.  He was good at that. 

There's an interesting exchange in John's gospel, though, which is a wonderful example of where Jesus' focus was.  It's in chapter 13, during the Last Supper.  Jesus had announced Judas' impending betrayal of Jesus, and Judas had left the room.

There's a feeling of heaviness to the verses, after Jesus told them that one of them would betray Him.  They were stunned and confused.

But as soon as Judas left, the atmosphere seemed to change.  You can almost see Jesus turning away from the door, from watching Judas leave, and back to His disciples.  And He began talking about the things to come ~ the hereafter, and the glorification of God.  "Now," He said, "is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him."

He dreaded the pain that was coming, but His eyes were on the joy beyond the pain.  He was thinking about the cross, but looking past it to the glory of reunification.  Paul echoed this in Romans 8:18 ~ "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed is us."

This is the kind of "multitasking" we need to do.  We need to be where we are, focused on the here and now.  But we also need to be thinking about the future.  That's the beauty of trusting Him ~ we may not know what to expect from the future, but we don't need to. 

~ "Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, 

but you shall follow Me afterward" ~

John 13:36

~