“I Can Get You There”
As Peter, Andrew, James, and John were chatting on the shore,
Friend Jesus came along the beach and asked to know the score;
“We’d like to get away from this, and to do one thing in life –
Take insights which our culture has (to us they seem quite nice) –And share them with the Gentile folks who struggle in the dark –
We see them here and there in town but if we could embark
On journeys far away from here to lands across the sea,
That’s what the score is now for us – but that could never be.Then Jesus rolled a stone right up, sat down to have a chat;
“How badly do you want it guys? I’d like to start with that;
For active willingness is what is needed for such work,
Or it will crumble in your hands and you will look like jerks.“You see, it can’t belong elsewhere, it has to come from you;
There is a wish-list built right in of what each longs to do;
It’s based on where you’ve been in life and what you’ve seen to date,
Do for the others as you wish they’d done – for heaven’s sake.“If you don’t honor that small thing you’re going to tumble on;
One day leads to another, then your days on earth are gone;
So once again I ask you, are you in this too, my friends?
Or do you wish a magic wand to on your journey send?”They hummed and hawed, and looked around at boats and nets and string
They used to patch up broken nets, asked Jesus what He’d bring
Into the mix that different was from resource all around;
He said, “Far more than you’ve got here all lying on the ground.“That’s not the point, however, guys – first step is up to you;
How strongly do you feel the pull within, this work to do?
For I can get you there my friends, but you’ve some work to do,
And if it doesn’t start within, then I would be the fool –“To help you leave these boats and nets, and send you ’cross the sea
To share our good stuff with those folks, for there’s a problem, see?
You’re going to die, be broke, alone, your lives will wretched be,
But if you want to do that task, then, come and follow me.“For I will make you fisher folks of men across the sea;
We’ll start at the beginning, with this simple, “Follow me”;
We’ll take it slow, and dig down deep, foundations on the rock;
Then work from there and build My church – on that, not what you’ve got.The men looked ’round, said, “What the heck, it’s now or never, friend;
How do we start to follow You as now our life-roads bend?”
Christ said, “Let’s journey out from here, our center in the north;
Then venture south three years from now – arise, and let’s go forth.They journeyed ’round the northern lands for half the time as four;
Two pairs – they worked along with Christ, and then He added more;
Each pair got pairs to help along, Christ showed them how it’s done;
Then shortly after they went out in pairs to have a run –At doing work along these lines, to try things in their land;
“Before you venture ’cross the sea you’ve got to understand
Some things like what to leave at home, and parts to share with folks,
For ways of life quite different are – their festivals and jokes.Next step He gathered several pairs for twelve to mentor up;
First time He sent out seventy-two experience was rough;
He tried again, this time it worked – He laughed with victor’s glee –
He had His down-lines working, and His ending He could see.They rolled across the border to Jerusalem of old;
These pairs got pairs and mentored them, increasingly were bold;
“That’s how you work once you get in some country ’cross the sea –
Start at some beach with fishing folks and say, “Come follow me”.“One thing to watch, however, guys, don’t take them when they’re down,
But heal them first, drive demons out, then set them on the ground,
And let them go their merry way, and this is what I mean –
Once fixed and back up on their feet, few join the healing team.For that’s not on their wish-list guys, they’ll have their things to do,
But as you help another out, that’s on their wish-list too;
Know this, that somewhere up the road they’ll lend a helping hand
To someone you could never reach – then you will understand.navigation