You ever have one of those days when you wish you could do just what you wanted instead of having to move from one obligation to the next? I certainly have and it's usually on a day when I have too many meetings, particularly Zoom meetings to attend during this time of Covid. Actually, as far as I am concerned, one meeting in a day is one too many, but when it's more than one, I begin to wonder how many years I have until retirement. I have said many times that when I enter the Kingdom, if the first item on the schedule is a meeting, I'm outta there!

Most days I do not feel this way. I love my life. I am blessed with a wonderful family. I love being a husband and a dad and a grandfather more than anything. I also love being a pastor and a professor and a writer. I cannot complain whatsoever about my existence. I am blessed beyond measure. But I do have these periodic moments when I think how nice it would be to be on my own schedule.

I wonder if Jesus ever had one of those "I wish I could do what I want" days. If he did the gospels never recorded it. Yes, there is the Garden of Gethsemane story when Jesus asked if there might be another way to achieve salvation apart from his death, but that was an extreme situation. We have to give Jesus that one. But I wonder if he ever had more mundane moments when he wished the crowds would leave him alone just for a little while. I wonder if he had times when he didn't want to teach the same ole' parables again. In moments of great opposition did Jesus ever think about chucking it all as some in the midst of today's "rat race" have done, and spend the rest of his life fishing on the Sea of Galilee?

Yes, Jesus did get away to pray and spend time with his Heavenly Father. All of us should do that regardless of the kind of life we lead. But, I just wonder if Jesus ever had a moment like the one I am having now; I wonder if he looked at the sunshine as I am doing now and thought, "I wish I could do what I want instead of what I must."

Lord, Jesus, I like to think you had such moments in your earthly life, but even if you didn't, give me strength now because the obligations I must fulfill today cannot be ignored. And as I do what I must, remind me of the joy I have in what I do because, most of the time, it is also what I want to do. Thank you for the calling and the necessary obligations you have given me. Amen.

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