It Don’t Come Easy – Good News for February 26

Got to pay your dues if you wanna sing the blues, and you know it don’t come easy.

Luke 9:22-25

Jesus said to his disciples, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”

The Daily Path: As I read Luke’s Gospel one of Ringo Starr’s pop hits from the 1970’s crept into my mind. (Ringo Starr? You know, the Beatles? Give me  a break.) Perhaps you’ve heard “It Don’t Come Easy” on an oldies radio station or online. The lyrics go like this: 

It don’t come easy, you know it don’t come easy.

Got to pay your dues if you wanna sing the blues, and you know it don’t come easy.

You don’t have to shout or leap about, you can even play them easy.

Forget about the past and all your sorrows, the future won’t last, it will soon be over tomorrow.

I don’t ask for much, I only want your trust, And you know it don’t come easy.
And this love of mine keeps growing all the time, And you know it just ain’t easy.

Open up your heart, let’s come together, use a little love and we will make it work out better.

I think Ringo (aka. Richard Starkey) was inspired by the gospel when writing this. Jesus didn’t take the easy road. He willingly gave his life so we could be forgiven. The Apostles didn’t find it easy. They could barely understand what Jesus was teaching them. Still they continued on after the all-time hardest act to follow, and each were required to pay their dues. We, too,  are asked to follow a difficult path in a world that puts unbelievable demands and constant dangers, both physical and moral, in our path. It don’t come easy. 

I don’t ask for much I only want your trust. 

To do what Jesus asks requires great faith that God will be there for us. Absolute trust that His love and mercy be waiting for me at the end of my days. It’s an “all-in” wager at the poker table of my life. Either I believe he will forget about my past and sorrows (sins) to forgive me, or I don’t. 

Fortunately, I’ve been given the opportunity to see God’s love and mercy first hand. I believe it’s a sure bet. Despite the inside knowledge, I’m still just an imperfect human being who falls down everyday. I stumble regularly even though in my heart I know that losing this life will win me the biggest pot of all.

You know… it just ain’t easy.

Room to Chat: Seek the Gospel. Just a line or two each day, in between checking your text messages or online box scores, can open the door. Let God do the rest.