Jehosheba is a hero of the Bible who saves a toddler from the evil schemes of a power-hungry authority.  Consider how Moses was saved under Pharaoh’s reign, or Jesus during the time of King Herod.  Even with this heroic act, we know little about Jehosheba.  She was the daughter of King Jehoram and married the priest Jehoiada.  These are two historical figures most people know little about.  Her husband led a rebellion to instill the rightful heir of David to the throne in Jerusalem.  Her father was so evil the Bible says that when he died it was to no one’s regret (2 Chron. 21:20).

I’m reminded of those who had thoughts and plans for the future, but whose lives were suddenly and unexpectedly cut short. Life is uncertain, thus reminding us of the urgency and priority of the moment.

It is noteworthy that King Ahab avoided the truth because he deemed it as bad.  Instead, he listened to the 400 voices that told him what he wanted to hear.  King Rehoboam did the same thing in First Kings chapter 12.  Instead of listening to the advice of the elders, who gave advice he did not want to hear, he followed the advice of his peers.  He followed what he wanted rather than what was best for him.

The facts are absolute and indisputable: everyone has a date with destiny in the hour of Christ’s return. The default, automatic choice is “a resurrection of judgment” reserved for “those who committed the evil deeds.” The pro-active choice is that of “those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life.”

There is an immediacy to this “kingdom food” in that Jesus says that “the fields … are white for harvest.” Typically there is a period of waiting between planting and harvest, but spiritually there is always a present harvest. For those who are discerning spiritually, they will recognize that they are surrounded by those who exhibit a calling to God’s salvation offer through Christ.

The phrase, “I’m all in” can mean a person is exhausted.  But another understanding of that expression is a person’s declaration that he/she is completely devoted, totally committed, to a cause or endeavor.  “I’m all in to lose the weight.”  “I’m all in to win the championship.”  “I’m all in to elect this candidate.”

Has there ever been anything in your life that you really wanted and did not get?  How did you respond?  Have you ever played or watched a sport in which you really wanted your team to win but they didn’t?  How did you respond?  Have you ever worked hard and wanted to earn a promotion or a good grade but did not receive what you thought you deserved?  How did you respond?  In any of these situations, or others when you did not get what you wanted, did you sulk or become angry or refuse to eat?

When we were children, we spent hours poring over the Sears Wish Book, folding over the corners of the pages where pictures of our treasures were displayed in full technicolor. We wrote letters to Santa with a fervor we rarely invested in homework essays, explaining how good we’d been and making promises for even better behavior next year if we’d only receive our heart’s desires.

The gospel of John primarily focuses on a generation that did not firsthand experience the life of Christ on earth. John, writing near 100 A.D., was the sole surviving apostle. An entire generation of firsthand witnesses to the resurrected Christ was dying off; the possibility of “dropping the baton” was very real.