I spent some time the other day with an old friend. We had met in sixth
grade, and I lost touch with him over the years. But last Sunday, resting from
our Saturday ride, I encountered him once again. You may know him also, or at
least the name, as he is very famous. Even showed up in a few movies over the
years, before we met. But I remember him mostly from articles about him,his
name Sherlock Holmes. And his room mate, Dr. John Watson. It was as an avid
reader, I first discovered Holmes, and fell in love with his stories, as told by
Watson. Watson and he met after Watson was stationed in Afghanistan, and was
wounded, living on a pension. A mutual friend introduced them, both needed to
share rent, and the rest is history, or fiction, starting at 221B Baker Street,
London. Both were completely different men, and Holmes once confided in Watson
that Watson was his only friend. “Counting you, I have one.” Both highly
educated, it was Holmes who was the ardent student of the two, and would review
the facts with Watson, often quizzing him, amazed at what Watson didn’t see or
hear. Watson, for instance, knew they lived on the second floor, Holmes knew
there were 13 steps, and the fourth from the top creaked, but only going down.
He could tell a man’s trade by his hands, and even if left handed by his watch,
lefties wear them on the right, just the opposite. He could tell by a man’s
dress if he was poor or rich, and even if working. So many details that Watson
overlooked, or didn’t look for, Holmes saw. And over 100 years before forensics
played a part in solving crimes, he was CSI. He knew chemistry, in fact in the
opening story, we find he invents a chemical to detect how old blood is, dried
blood that is. Want to know how tall a man is? They usually right on walls
above their eye level, useful in seeking a description. And when at a scene,
the letters RACHE were written on the wall, while the police look for a Rachel,
he knows rache is German for revenge, and narrows down the perpetrator. All to
his amusement while watching the men of Scotland Yard chase their tails. And so
I spent s few hours rereading about Mr. Holmes, and his adventures. What
continued to get my attention was how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle put all the facts
out there, nothing hidden, unlike TV shows where in the last 5 minutes a clue is
exposed, and they go to commercial, with Sir ACD, you get to help solve the
crime, getting into the mind of Holmes, but more often into the mind of Watson.
For it is the details that mysteries are solved, and few were more adept at
details than Holmes. “Elementary, my dear Watson,” he would remind the good
doctor, and Watson would again find humor in his flat mate’s power of
observation. Watson saw it all, but only Holmes knew what he was looking
for.
Ever heard the term “the devil is in the details?” I never understood it,
if you can explain it to me. I see God in the details, with each detail raising
a question, and each answer proving there is a creator. For instance, hold your
hand in front of your face, and wiggle your fingers. How did you do that? From
the concept, to the idea in the brain, to the request to wiggle, to the action,
how did that happen? How did that happen to a hand that can grip a throttle,
shake with another, make fist, or be nailed to a cross? So many details have
had to happen, just to wave it, coincidence? Or preplanned? While many would
seek out the physical reasons, I would like to concentrate on the spiritual
ones. The why we do things, as opposed to what makes them happen. Holmes saw
the physical, and even the metaphysical, but not the spiritual. While man looks
at the outer man for evidence, God reveals the heart. And it is not always
good.
It is trendy to be told to trust our heart, to go with our feelings, but
have your feelings ever let you down? Have you ever made a decision when in a
bad mood or angry? Or fallen in love with a pretty face, that soon turned on
you? Experience tells us no to look a gift horse in the mouth, or buy a car at
night, yet many do and regret it later. Looks good, feels good, the price is
right, so do it. Without counting the cost. Theresa tells me of a couple we
know who has always lived way beyond their means. Gotta have a huge house, or
new cars, bigger each year. Their religion tells them they are a good witness
if prosperous, really they are just more in debt. But now with all the kids
gone, and given a $500,000 line of credit/mortgage, do you need to spend it
all? Do you really need 3700 square feet for two people? Is that prosperity as
God sees it? Is your FICO score more important than your relationship with
God? Do we go to Him, do we even give Him any credit?
The detail here being do we seek God first, and like Jesus told us, let Him
add all other things unto us. Like Holmes, we are given the details, but do we
see them? Do we even look, or do we even want to? Yet we can always find the
evidence after we foolishly act, why didn’t we see it before? Some are like
Holmes, and study the situation. I have a friend who studies the Bible for
answers to all his questions. Exhaustingly he knows the Bible, but still makes
bad decisions. They are based on facts, that without the spirit mean nothing.
He can quote scripture, and has become legalistic, a rule for every situation.
But without the spirit, that reveals all mysteries of Christ, they are words,
still Holy words, still God’s word, but lose their full impact. It is the
spirit that gives direction, and without it we miss the details. And Jesus is
that detail that brings us together, only told to us by the spirit. Tonight
when you do your devotional, ask God first to guide you by His spirit. Ask Him
to reveal Himself more fully to you, to make the scriptures come alive. Before,
then thank Him after. Maybe one verse, or one word will be all He intends for
you, don’t restrict Him in how much He wants to show you. Look at things
through His eyes, the spirit, and see the evidence of Him everywhere. And soon
that evidence will be evident in your life.
Terrence Aloysious Young once asked me why you go to college? His answer
after stumbling through the “to get a better job, to make more money, or to not
grow up for another seven years,” amazed me. You go to find out how to solve
the problem. Some do, some don’t, some never will. Just like Jesus, some get
Him, some don’t, some never will. But He still remains available to us 24/7,
never leaves, and the spirit is constantly telling us “you need Jesus.” You
see, some read the book, some saw the movie, Watson knew the man. Just like
Jesus, some read the book and know all about Him. Some are in church, Bible
studies, and ministry, but miss Him. I rather know the man, who reveals all
mysteries, and who is the mystery to come. And He knows me, on a first name
basis. And I have evidence in my life of Him. Some have degrees after their
name, to what degree is He important in your life? Your walk? And do we have
to be Holmes to see it, or would Watson notice it?
Jesus is in the details, He is everywhere. God’s creation screams of it,
and when we don’t, even the rocks will cry out and confirm it. Holmes’ criminal
equal, Professor Moriarity wrestled with Holmes until he died. And Holmes
survived, only to return in a miraculous way. After a period of years, Sir ACD
brought him back due to public demand. Be that public of one today, He died and
rose again even if you were the only sinner on earth. He loves you, a detail we
need to remember. Today we can speak freely, act freely, and love freely, based
on the freedom won on the cross. Evidence that He lives, and that demands a
verdict. Elementary, my dear Watson, just look at the facts. Read the book,
and talk to the man who wrote it, and see why Holmes tells us “the world is full
of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.” “Eliminate all
other facts and the one that remains must be the truth.” Holmes might have
become quite a theologian, except he lived for “brainwork, what else was
there?” We know the truth, and are set free. Reunite with an old friend today,
and let Him set you free. Share Jesus today, for as Holmes says, “ nothing
clears up a case so much as stating it to another person.” Witnessed by
Sherlock Holmes, are you listening Watson? “There is nothing like first hand
evidence.”
love with compassion,
Mike
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