Disturbed Waters

“Now there is in Jerusalem...a pool...Here a great number of disabled people used to lie – the blind, lame, and paralyzed – and they waited for the moving of the waters. From time to time an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up the waters. The first one into the pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease he had.” John 5:2-4.

This is a snapshot of a day shared between Jesus and an invalid who had been crippled for 38 years. Jesus asked a very important question when speaking with this stranger, ‘Do you want to get well?’ The man explains to Jesus, who was a stranger to him, the reason he could not get healed was because no one would help him get into the water. So disturbance upon disturbance he watched others submerge and gain the healing he so coveted. At that point, Jesus told him to pick up his mat and walk. Much to the man’s surprise, he did as Jesus said and he was cured! My commentary states the man didn’t recognize Jesus as the One who could heal. It seems that instead he was looking to the disturbance for healing instead of the man standing right before him. He had in his mind what his miracle would look like and almost missed the opportunity for complete healing.

This reminds me of a conversation that I had with one of the best friends the other night at her house. We were talking about the despair of not getting the miracle of healing when there is an illness. I remember looking for a miracle for my young sister when she was given 3-6 months to live. I was that man laying paralyzed by this news waiting and watching for a miracle. I watched the waters swirl as healing came to others but not to my sister. When praying to Jesus I remember saying that we didn’t get our miracle. He told me that the miracle for which I prayed was so much less than the miracle He was ready to give her. He was ready to give her everything... Heaven...healing...wholeness...walking through the garden of perfection with the Perfect One...and sweet reunions with other loved ones.

It’s tough when we are the ones left laying by the waters focusing on the disturbance as if replaying it in our mind could bring about our healing. It is only when we take our eyes off of the churning waters and set our gaze upon the Living Waters that our true healing will begin. Jesus knows our pain very well as He was separated from His parent as He hung on the cross. But the story doesn’t stop with death, in fact it begins once the death has happened and the tomb is shattered. I miss my dad and sister so much but I know that to continue to heal in my grief I must pick up my mat and keep walking my own journey towards Heaven. The journey of healing can only be with Jesus.

Silent Tears

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”  2 Corinthians 1:3-4

I can remember when my sister, Beth was in the Hospice House near the end of her life.  The last two weeks as she lay suspended between life on earth and life in Heaven I couldn’t help but wonder what she was thinking.  Occasionally I would see a tear stream down her cheek, and other times I would see a smile stretch across her face.  Those times and thoughts were shared between Beth and Jesus. They were not mine to know, and I remember wondering the power those silent tears and smiles must have held.  Were the smiles glimpses of the glory ahead of her?  Were the silent tears farewells to the life she was leaving behind? 

I was reminded of those silent tears this past week as I was training to be a companion at the same Hospice House where I spent so much time with Beth.  As the woman to whom I was shadowing read the Bible to the patient she included her favorite Bible verses.  One verse was John 16:2, ‘My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?’  As these words washed over her, I noticed one silent little tear escaped her closed eyes.

Did that tear possess recalled memories of past Christmases or Thanksgivings?  Did that tear possess the knowledge of future grandchildren that she would never hold?  The more the verses were read the silent tear evaporated and a peace came upon her.  Her face took on a look that was one of resolve...one who was being comforted by something beyond us.  Her demeanor became filled with the comfort which she was receiving through God’s word.  Did God show her the mansion in her mind as the verse was being read?  Were the eyes of her spirit opened to see God’s glory as the eyes of her flesh were closed?  It is so easy to feel like a trespasser in these private moments between God and His children.  However, I was reminded that God uses us as His hands and feet to bring His glory and compassion to a hurting world.  Through our involvement with minister in ways we can never know and I’m so grateful that God’s invites us to show His compassion and mercy to others as He has shown to us. 

Let us all be attentive that we are the vessels that God uses to extend His character to a hurting world.  Be kind and gentle to someone today who needs it – God has placed them in your path.

Choosing a Horse

“‘How long will your waver between two opinions?  If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.’  But the people said nothing.” 1 Kings 18:21.

Years ago Bruce and I were trying to make a decision about the direction in which to go regarding his employment.  He had resigned from Duke Power and his choices were either to go to work for another company or begin his own company.  It was a tough decision and there were many pros and cons for each.  We went up to the mountains so he could gain some wisdom from his dad.  I can still remember sitting at the table listening to them go back and forth about which direction to take.  Finally, after much debate, my father-in-law looked at my husband, and said, ‘Son, you just need to choose a horse and ride it.’  It was one of the wisest statements I’ve heard and still it comes to mind in the right situation.  Bruce did choose a horse and gave it everything he had and God has blessed us for sure.

Elijah found himself centuries ago giving his audience the same wisdom.  As progressive as we would like to think our world is in reality we are no different than the people with divided hearts found in 1 Kings thousands of years ago.  Elijah found himself frustrated for people to really step up, not just to give lip service for God but to stand up for God.  He implores them to quit wavering between the way of God and the way of the world.  He begs them to set themselves apart and then ‘ride that horse’ with everything they have.  We are faced daily with decisions to accept the world’s way or to stand up for God’s way.  We cannot just say that the Lord is God but to truly show the world upon which horse we are mounted, we must follow Him.  What does this look like in today’s world?  It means that we must give grace when it is undeserved.  It means that we must forgive when we have been wounded.  It means that we must give up our comfort and resources to work for the benefit of someone less fortunate.  It means that when God asks us to take a stand we obey.  We cannot be silent like the people in our passage for silence is taking a stand...a stand for the flesh of the world.  There are two types of flesh between which we must choose – the flesh wrapped in swaddling clothes or the flesh of the world.

Like my grandmother used to say “God is the God of everything or He is the god of nothing.”

Studying our Notes

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” John 14:26.

When I was young and in school I would always get nervous when the teacher would pass out tests. Even if I had studied and knew the material I would still be fearful that I would fail. More times than not once I began the test I would be able to recall answers and solutions from spending time in my notes. On occasions when I had missed class due to sickness or appointments there was really nothing from which to recall. How could I expect remembrance from notes I had never studied?

I recall a night recently when I woke up unable to fall back asleep. As my mind began to wander I found myself resurrecting fears that my faith had calmed. Things seem so much fearful and unresolvable in the dark of the night. With the Counselor’s help, I began to recall certain Scripture on fear, peace and promise. I laid there reciting those verses in my own words. I wasn’t caught up in where it was in the Bible nor its exact words. It is the principle of the passage that is recalled which beckons the blessing of its promise. ‘Be strong and very courageous...I will never leave you nor forsake you...The Lord is in the whisper...My peace I give you, not the world’s...Nothing can separate me from God’s love.’ The recalling of the Holy Spirit to those places in my heart was based on one important principle. The depth of our blessing and comfort from God is determined upon the knowledge of the words of God. We cannot expect to remember things we have never read and put into practice. John 3:16 tells me that God loves me so much that He sent His Son to die for me so I might live in eternity with Him. That washes over me with such comfort and joy but it doesn’t remove my fear of facing a big giant today. It doesn’t remind me that Satan is against me but God is greater than Satan. It fails to say to a broken heart that He is near and His grace will be enough. If all I ever said to my children was ‘I love you so much’ no matter what their concern it wouldn’t really guide them. God’s word is a lamp for the steps we take and a light for path up ahead. He desires for us to be ready for every exam life lays out before us. He wants us to build the arsenal of our hearts with the words that will ready our feet.

We miss out on so many treasures by not spending time in our spiritual notes. I want to be ready when the test comes...I want to recall the things that are the answers for the moment...I want to be able to share those words for others when their tests arise. I am so grateful for His words that never go out of style, out of date or out of print!

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” 2 Tim 3:16.

Freedom at it's Best!

“I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire.  He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.”  Psalm 40:1-3.

When my children were toddlers I loved when they were learning to walk.  Going from the limited life of crawling and scooting to the freedom and liberation of getting where they wanted to go was freedom at its best.  When thinking deeper about life before walking for them I remember how Michael especially never wanted me to leave the room.  His frustration and unhappiness was filled with tears and screaming until I returned.  I guess he felt that if he couldn’t see me, I wasn’t there.  I would reach down to his tearstained face, bringing him close to me and reminding him that I was still there...that he was still loved...that everything would be just fine.  I can only imagine his happiness when he realized one day that he had the ability to not only stand but to move forward despite the toys that laid all around him.  For sure, there were incidents when he would fall due to the cluttered path.  But he learned that if he watched where he walked he could navigate around the clutter.  Many times I would go ahead of him picking up anything that would make him stumble.

We have a Father who hears our cry and goes ahead of us making our paths clear.  We see all of the emotional clutter around us and become fearful that we are alone.  We face obstacles up ahead and can’t see any way to get through it without falling.  Our heart fails when we see how difficult the path is going to be.  But then, God turns His loving face to us and wipes our wet cheeks.  He brings us near to Him and comforts us in our despair.  He has already worked everything out up ahead and cleared the path for us to walk it out, steadying us at every step. 

Our part is to reach out in our spiritual infancy and allow the greatest parent there ever was to comfort us, love us and carry us.  We were never meant to carry our burdens but were created to carry Christ within us.

Courage to Move Stones

“Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb.  It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.  ‘Take away the stone,’ he said.  ‘But, Lord,’ said Martha.  Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you...’ So they took away the stone.”  John 11:38-41a.

I can really relate to Martha in this passage who wants the miracle of resurrection but doesn’t want to live in the tension between life and death...darkness and freedom.  It doesn’t really matter what her reason might have been, but more what was laying at the base of her objection.  Upon her questioning she most likely overlooked the irony of the situation.  What she coveted for her brother was what she really needed for herself.  She needed the stone of her heart to be rolled away to truly experience freedom from fear...freedom from past pain...freedom from dreaded futures.  ‘Though Martha was clearly uncomfortable with the idea of rolling away the only thing that stood between her and the death she mourned, she chose to obey.  She did what she could do so Jesus could do the rest.’ Lazarus Awakening, p. 100.

Passage says that Jesus was deeply moved by her desire for life, and yet when He gives her the answer she doubts and fears.  Why is it that we resist, tarry or excuse away the answer to resurrecting our lives...our hearts?  If we are honest with ourselves the answer is that deep down we somewhat enjoy our tombs.  It is a place where we feel entitled to hang on to our hurts.  It is a place where our perception of events can be right every time.  It can be a dark little space where we hang on to our will over God’s.  It takes courage to remove a stone and it takes Jesus to empower us with that courage.  How do I know this and how can I be sure He will help me remove my stone...my fear of rejection?  Because when Martha agreed to roll away the stone, our verse says, ‘so they took away the stone.’  I’m choosing to believe that they meant Martha and Jesus.  Jesus will never ask us to do anything that He won’t help us do.  We will never have to push that stone alone, but we will have to give our effort to the task and then BELIEVE!  In 2016 I am committed to remove any stones in my life that bounds my freedom in Christ.  He didn’t shatter tombs for me to rebuild more. 

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again...” Galatians 5:1.

The Cost of Miracles

"Jesus said, 'Take away the stone.'  Martha said to Him, 'Lord...there is a stench.'  Jesus said to her, 'Did I not say to you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?'" John 11:39-40, NKJV.

The stage was set for one of the most miraculous events in history.  Mary and Martha's brother had died four days before and had been laid in the sealed tomb.  When Jesus arrived, He possessed all of the required power to raise Lazarus from the dead.  He could have spoken for the stone to roll away and it would have.  He could have shaken the earth beneath the stone causing it to crumble in a million pieces.  He could have breathed life back in Lazarus without even being there.  So what was the means Jesus used to perform this miracle?  Both Martha's obedience and participation.

Jesus certainly could have made this happen on His own but sometimes a miracle is meant to cost us something.  Many times our fulfilled dreams will come from God asking us to do something that might stink...something that goes against the deepest part of us...something that requires us to act on our faith regardless of the outcome.  There were times in the Bible where Jesus explained that healing and deliverance came squarely from the faith of the petitioner.  When we pray for something that has been on our list for so long there will come a time when He is ready to answer.  So what if, like Martha, we are standing on the other side of the miracle, and God requires an act of faith to claim it? What if we are the vessel that becomes the final piece of the puzzle that makes our dreams a reality, but our part requires what is scary and uncomfortable?

This is where our head faith meets our heart faith...where we must choose to put action to our words...where we put up or shut up.  My prayer is that I will have the courage during these times to hold my nose and reach for the stone, being an intrument in God's hand.  I wonder how many miracles along the way were deferred by my fear or my unwillingness to obey and participate.  We all have God's power upon which to call, and must have the belief and courage to claim and receive it in Christ.  By doing this, not only do we receive the miracle but gain freedom in the journey.

In 2016, may we all do our part in participating with Christ in whatever that looks like for each of us.