August 6, 2019

A Second Touch

Sometimes my faith feels more like a flickering pilot light than a bright beacon of Light, brightly lit for Jesus much like a football stadium.

Sometimes in my woundedness from life’s circumstances my faith needs a second touch from Jesus. I sure believe Jesus has needed to heal me more than once until I could see Him clearly.

Recently I experienced a second (or maybe 100th touch) from the Lord.  In life it seems we can be doing ministry and working at 100 miles per hour, yet not slowing down long enough to truly hear from the Lord. To truly experience His healing.

We recently experienced some restructuring at work, and I had struggled some days with the new normal. I had become “weary in doing good.” Then I went away on a retreat, to quieten my soul and listen. I cried out to God and He gave me clear direction. I was reminded of this miracle in the Gospel of Mark.

To set up the scene, Jesus had fed five thousand people, then later He had fed four thousand. Jesus was on a roll of miracles. Then this next miracle occurred, only recorded in the Gospel of Mark, Mark 8:22-26:

“And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, ‘Do you see anything?’ And he looked up and said, ‘I see people, but they look like trees, walking.’ Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. And he sent him to his home, saying, ‘Do not even enter the village.’”

This passage holds several rich Leadership Lessons on our faith:

  1. Some people brought their blind friend closer to Jesus (v22). Do your friends lead you away from Jesus or closer to Him? It’s a choice we have. Fortunately the blind man chose friends who led him to Jesus. May we do the same.
  2. Each of us is blind and has blindspots In our own ways, in need of Jesus’ healing (v22). Blindness in the Bible is also a metaphor for a lack of understanding. Whether it’s pride, unforgiveness, anger, legalism, or other, I am, we are, in need of our Savior’s healing.
  3. The blind man asked, actually begged, for Jesus’ healing touch (v22). Jesus can heal any of us anytime, but He wants to hear our hearts. Like the blind man, may we go to Him humbly, like a child goes to a parent.
  4. Jesus wanted to truly heal the man, not draw a crowd. Jesus walked with the blind man away from the people and outside the village (v23). He didn’t want to bring attention to Himself as He healed the man. May we serve others with pure motives, as Jesus did.
  5. After healing Him Jesus asked the blind man if he could see (v23). Jesus didn’t need to, but was wise to ask the question if His healing helped. Sometimes when we serve and give to others we assume it was helpful and/or was a blessing to them. May we be open to ask honest assessing questions to see if we are truly helping.
  6. The blind man was honest that he couldn’t see clearly (v24). This miracle is the only one recorded in the Bible where Jesus’ healing was initially incomplete. It took the blind man’s authentic answer, though, for Jesus to know the truth. If he had faked it he would have totally missed being truly healed. How many of us are truly authentic in our answers when someone asks us how we are. “I’m fine” is the most popular answer. It would be so much healthier for us to be honest and admit that we are not fully healed. Then we could be open to additional healing.
  7. After Jesus laid hands on him again, his sight was restored and he saw everything clearly (v25). When we draw close to Jesus, He wants to heal us so we see clearly. When is the last time you quietly drew close to Jesus and received clear healing or clear discernment from the Lord?
  8. Jesus sent the blind man home, not back to the village (v26). Jesus wanted to protect the newly healed man in the privacy of his home instead of facing the crowd. On occasion our healing is just between Jesus and us. All other times we are to tell the world of the Good News of Jesus.

Jesus asks the blind man, “What do you see?”

He is still asking us the same question today. May we ask ourselves:

  • Are things unclear or a little blurry in your life?
  • Do you want a fresh touch from the Master?
  • Are you ready to seek a personal encounter with Christ?
  • What do you see, and what are you going to do about it?

Friend, Jesus is the Gentle Healer. He is ready to heal us once, twice or as many times as it takes to see Him and the world around us clearly, through His eyes.

March 14, 2018

Journey to Easter: Waved Palms to Pierced Palms, Part I

As we prepare for Easter in just a few short weeks, my heart is tuned to the vignettes leading up to the most significant event in human history–the death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. This week we will focus on the celebratory moments leading to Palm Sunday, the day of waving palm fronds and songs of “Hosanna” as Jesus entered Jerusalem.

What a week. What a Holy Week. Isn’t it amazing that the first half of the Gospel of John covers the first 33 years of Jesus’ life, and the last half covers one week?

Just six days before the Passover and Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus was invited to attend a dinner in Bethany in His honor, hosted by  Mary, Martha, and their resurrected brother Lazarus. Can you only imagine what a fun party that would be? For Jesus to have supper with Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead,  AND his two cool sisters?

“Then Mary took a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” John 12:3 NIV.

What a beautiful, selfless, ultimate gift Mary gave Jesus. Of course it was disciple Judas who complained that her gift to Jesus at the party was wasteful and too expensive. Judas was the treasurer and thief-disciple who would betray Jesus in just a few days.

“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended, that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have Me.” –John 12:7-8 NIV

Mary understood the message. Jesus had been trying to tell the disciples that He would die and be raised. (John  10:15-18).

Mary gave Jesus the most valuable possession she had. As we prepare for these weeks leading up to Easter, what valuable possession of yours are you willing to pour out for Jesus and His Kingdom? Whatever we give to Him, He gives much more back to us.

People had heard of all of Jesus’ miracles. Crowds followed Him. They were ready to greet Jesus as a celebrity. On that famous Palm Sunday,  Jesus was welcomed like a rockstar into Jerusalem with people waving lush green palm fronds and singing:

“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest!”  (Matthew 21: 9b NIV).

Palm Sunday was and still is a joyful, respectful celebration of  Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Jesus entered Jerusalem not on a military stallion as the world and its paparazzi may have thought, but on a lowly donkey colt, perfect for the humble, servant Savior He was, is and is to come.

The same crowd who waved palms at Jesus that Sunday before, yelled “Crucify!” on Good Friday, just five days later. From the waved palms of the crowd singing “Hosanna!” to the peer-pressured crowd crying “Crucify!” on Good Friday morning, resulting in the pierced palms of Jesus’ hands, may we deeply feel the matchless love Jesus has for us, His children.

Friday’s here; Sunday’s comin’! Easter is my favorite day of the whole year.  He is risen, indeed!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of “Waved Palms to Pierced Palms”.

 Reflect:

–With whom can you relate the most in this story–Martha, Mary, Lazarus, Judas?  Please comment.

–What are you willing to sacrifice as a beautiful love offering for Jesus for Easter and for your whole life?

Renew:

–“Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘ Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’ ‘I tell you,’ he replied, ‘if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.'” –Luke 19:39-20 NIV

Recharge:

–How may we live more deeply for Jesus and show love to others?

–How will you embolden your Christian faith, even if you aren’t in a crowd or in the majority?

December 19, 2017

God Loves Making Extraordinary Out of the Ordinary

The Bible is full of ordinary people like me. God loves to make extraordinary out of the ordinary–how refreshing.

Two amazing ordinary leaders I had never really noticed are only mentioned in the Gospel of Luke 2 story of Jesus’ birth–Simeon and Anna.

Only days after the birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple for His purification. Enter a “nobody” named Simeon…

“Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

‘Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’  Luke 2:25-32

Go Simeon! What a courageous, anointed man! The passage goes on to say that Mary and Joseph marveled at what Simeon said about Jesus. These verses are the only time Simeon is mentioned. What an impact he made on God’s Kingdom.

Then another “ordinary” named Anna enters the Luke 2 stage:

“There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.” –Luke 2: 36-38. 

Wow, Anna! What an amazing example. What a leader. What a somebody.

It’s exciting to look at a few common traits, I believe, between the nobodys God transforms into somebodys–the shepherds, Simeon, Anna, and so many others in the Bible. All these “nobodys” wholeheartedly display that they are:

  1. Available to be used by God
  2. Attuned to the Holy Spirit
  3. Agile–Age is not an excuse
  4. Humble

Each one of these traits is a high calling. I pray to embody more of each. It’s a journey. I’m no expert. Here is what I believe to be true about each trait:

  1. Available to be used by God: God wants our availability, not our abilities. Like Simeon and Anna, they were in the temple waiting on baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Even the shepherds “hurried off” and found Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus in the manger. They were flexible and available. May we be ready for God’s service, saying, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10).
  2. Attuned to the Holy Spirit: Simeon was “righteous and devout.” Three times in slightly more than a verse the Bible mentions how the “Holy Spirit was upon him.” How do we get more attuned with the Holy Spirit? The short answer is to pray and fast, like Anna did; to spend time in God’s Word “listening” to God speak and answer us; worship regularly in a Christ-centered church; and to live a life of integrity. It seems like a tall order. That’s what grace is all about, at least in my life. 🙂
  3. Agile–Age is not an excuse: Whether you are five years old or “very old” like Anna, we can be used by God. Simeon was also older because the passage said the Holy Spirit said he wouldn’t die before seeing the Lord’s Christ. Nowhere in the Bible does it talk about spiritual retirement. Whatever your age, whatever God calls you to do, He will equip you. No excuses.
  4. Humble–Each effective person in the Bible and in today’s world who is the most effective leader embodies humility. Simeon prayed “now dismiss your servant in peace” (Luke 2:29b). Anna “gave thanks to God and spoke to all about the child” (Luke 2:38). They decreased as God increased (John 3:30).  Please, Lord, I pray daily to decrease as You increase.

May we be encouraged that God can use each of us for His service. As the old Christian song says, “I’m just a nobody trying to tell everybody about the Somebody who can save anybody.”  Merry Christmas, friend.

Reflect:

–Name other “ordinary nobody’s” in the Bible and/or your life who God has transformed into “extraordinary somebody’s” for His glory. Please comment.

Renew:

–“…I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” –Ephesians 4:1-2.

Recharge:

–Which of the four common traits will you focus on this week? You are a somebody.

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