It was the perfect day. The light of the morning was beginning to shoot its rays of “wake up sleepy world” to the left of me. To the right of me the scarey things that go bump in the night were racing away in a chaotic frenzy so as not to be touched by the light that would destroy their ominous power of fear. My feet were pointed where they always would be, toward the fishing nets and boats awaiting the next trip out into the Sea of Galilee.
Although the day was still very dark but moving clock-like toward dawn, the smell of breakfast would soon be near to the right side of my face. Soon some kindhearted individual would lift my head and feed the contents of the bowl into my thankful lips. Then my observations of the day would begin as they had for seemly a myriad of motionless years. No, not motionless on the part of the world, but motionless on the part of most of my body. One moment I was as healthy as the next citizen of Nahum's Village; and then the fever, the days of darkness, and my awakening to find my body still would remain asleep as the years and opportunities would pass me by (hope almost gone).
Something was different about the day though … breakfast had not arrived and my position in life was being disturbed from the four corners of my pallet bed existence. Jostled and tossed from side to side! … Was it the four carpenters from Zechariah 1:20 needing to build the future and I was in the way? Was it the four winds of the north from Zechariah 2:6 readying the land for the return of the King and once again I was in the way? Possibly this would be my undoing as the 4 chariots and the four Spirits from the Lord (mentioned in Zechariah 6) were preparing for the movement of God's Kingdom into the kingdom of men, and of course, the useless sinners, like I, would be swept away in the tumult. I would just close my eyes and commit my fate to the cruelty of a God who would smash this “potters vessel” to dust and treat it as useless as a sparrow that would fall in the night.
With my eyes closed tightly, I was not able to shut out the terror of the ride, the noises and the smells out side. People crowding in with all their obnoxious body odors and topical fixes for the smell. People murmuring obscenities about “the useless paralytic” borne by four ...four??? Up I went, seemingly above the crowd; a momentary digging sound ; the smashing of pottery; and my stomach began to sink as I felt my whole life being lowered... down, down, down, down and then the sudden stop. All was still, almost as the calm before the storm.
Just knowing that the opening of my eyes would reveal the horrors of Gehenna, I committed to my fate and opened my eyes. Far above me peering downward through a hole leading to the sky, were the smiling faces of four friends (Why were they smiling so?) ...Then an almost familiar face broke the distance between my friends and I. This face was so familiar to something deep within my now longing soul(“Oh please speak the words, I long to hear. Draw me, draw me near.”) “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee”. Did you hear what He said? “SON ...concerning your sins ...forgiveness … to you”.
Moments later, I was experiencing the impossible. My four precious friends were racing through the streets of Nahum's Village singing the praises of the Savior. My friends were dancing behind me while gleefully carrying a now empty bed; and I now running with a miracle, all because of these Four who looked beyond my uselessness. My miracle ...was more than the one obvious to the eye...my miracle was ...FORGIVENESS … This forgiveness given to me, now quickened me wholly His. I now realized that without the Word of Jesus I would have been condemned to eternal paralysis in Hell. I was not the only Palsied man in town. I will choose to be one of the Four, for there are so many others that need a friend, to bear the burden of them, to shatter the shame above their lives, and to lower them into the loving forgiveness of Jesus. My Friends and I are still dancing … what a sight!(Mark 2:1-12)(Join us!)
HLFA,
Jeff
His Winnowing Keeps Us in Wonder
Have you ever stumbled upon an individual who had it all figured out. You know! They jabber on about their plans, their purpose, their excitement with their lives, their oozing overwhelming love for certain things; and they just know, that they know, that they know, that their way and their life is so blessedly different than all others before them, and they are so special because they have figured out exactly what they want to do for God. And...and … and … on and on they go. (while we are looking for an excuse to be distracted from their run on sentence self-life testimony).
These folks, many times are sweet and sincere people who seem to be oblivious about their own appearance, and unaware of the expressions on the faces of those within hearing range. In a room full of people they can raise their voices and make wonder proclamations of how marvelously wonderful their choices have been and will be, while their friends nearby roll their eyes as if to say “here they go again”. {Now, please don't get this confused with speaking out with conviction about what you believe, especially if it is Word or Faith based – there will be resistance.}
We will all step in and out of this roll of the self-promoter. We are always fishing in the crowd for someone who will appreciate us. We want value to be placed on our past, present and we want admiration for where we may be going in the future. (And rightly so to a certain extent, because we are people whom Christ died for.) We just don't want to get lost in this whirlwind world of chaotic placement of value and seemly misplaced admiration. We all would like to have people love us ...just for who we are. We all need to recognized for our contributions to life.
Psalm 139 has always caught my eye because of the revelation of the value that we find that God places on our lives even before we are formed in the womb as a fetus. I love the poetic pictures that describe the fact that I can't go so high, so low or so deep that God no longer sees me. However … I did stumble over a couple of verses that made me cap the notion of “me” as the center of the universe.
The first six verses of Psalm 139 became an amazement to me as I dug just below the surface:
“1.O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2. Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 5. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.”
Here is the amazement in a nut shell: In His Searching and knowing Me, He blows a purposeful “winnowing” wind through my plans and through my dreams to serve and clarify of my direction in life. This “winnowing” allows for a sorting of the beneficial and harmful elements that affect me. He adds necessary constraint and pressure via my daily activities so that I begin to long for the refreshment that I find in the hollow of His hand. I begin to realize, day by day, that this journey is too wonderful to be captured purely for mere personal gain and enjoyment, but when given for the service of pointing others to His awesome care … I will be fulfilled and continually filled with the Wonder of His love.
Once again I want to wrap my arms around the yammering individual, and say along with His still small voice - “Hey Jesus loves you without all your hype, He loves you in spite of your noise, He is eternally interested in you, He is not ashamed, disappointed, or impatient with you if you have placed your faith in Him”. Trust the winnowing as it creates wonder, not just the whining of our voices!!
HLFA,
Jeff
These folks, many times are sweet and sincere people who seem to be oblivious about their own appearance, and unaware of the expressions on the faces of those within hearing range. In a room full of people they can raise their voices and make wonder proclamations of how marvelously wonderful their choices have been and will be, while their friends nearby roll their eyes as if to say “here they go again”. {Now, please don't get this confused with speaking out with conviction about what you believe, especially if it is Word or Faith based – there will be resistance.}
We will all step in and out of this roll of the self-promoter. We are always fishing in the crowd for someone who will appreciate us. We want value to be placed on our past, present and we want admiration for where we may be going in the future. (And rightly so to a certain extent, because we are people whom Christ died for.) We just don't want to get lost in this whirlwind world of chaotic placement of value and seemly misplaced admiration. We all would like to have people love us ...just for who we are. We all need to recognized for our contributions to life.
Psalm 139 has always caught my eye because of the revelation of the value that we find that God places on our lives even before we are formed in the womb as a fetus. I love the poetic pictures that describe the fact that I can't go so high, so low or so deep that God no longer sees me. However … I did stumble over a couple of verses that made me cap the notion of “me” as the center of the universe.
The first six verses of Psalm 139 became an amazement to me as I dug just below the surface:
“1.O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2. Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 5. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.”
Here is the amazement in a nut shell: In His Searching and knowing Me, He blows a purposeful “winnowing” wind through my plans and through my dreams to serve and clarify of my direction in life. This “winnowing” allows for a sorting of the beneficial and harmful elements that affect me. He adds necessary constraint and pressure via my daily activities so that I begin to long for the refreshment that I find in the hollow of His hand. I begin to realize, day by day, that this journey is too wonderful to be captured purely for mere personal gain and enjoyment, but when given for the service of pointing others to His awesome care … I will be fulfilled and continually filled with the Wonder of His love.
Once again I want to wrap my arms around the yammering individual, and say along with His still small voice - “Hey Jesus loves you without all your hype, He loves you in spite of your noise, He is eternally interested in you, He is not ashamed, disappointed, or impatient with you if you have placed your faith in Him”. Trust the winnowing as it creates wonder, not just the whining of our voices!!
HLFA,
Jeff
“Acheology” not Archeology
Archeology can be fascinating … but things uncovered from the past will always take an interpretive expert to “qualify” the finding's value. Again, treasures from the past are truly amazing to find. While playing kick ball as a 5th grader at Fostertown Elementary School, Fostertown, NY , I accidentally unearthed an unusually well preserved Indian arrowhead. Taking the arrowhead home to show my Dad, he immediately had me take it to some “experts” that resided in Newburgh, NY; and they whisked it away from my possession to capture it in one of their display cases at Washington's Headquarters (they did label it with my name and said “come and see it anytime we are open”).
Even with an actual relic there seems to be a point of contention as to the authenticity of that object. Scrutiny and unbelief of on-lookers seems to fuel passionate archeological historians to dig deeper and to find other relics to support their faith. There seems to be a never ending “up one on you” even in the field of archeological discoveries. (“Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” II Tim. 3:7) Even “Christians” are sucked into the need for this “physical” kind of proof. They seem to be comforted in knowing there is a literal and physical Noah's Ark that can be observed within our days of struggling belief. What will we do when “so-called” experts unearth stuff ( in light of expert interpretation) or dust claims the desired relic and creates a conflict with this fragile faith?
On the other hand ...What could happen to an individual if his or her heart shifts from the need for physical proof to aching for “proof of life” in the souls they come in contact with? What would happen if we settled the connection with our God based on the character of our God spoken through proof of His Word, instead of mere proof of Historians? What would happen in our lives if we truly believed that God desires us, instead of trying to find grace in what we are doing for Him? (Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord … how you interpret even this phrase could have you hanging on what to do, instead of trusting Him and joining Him in really living - Did Noah discover or earn grace?)
(Now, Focus on Jesus!)With the shock of the localized joy ride about to end at a Cross, Jesus tries to pull His disciples(and us) into a reality that would stand in spite of failing Archeology. Not only was He going to purchase our pardon and establish our life on His Resurrection, but He was going to ensure our hearts of a lasting, unfolding relationship with Him. This would be preserved by the universal and personal ministry of His Holy Spirit. He would “guide us into truth” (while never leaving nor forsaking us), and actively convince the world of their need for Him ... ahead of us.(Note: This is how He prepares the table(land) before us in the presence of our enemies.) In John 16:7 -11, Jesus says: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”
With the way prepared before us in the wake of our forward movements of life; He calls us to join Him, to learn of Him and to share His Ache and we will find REST...Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”. This passage of scripture is not a cliché … it is a Call to “Acheology” so that when archeological proof is defrocked or fades to dust … you are left standing there with Him who holds you forever with His Love. “Come ache with Me!”(Can you hear his call?) “Come Ache with Me!”
HLFA
Even with an actual relic there seems to be a point of contention as to the authenticity of that object. Scrutiny and unbelief of on-lookers seems to fuel passionate archeological historians to dig deeper and to find other relics to support their faith. There seems to be a never ending “up one on you” even in the field of archeological discoveries. (“Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” II Tim. 3:7) Even “Christians” are sucked into the need for this “physical” kind of proof. They seem to be comforted in knowing there is a literal and physical Noah's Ark that can be observed within our days of struggling belief. What will we do when “so-called” experts unearth stuff ( in light of expert interpretation) or dust claims the desired relic and creates a conflict with this fragile faith?
On the other hand ...What could happen to an individual if his or her heart shifts from the need for physical proof to aching for “proof of life” in the souls they come in contact with? What would happen if we settled the connection with our God based on the character of our God spoken through proof of His Word, instead of mere proof of Historians? What would happen in our lives if we truly believed that God desires us, instead of trying to find grace in what we are doing for Him? (Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord … how you interpret even this phrase could have you hanging on what to do, instead of trusting Him and joining Him in really living - Did Noah discover or earn grace?)
(Now, Focus on Jesus!)With the shock of the localized joy ride about to end at a Cross, Jesus tries to pull His disciples(and us) into a reality that would stand in spite of failing Archeology. Not only was He going to purchase our pardon and establish our life on His Resurrection, but He was going to ensure our hearts of a lasting, unfolding relationship with Him. This would be preserved by the universal and personal ministry of His Holy Spirit. He would “guide us into truth” (while never leaving nor forsaking us), and actively convince the world of their need for Him ... ahead of us.(Note: This is how He prepares the table(land) before us in the presence of our enemies.) In John 16:7 -11, Jesus says: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”
With the way prepared before us in the wake of our forward movements of life; He calls us to join Him, to learn of Him and to share His Ache and we will find REST...Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”. This passage of scripture is not a cliché … it is a Call to “Acheology” so that when archeological proof is defrocked or fades to dust … you are left standing there with Him who holds you forever with His Love. “Come ache with Me!”(Can you hear his call?) “Come Ache with Me!”
HLFA
Jeff
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)