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.

July 16, 2019

The Cost of Not Paying Attention

Recently I went away to a week-long, wonderful retreat in Tennessee. We were told they would be procuring our cell phones and all electronic devices on Monday and we would receive them again on Sunday, right before the shuttle bus would take us back to the airport, departing for home.

I admit I went through withdrawals from my Smartphone the first day. Even without texting, email and social media access, I did not realize I would even miss referencing the Weather app and the calculator.

And then it happened. My senses were heightened.

I noticed the way the breeze rustled through the maple leaves as I rocked in the tree swing.   I looked up and paid attention to the shape of the clouds as they glided by. I paid attention to the clink of the chain against the spring on the tree swing as I gently rocked back and forth.

As the week continued, I looked more people in the eye for longer. I noticed the color of their eyes, their laugh lines, the white of their teeth as they smiled. Even my food tasted better as I chewed. I even laughed more. I was much more aware of my surroundings.

Why had I not noticed before?  Why have I not paid more attention? What have I been doing? The answer is simple. Rushing and looking down at my Smartphone. Too busy to savor the moments of this precious life we are given.

“Pay” attention. The verb we use before the word “attention” causes me to ponder. Pay. Like paying for an item in a store. There is a cost NOT to pay attention. There is value. There is sacrifice. Yes, I desire to pay more attention.

The Bible is full of passages about “paying” attention.

“Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach.” –Proverbs 22:17 NIV

“The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your GOD that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.” –Deuteronomy 28:13 NIV

“My son, pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight.” –Proverbs 5:1 NIV

“You have seen many things, but have paid no attention; your ears are open, but you hear nothing.” –Isaiah 42:20 NIV

“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. –Hebrews 2:1 NIV

“And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” –2 Peter 1:19 NIV

Forgive me, Lord. Forgive the blinders of my eyes and heart. Forgive my hurried pace. Forgive me for looking down at my Smartphone and not looking up. Please help me pay more attention.  Help me notice You, Lord. Help me pay attention to Your majesty, from the gorgeous full moon to the fresh morning dew in my front lawn to the bright hydrangeas in my yard.. Beauty surrounds us if we look.  Paying attention is worth the cost, Lord. I pray to experience life through Your lens and Your timing. In Jesus’ Name, By the Power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 Reflect:

–How would you rank your life’s pace? Please comment.

–Would you challenge yourself to fast from your phone and social media for a week?

–What intentional act will you do to unrush yourself? How?  Please comment.

Recharge:

–Please enjoy at least one unrushed moment with your spouse, child, loved one today.

–Savoring a few minutes of prayer and quiet devotional time in the Bible sets a more unrushed pace and peace for the day to pay more attention.

June 18, 2019

Sinking or Standing: Life Lessons from Peter’s Brief Walk on Water

Kneeling on the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee, I breathe in the aroma of this ancient body of fresh water. It’s surreal gazing out on this glassy sea, a sea that’s really more of a large lake. It’s surreal even being here in the Holy Land, on this same shore where Jesus was. The Sea of Galilee is one of my most favorite, tranquil places in all of Israel.

I bend down and cup the water in my hands. I let the chilly water slip through my fingers gently. My mind wanders to the Bible passages of Jesus walking on this water. Of Peter’s brief walk on this same water.

I stand up and walk over to sit on a rock on the shoreline. I open my Bible. The story of Jesus walking on the water is found in three of the four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and John.

The Gospels to me are like different camera angles of some of the same amazing events of Jesus. Matthew is the only Gospel that records Peter’s brief walk on water.

Let’s set the scene. Jesus had just performed the amazing miracle of feeding the 5000+ people with merely a few fish and loaves of bread.

“When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, ‘This is indeed the Prophet who had come into the world! Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.’ John 6:14-15. ESV

Some Bible scholars and I believe that Jesus would have gone up onto Mt. Arbel, which is a gentle-sloping mountain overlooking the Sea of Galilee. What a good example for us. Even Jesus quieted his soul and rested after doing a miracle. How much more then should we take time to be still after a flurry of activity in our lives?

I also like the Gospel of Mark’s perspective as the story continues.

“Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’ Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.” –Mark 6:47-52 NIV

So often Jesus shows up so clearly when we are “straining at the oars.” When have you experienced His presence clearly recently as you were “straining at the oars”?

Then good, impetuous Peter chimes in.

“’Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’

‘Come,’ he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’” –Matthew 14:28-33 NIV

What life lessons may we learn from Peter?

  1. Stay focused on Jesus and keep your eyes on Jesus. As soon as we get distracted by the storms in life or other distractions, we can sink. What does focusing on Jesus look like for you?
  2. When Jesus commanded Peter to come, he obeyed. Even though it made no sense, Peter did what Jesus said. This is what obedience looks like–doing what Jesus says. Are there any areas of our lives Jesus we are not obeying Him right now?
  3. Faith is simply taking the next step. Peter sank when he lost sight of the next step. What next step has Jesus asked you to take?
  4. Faith unleashes the supernatural. Let miracles happen.  Lord, help our unbelief. Is there anything you need to be doing differently in faith to unleash miracles?
  5. Fear will sink you. Is there any fear that is gripping and controlling your decision making?
  6. A little faith is better than no faith. The other disciples in the boat apparently had no faith.

What is your boat?

May we learn from Peter’s courage and obedience.

May we get out of our boats–our comfort zones—and step out in faith.  Be not afraid, friend.

 

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