When Jesus heard this, He was amazed. (Luke 7:9)
When Jesus returned to Capernaum, He encountered a Roman soldier. A friend to the Jews. A good man by all accounts. But it wasn't his goodness that stopped Jesus dead in his tracks....it was his faith.
As Jesus made His way to the Roman soldier's home to heal his servant's frail body, the soldier stopped Him mid-journey saying Lord, don't trouble yourself by coming to my home....Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed (Luke 7:6-7).
Not can, but will....great faith.
Scripture says When Jesus heard this, He was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, He said, "I tell you I haven't seen faith like this in all Israel! (Luke 7:9)
He was amazed. Jesus. God incarnate. Creator of the sun and moon and all the stars....and everything else. Stopped in His tracks. Amazed. By His gift, at work in His creation.
Amazed by faith.
We know that God loves humanity...But I've often wondered why exactly God fell in love with us in the first place. I think this portion of scripture gives a little insight into the relationship between Creator and creation.
Humanity was given the capacity to amaze God. Call it free will if you want, but we have the ability to fight against everything we've ever been taught -- everything we know to be true -- and believe that the impossible is, actually, possible. Humanity has the capacity to have great faith.
Faith begins to stir within us when we first stand in awe of God. Maybe faith reaches some measure of maturity in us, when the tables are turned...when God stands in awe of His precious gift shining through our humanity....in spite of our humanity.
Oh, to cultivate a faith that would amaze God, Himself. Faith that the impossible would become reality in a split second. Faith that with a single word, God would change the course of a life. Faith that with a single breath, a life would be saved.
That's exactly what happened when Jesus entered the city of Nain and encountered a funeral procession. A widow burying her son. Scripture says When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. "Don't cry!" He said (Luke 7:13).
God, moved by His creation, intervened. Jesus breathed a breath, spoke a word, and saved a life. "Young man," he said, "I tell you, get up." Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! (Luke 7:14-15)
My father-in-law had a near death experience during surgery, and, let me tell you, he woke up with a story to tell. This boy didn't nearly die. He died, likely for a few days. Can you imagine the story he told? Scripture says he woke up talking. I wish it told what he said, but, I think we get a hint a couple of verses later when scripture tells us that the news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding countryside (Luke 7:17).
I imagine that boy told everyone he met about his encounter with Jesus....and the word spread. Faith caught fire from an amazing miracle and overflowed throughout the countryside.
There are times in our lives when faith comes easily, almost naturally. When circumstances seem to be turning in our favor, and we can clearly see the hand of God working for our good, faith is ignited within us.
But there are other times in our lives, when the darkness of our circumstances and the confines of our own personal prisons, make us doubt even the things that we know, that we know, that we know.
Times when faith seems a distant memory and doubt is whispered in our ear constantly by our circumstances, our contemporaries, and our enemy in this world.
Even the strongest Christian is not immune to periods of famished faith. It seems, even John the Baptist struggled in his faith as he sat in Herod's prison.
Scripture tells us that the man who repeatedly proclaimed Jesus Messiah, from his prison cell sent his disciples to ask Jesus "Are you the Messiah we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else? (Matthew 11:3 & Luke 7:19).
Oh, how my heart aches for John the Baptist, even today....because I know how he must have felt. I imagine John began to wonder, how Jesus could really be the Messiah and not be riding in on a white horse to rescue him....and all of Israel.
I can so relate to his struggle. He sat in the darkness of his prison cell and he questioned his faith. I have done the same thing more times than I can count. I have sat in circumstances that I believed could, in no way, be good, and questioned God's goodness...His faithfulness.....His love for me.
I have felt like I have, all but, let my faith die within me, but, the beauty of faith is that it cannot die. Faith is eternal. No matter how dark the thoughts that swirl in our own minds, our faith still burns within us. It may not be an awe inspiring, amazing faith, in our darkest days, but it's still there.
Sometimes faith just needs to be fed.
That's what Jesus did for John the Baptist in his struggle. Jesus didn't answer him directly. That would have taken away His need for faith. Instead Jesus gave him an answer that John could use to feed his faith if he chose to.
Jesus referred to Old Testament scriptures -- the Word of God -- that John likely knew by heart. One of the scriptures referenced says He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed (Isaiah 61:1).
What a personal word of faith to give a prisoner.
God will do the same for us. If we ask Him the tough questions that fill our minds from time to time. If we turn to Him for nourishment in our own dark moments of doubt, when our faith is famished. He will feed our faith with words from His Word that are personal to our own situation.
Faith like that of the Roman soldier, doesn't usually come naturally, except maybe on the heels of a great miracle, but it can be grown...nourished....fed....in each of us....in every circumstance.
That is the gift of faith.
(Journey: Matthew 8:5-13 & 11:1-19; Luke 7:1-35)
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
In the Meantime
A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.(Luke 6:45)
Yesterday was a perfect day for a rainbow. Dark clouds and sunshine colored the sky with every shade of blue imaginable. All day long, I found myself peeking out the windows on the back of my house, peering towards the eastern sky searching for a bow of colors.
Finally, just before sunset, my hopeful glances were rewarded with a faint rainbow. A beautiful reminder of God's faithfulness. A shot of faith straight to my heart.
I take rainbows personally. I believe, when I catch a glimpse of one, that my Father in heaven, has placed it over my head just for me. To feed my faith. To remind me of His promises to me.
A simple reward for looking to Him in expectation of something beautiful in the midst of everyday life.
Isn't that what faith is all about. Looking toward heaven in hope. Seeking God in expectation of finding Him. Asking for something beautiful in anticipation of receiving it.
I believe God desires for us to continually look to Him in expectation, anticipation and hope.
Jesus encouraged this when He told his disciples Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7).
In a relationship where we allow God to lead and we follow, we will find ourselves naturally looking to Him because He will continually promise us a more beautiful future. He will continually encourage us to keep moving forward toward Him, walking in His will.
Often, however, the wait proves more than our feeble faith can handle. The wait becomes a burden that leaves us feeling hopeless and discouraged. The promised beauty seems hidden by dark clouds and falling rain.
That's why God gives us the gift of promises to rely on in our journey. Words of truth that we can repeat to ourselves when we're feeling less than faithful. Less than hopeful. Less than expectant.
Statements full of faith that become like a gas station -- a 7/11, if you will -- where we can rest for a while and fill-up our faith. Like the one Jesus gave His disciples in Matthew 7:11. So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him.
Jesus promises good gifts that may not be exactly what we asked for, but will prove to be exactly what we need when we struggle in our faith. A rainbow shining through the clouds. The perfect song on the radio at just the right time. Words of encouragement from a trusted friend.
Gifts that feed our faith in the meantime. While we're waiting. Because sometimes it seems that most of our lives are lived in the limbo of waiting. Looking forward to more beautiful things.
It's what we do in that waiting, that speaks to who we are in God and the beauty that He will eventually reveal in our lives.
And that has a lot to do with what we spend our prayers asking for...
Earlier in Matthew, Jesus said that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. Here, He told His disciples that the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets is to do to others whatever you would like them to do to you (Matthew 7:12).
The essence of scripture is to turn our own desires into gifts to others.
To give what we want.
If what we ask God for, if what we seek in this life, if what we want, has only to do with our own selfish desires, then we are missing the point of our faith entirely. Our desires are meant to become our gifts. Good gifts. Good fruit. Poured out on others.
Our desires are meant to be less tangible, and more spiritual.
I think it's clear in scripture that the thing that God wants us to want, to ask for, and to seek the most is to be more like Him....More like Christ.....Fulfilling the essence of all that is taught in the law.
Loving. Joyful. Peacemaking. Patient. Kind. Good. Faithful. Gentle. Self-controlled (Galatians 5:22-23).
Our desire should be to produce good gifts -- good spiritual fruit.
In fact, our heart's desire should be for a good heart, because that's where every thing else flows from.
Jesus said, A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit (Matthew 7:17).
In the same teaching in Luke, He said, A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.(Luke 6:45)
Our greatest desire should be for God to change our heart from evil to good.
So that what we do to others, while we're waiting for God to fulfill His promises to us, is good.
So that who we are, when we're not quite who we want to be, is a good person.
So that we can stand firm in our faith even when we find ourselves knee-deep in rising floodwaters.....waiting for our own beautiful future.
Jesus said, I will show you what it's like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built (Luke 6:47-48).
We are a house in progress. A good tree in the making. A promise being fulfilled.
In the meantime, if we listen to God's teaching and follow it, we will give good gifts to others.
That is the gift of faith in us.
(Journey: Matthew 7:7-29; Luke 6:43-49)
Yesterday was a perfect day for a rainbow. Dark clouds and sunshine colored the sky with every shade of blue imaginable. All day long, I found myself peeking out the windows on the back of my house, peering towards the eastern sky searching for a bow of colors.
Finally, just before sunset, my hopeful glances were rewarded with a faint rainbow. A beautiful reminder of God's faithfulness. A shot of faith straight to my heart.
I take rainbows personally. I believe, when I catch a glimpse of one, that my Father in heaven, has placed it over my head just for me. To feed my faith. To remind me of His promises to me.
A simple reward for looking to Him in expectation of something beautiful in the midst of everyday life.
Isn't that what faith is all about. Looking toward heaven in hope. Seeking God in expectation of finding Him. Asking for something beautiful in anticipation of receiving it.
I believe God desires for us to continually look to Him in expectation, anticipation and hope.
Jesus encouraged this when He told his disciples Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7).
In a relationship where we allow God to lead and we follow, we will find ourselves naturally looking to Him because He will continually promise us a more beautiful future. He will continually encourage us to keep moving forward toward Him, walking in His will.
Often, however, the wait proves more than our feeble faith can handle. The wait becomes a burden that leaves us feeling hopeless and discouraged. The promised beauty seems hidden by dark clouds and falling rain.
That's why God gives us the gift of promises to rely on in our journey. Words of truth that we can repeat to ourselves when we're feeling less than faithful. Less than hopeful. Less than expectant.
Statements full of faith that become like a gas station -- a 7/11, if you will -- where we can rest for a while and fill-up our faith. Like the one Jesus gave His disciples in Matthew 7:11. So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him.
Jesus promises good gifts that may not be exactly what we asked for, but will prove to be exactly what we need when we struggle in our faith. A rainbow shining through the clouds. The perfect song on the radio at just the right time. Words of encouragement from a trusted friend.
Gifts that feed our faith in the meantime. While we're waiting. Because sometimes it seems that most of our lives are lived in the limbo of waiting. Looking forward to more beautiful things.
It's what we do in that waiting, that speaks to who we are in God and the beauty that He will eventually reveal in our lives.
And that has a lot to do with what we spend our prayers asking for...
Earlier in Matthew, Jesus said that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. Here, He told His disciples that the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets is to do to others whatever you would like them to do to you (Matthew 7:12).
The essence of scripture is to turn our own desires into gifts to others.
To give what we want.
If what we ask God for, if what we seek in this life, if what we want, has only to do with our own selfish desires, then we are missing the point of our faith entirely. Our desires are meant to become our gifts. Good gifts. Good fruit. Poured out on others.
Our desires are meant to be less tangible, and more spiritual.
I think it's clear in scripture that the thing that God wants us to want, to ask for, and to seek the most is to be more like Him....More like Christ.....Fulfilling the essence of all that is taught in the law.
Loving. Joyful. Peacemaking. Patient. Kind. Good. Faithful. Gentle. Self-controlled (Galatians 5:22-23).
Our desire should be to produce good gifts -- good spiritual fruit.
In fact, our heart's desire should be for a good heart, because that's where every thing else flows from.
Jesus said, A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit (Matthew 7:17).
In the same teaching in Luke, He said, A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.(Luke 6:45)
Our greatest desire should be for God to change our heart from evil to good.
So that what we do to others, while we're waiting for God to fulfill His promises to us, is good.
So that who we are, when we're not quite who we want to be, is a good person.
So that we can stand firm in our faith even when we find ourselves knee-deep in rising floodwaters.....waiting for our own beautiful future.
Jesus said, I will show you what it's like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built (Luke 6:47-48).
We are a house in progress. A good tree in the making. A promise being fulfilled.
In the meantime, if we listen to God's teaching and follow it, we will give good gifts to others.
That is the gift of faith in us.
(Journey: Matthew 7:7-29; Luke 6:43-49)
Monday, June 3, 2013
Giving and Forgiving
...Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full -- pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back....(Luke 6:37-38)
When you are anywhere in the vicinity of a toddler it's difficult not to interact with them. They naturally try to capture the attention of everyone who looks their way. Smiling. Giggling. Waving. They desire attention. And if you'll give it to them, you'll quickly have a new friend.
If you try to take anything away from them, however, you're likely to get a demonstration of the reason the toddler years are often called the terrible twos.
Most toddlers are a bit selfish. Giving is not their strong suit.
Because of this, people often ask toddlers if they can have things that they are clinging to. Cups. Pacifiers. Food. Like a game every adult knows the answer to. Most kids answer with a resounding no. Clinging tighter to whatever they have.
My son, Toby Jo, however, shocked more adults than I could begin to count because he would freely give anything, anyone asked of him. He has a naturally generous spirit. A rare quality.
Truth be told, the selfish attitude of toddlerhood often carries into adulthood.
We don't really like to give freely.
We measure our giving. We give if we think we might get something in return. Recognition. Praise. Glory.
Jesus touched on this human tendency when he taught His disciples to give to the poor and needy in private instead of publicly (Matthew 6:1-4). He warned them not to seek public admiration, but private rewards from God, Himself.
Every gift that we have the ability to give comes from God (James 1:17) so when we seek admiration for our gifts from those around us we are, in effect, stealing the glory from God.
Everything we give to those less fortunate than us should be given as though we were handing it directly back to God. A sacrifice from the heart. Because that is indeed what we are doing. Scripture says, Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his deed (Proverbs 19:17).
Jesus went on to teach about gifts of worship to God. Admonishing His disciples to pray and fast without drawing attention to themselves for the praise and admiration of others. Talk about stealing glory from God (Matthew 6:5-18).
The thought of turning worship into selfish gain brings tears to my eyes.....of shame and conviction....
With social media and the abundance of communication available to us, the trumpets we can blow in the streets to call attention to ourselves have been multiplied infinitely more than the disciples could ever have imagined.
Instead of giving our hearts and minds in prayer and our bodies in sacrifice, we steal the glory from God and live our lives on pedestals crafted by our own hands.
Prayer becomes a means of praise for ourselves. Fasting becomes a fashion statement for the elite followers of Christ.
We babble empty words like people of other religions. Those who don't recognize the sacrifice Christ made for us. Those who don't understand the gift we've been given so freely. The gift that should leave us speechless in our closet before God daily.
The gift of forgiveness.
Redemption for every good gift given for the wrong reasons. Grace for every prayer prayed for the benefit of those around us. Mercy for every fast fulfilled for the glory of living a Godly life in a fallen world.
In the midst of His commentary on giving gifts to the poor and needy, and to God in worship, Jesus touched on forgiving, and extending grace and mercy, to those who need forgiveness just as much as we do -- our fellow man. The lost world around us...And other Christians, who make the same mistakes we do.
Not only are we called to forgive the lost who we expect to sin regularly and fall short of living a Godly life, we are called to forgive other Christians. Those we often hold to a higher standard. Those we place on a pedestal that they can't stand on any more easily than we can.
Christians who blow their own trumpets in the street when they give to the poor and needy. Christians who pray to be seen by others. Christians who fast to be admired by others.
Christians who fail just as often as we do.
I can almost hear Jesus whispering to my heart....Forgive my beloved children who are so insecure in my love for them that they seek approval, applause and glory from anyone and everyone. Forgive the Christians who toot their own horns when they've done something right and, yet, toot their car horns in anger when they're having a bad day.
I imagine that few things sadden God's heart more than watching one of His children beat up on another of His children for failing to live up to their proclaimed Christianity.
Forgive the ones who fall short.....because don't we all fall short (Romans 3:23).
Don't we ALL wallow in sin from time to time?
Jesus said Don't throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you (Matthew 7:6).
All Christians are washed clean and pure and made ready for eternity by the blood of Christ. But while we're living in this filthy, sin-filled world, we're all wallowing in a giant pig sty.....And sometimes we forget we're not pigs anymore.
Whether we're giving money to the poor and needy, worship to God, or forgiveness to those around us, all our gifts -- all our pearls -- should be given AS IF to God, not the pigs wallowing in the mud of this Earth.
Our gifts should be returned to the Giver of all gifts.
After all, He's the only one who guarantees a full return -- pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap.....(Luke 6:38)
That is the gift of faith.
(Journey: Matthew 6:1-34, 7:1-6; Luke 6:37-42)
When you are anywhere in the vicinity of a toddler it's difficult not to interact with them. They naturally try to capture the attention of everyone who looks their way. Smiling. Giggling. Waving. They desire attention. And if you'll give it to them, you'll quickly have a new friend.
If you try to take anything away from them, however, you're likely to get a demonstration of the reason the toddler years are often called the terrible twos.
Most toddlers are a bit selfish. Giving is not their strong suit.
Because of this, people often ask toddlers if they can have things that they are clinging to. Cups. Pacifiers. Food. Like a game every adult knows the answer to. Most kids answer with a resounding no. Clinging tighter to whatever they have.
My son, Toby Jo, however, shocked more adults than I could begin to count because he would freely give anything, anyone asked of him. He has a naturally generous spirit. A rare quality.
Truth be told, the selfish attitude of toddlerhood often carries into adulthood.
We don't really like to give freely.
We measure our giving. We give if we think we might get something in return. Recognition. Praise. Glory.
Jesus touched on this human tendency when he taught His disciples to give to the poor and needy in private instead of publicly (Matthew 6:1-4). He warned them not to seek public admiration, but private rewards from God, Himself.
Every gift that we have the ability to give comes from God (James 1:17) so when we seek admiration for our gifts from those around us we are, in effect, stealing the glory from God.
Everything we give to those less fortunate than us should be given as though we were handing it directly back to God. A sacrifice from the heart. Because that is indeed what we are doing. Scripture says, Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his deed (Proverbs 19:17).
Jesus went on to teach about gifts of worship to God. Admonishing His disciples to pray and fast without drawing attention to themselves for the praise and admiration of others. Talk about stealing glory from God (Matthew 6:5-18).
The thought of turning worship into selfish gain brings tears to my eyes.....of shame and conviction....
With social media and the abundance of communication available to us, the trumpets we can blow in the streets to call attention to ourselves have been multiplied infinitely more than the disciples could ever have imagined.
Instead of giving our hearts and minds in prayer and our bodies in sacrifice, we steal the glory from God and live our lives on pedestals crafted by our own hands.
Prayer becomes a means of praise for ourselves. Fasting becomes a fashion statement for the elite followers of Christ.
We babble empty words like people of other religions. Those who don't recognize the sacrifice Christ made for us. Those who don't understand the gift we've been given so freely. The gift that should leave us speechless in our closet before God daily.
The gift of forgiveness.
Redemption for every good gift given for the wrong reasons. Grace for every prayer prayed for the benefit of those around us. Mercy for every fast fulfilled for the glory of living a Godly life in a fallen world.
In the midst of His commentary on giving gifts to the poor and needy, and to God in worship, Jesus touched on forgiving, and extending grace and mercy, to those who need forgiveness just as much as we do -- our fellow man. The lost world around us...And other Christians, who make the same mistakes we do.
Not only are we called to forgive the lost who we expect to sin regularly and fall short of living a Godly life, we are called to forgive other Christians. Those we often hold to a higher standard. Those we place on a pedestal that they can't stand on any more easily than we can.
Christians who blow their own trumpets in the street when they give to the poor and needy. Christians who pray to be seen by others. Christians who fast to be admired by others.
Christians who fail just as often as we do.
I can almost hear Jesus whispering to my heart....Forgive my beloved children who are so insecure in my love for them that they seek approval, applause and glory from anyone and everyone. Forgive the Christians who toot their own horns when they've done something right and, yet, toot their car horns in anger when they're having a bad day.
I imagine that few things sadden God's heart more than watching one of His children beat up on another of His children for failing to live up to their proclaimed Christianity.
Forgive the ones who fall short.....because don't we all fall short (Romans 3:23).
Don't we ALL wallow in sin from time to time?
Jesus said Don't throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you (Matthew 7:6).
All Christians are washed clean and pure and made ready for eternity by the blood of Christ. But while we're living in this filthy, sin-filled world, we're all wallowing in a giant pig sty.....And sometimes we forget we're not pigs anymore.
Whether we're giving money to the poor and needy, worship to God, or forgiveness to those around us, all our gifts -- all our pearls -- should be given AS IF to God, not the pigs wallowing in the mud of this Earth.
Our gifts should be returned to the Giver of all gifts.
After all, He's the only one who guarantees a full return -- pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap.....(Luke 6:38)
That is the gift of faith.
(Journey: Matthew 6:1-34, 7:1-6; Luke 6:37-42)
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