Day 163: God's Control

When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it."  John 11:4

Here's a message that we need to hear in every struggle in our lives.

One thing about illness is that it always brings about the prospect of death.  As soon as we hear about any ailment, be it cancer or a boil, we start to think about death and what it means to us.  We might start to think about what will happen to our family and friends when we depart.  We might think about our own faith, is there life after death?  Does death hurt?  Now, John is not explicit about the illness that Lazarus had, but it definitely was something that assured his family and friends that his death was eminent.  As a way to reassure Martha and Mary, Jesus tells them the above quote.

For me, death is a rude idea because it means that everything comes to an end, whether things are finished or not.  Taking this into consideration, I can think about how to apply Jesus' reassurance to other aspects of my life.  As I grow up, I see that things start to settle into routines.  I have observed different people among my family and friends who have jobs that they stick with for so long, doing the same things every day.  I find people doing the exact same exercises, never gaining or losing weight.  I see people playing instruments but never seeming to get better or worse.  I find many people looking at things that must have been their dreams at first and finding those same great feats to become mundane and even annoying or boring.

Anytime that I read through the Gospels, I quickly realize that Jesus was not one for stagnant routines.  Jesus calls us to take up our things and continue to work preaching the Gospel.  Jesus demonstrated this by being on the move, never settling in one place, and working constantly.  In the same way, we have to be prepared to continue on with our lives, learning new things, going into new environments to preach the Gospel.  The reassurance we need for these situations is that Jesus is going to be glorified in everything that we do, so long as we believe.

Taking on a new job or learning something new, or going through a new struggle is something that we will face, and it will be frightening.  However, when we know that God is in control, we will succeed, for God will be glorified through our courage.

Day 113: Reality

"So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound - think of it - for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?"  Luke 13:16

This statement sums up a series of ideas that Jesus had been teaching.

Basically, whenever we come up to God, the truth will be revealed.  The truth will be revealed, and the fact of whether we were supporting the truth will also become very clear.  Jesus has shown us that the way others live their lives should be completely irrelevant to us.  This argument reaches its height when the Pharisees tell Jesus that there are six other days where one could be healed.  But Jesus shows that it doesn't matter how God will take care of these situations, for they will be taken care of perfectly.

Think of it, Jesus commands.  Think of it, does it matter that somebody around you is praising God in a certain way that's different than the way you are?  Does it really matter whether somebody speaks in a different language and praises in yet another one?  Does it really matter that somebody else who is a different color is receiving the same grace that you are?  None of these should.

Instead, think about your own life.  How strong is your faith?  How can you strengthen it?  Do you need to be healed?  Do you need God's grace?  Do you have gifts from God?  Do you even know what's going to happen tomorrow, let alone in the next hour?

Jesus tells us not to worry about the things that are not in our control, for they are going the way they need to.  They are going to become opportunities for you to walk even closer to God.  In fact, contrary to the plans you might have for your life, the methods that God will use in order to direct your life will be unusual and uncommon.  God has a plan for you, and it's a very unique one.  Learn to follow it, and don't let anything or anyone tempt you away from it. 

Day 101: Jesus' Care

But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me." Luke 9:46

Jesus is in a huddled crowd and seems to state the obvious.

But this message goes far beyond the obvious.  A woman stepped up to Jesus to be healed, and her act of faith healed her.  The better part is that Jesus knew.  Jesus knew because he cares.  A verse that comes to mind is when someone challenges Jesus at the cross, "he saved many, but he can't save himself".  Jesus cares for us that he is paying attention to all of our needs.

The moral of this anecdote is that we need to approach Jesus with good faith in order to be healed.  We will be faced with challenges and hurdles, but Jesus will be there for us, ready to help us when we are in need.  As soon as we reach him, Jesus will send us back, for our act of faith has saved us.

 

Day 059: A Healing Faith

When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.  For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."         Mark 5:27-28

Here we have a great image representing how we are to live out our faith.  Jesus came to the world and preached and left us with lots to think about.  Now, through his words and through the Holy Spirit, he continues to move around everywhere before us.  There is a movement that has been going on since his ministry.

Our faith involved our own decision to act.  In order to proclaim our faith, we have to begin with, "I believe."  We have to make the effort, and we have to take the steps forward.  In this story above, we see a woman who was unclean because of her bleeding come forward to touch the clothes of Jesus.  However, Jesus did not condemn her as an unclean person stepping out of line.  Just as Jesus had been doing with many of the oppressed in those days, he healed her and told her that her faith had made her well.

Jesus is walking before us all the time, but we don't always take the first step.  Many times, we use our own constructs as excuses.  I can't go before Jesus because I'm a woman.  I'm too far into sin to be healed.  I'm hopeless because my pastor says so.  Rather than wallow in a bout of self-guilt, run to Jesus.  Jesus is ready to turn our faith into healing.  Jesus is ready to transform us.  He radiates with so much power, and all we need to do is reach out and touch him.  Make Lent be a time where you take one step closer to Jesus.