May 18, 2016

God Can Do Anything

40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

41 Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. -- Mark 1:40-42

Every day I ask God to heal a dear friend. She has ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It is not a pretty disease and the outlook is grim.

But Jesus can heal anyone from anything. I reminded Him of that this morning. My friend is blessed in that she can still do much of what she wants to do. She must be on a breathing machine four hours each day and she has a feeding tube, but she can walk and do so many things.

What I miss, though, is talking to her. We text but it’s just not the same. She even has a voice program on her computer. But it’s not the same. Sometimes when I read her comments I can hear her voice in my mind. I miss it.

God can restore her voice. He can restore her health. He can. So I asked Him. I know. He usually doesn’t restore health in cases like this. But He can. He can.

I wonder how many times we fail to ask for what we really want in life because we’ve already determined that God will say no. But the answer will always be no if we don’t ask.

Prayer is such a powerful thing. God hears His children. The same Jesus who healed the leper can heal my friend. If He is willing.

Why do we limit God? Why do we ask for the small, the unimportant, the generic things rather than the specific big things that really matter? Maybe it’s because we’re afraid He’ll say no. Then what?

Maybe we somehow think if we don’t ask, it won’t hurt so badly if God doesn’t heal, doesn’t provide, doesn’t show up like we planned. It will.

Here’s the thing: God always shows up. He’s always with us. No matter what His answer, He is present with us. He does know best even if His answer breaks our heart. It’s breaking His heart even more.

It was never God’s plan for all these diseases to be part of our lives. He didn’t want this fallen world. That’s why He had a plan to save us, to send His Son to shed His blood to pay for all our sins. One day we’ll go home. But for now we face some heartbreaking things. Like ALS.

I know the odds aren’t great. I do. I lost the ability to live in a fantasy world a long, long time ago. But I also know that my God is great and mighty and He can do anything. If He is willing. So I won’t stop asking. Because, who knows, maybe one day He will be.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Be God’s Messenger

It is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way -- a voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

 -- Mark 1:2-4

Before Jesus began His earthly ministry, John the Baptist told the world He was coming. John was set aside for God’s service and, eventually, he would give his life.

There was nothing normal about John. The Bible tells us he wore clothing of camel’s hair and he ate locusts and honey. Can you imagine how odd he must have appeared? Yet he loudly proclaimed the Messiah’s coming. Perhaps his differences made people notice and listen. Maybe a few even believed.

We are all called to be messengers for God. We are to prepare the way for those who are lost, those who are seeking, those who need a Savior. Yet we tend to shove our responsibility aside. We pay the preachers to do that sort of thing, don’t we?

I doubt God will let any of us get away with that excuse. Because that’s all it is. We don’t want the responsibility of talking to others about Jesus. We don’t want to boldly live our faith. We don’t want others to see us as religious fanatics.

What do we want others to see when they look at you or me? A decent person. A honest person. A hard worker. Someone who is kind and caring? Maybe, for most of us. But don’t we also want others to see us as someone who loved Jesus with all our hearts? Someone who lived our faith boldly in a fallen world that was so lost?

Our world could sure use a large dose of bold Christian living. Not judgment. Not condemnation. Not law. But of love and kindness and forgiveness. Because those are the things Jesus preached. Those are virtues He showed us how to live. So why do we hide behind a mask that tells us to hide our faith when we are outside the walls of our churches?

I am a Christian. I believe in Jesus. My faith is tested and true. And that bothers some people. So be it. I will continue to live my faith out loud. I will pray in public. I will speak of Jesus and all He has done for me. I will credit my God with all the good things He has and continues to do for me. To the best of my ability, I will live my life as a testimony of what I believe.

John the Baptist came to prepare the way for others to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. What about your life? Are you preparing others? Are you leading them toward the cross? Are you showing them what the promise of eternal life means today? God has set you apart. He has claimed you as His just as you claimed Jesus when you cried out to Him for salvation. So be God’s messenger. Show others the right path.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Learn To Listen First

One day as Jesus was walking along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother, Andrew, fishing with a net, for they were commercial fisherman. Jesus called out to them, “Come, be my disciples, and I will show you how to fish for people!.” -- Mark 1:16-17

Jesus was really good at meeting people where they were. He talked with Simon Peter about fishing for men because that’s the language the commercial fisherman could understand. Another time, Jesus offered the Samarian woman at the well the chance to have living water. It was language she could understand.

So how do you and I share our faith with others? How do we know what words to use when we tell others about Jesus? By listening, really listening, to what others are saying.

Those of you who rushed to say that you already listen are the very ones who need to take a step back. That’s the kind of “listening” I’m not talking about. You think you’re listening but you aren’t.

Don’t feel bad. Active, compassionate listening requires lots of practice. It isn’t something that comes naturally to any of us. But it can make all the difference when it comes to sharing your faith.

Ask the other person about his/her spiritual beliefs. Maybe have the person read a Bible passage and ask what he thinks it means. Then let the person talk. Don’t interrupt. Don’t tell the other person what he should think or say. Just listen.

Along those same lines, don’t spend the entire time the other person is talking trying to figure out what you’re going to say next. Who cares? Actively listen with your ears, your eyes and your heart. People ache to know that someone else really hears them. Be that person.

When you start listening to others, you start hearing the language they can understand. You know if they are fishermen or out to get drinking water for the day. You can hear if they’re lonely, facing financial burdens, hungry for knowledge, or whatever it is they need to tell you.

That’s the place where you share Jesus. That’s the point where you get out of the way and let the Holy Spirit lead the way. That’s the moment when hearts open and Jesus walks right on in.