Ordering our lives to reflect God's glory
Holy Spirit, Come
Touch this generation
Breathe into us your Life
Stir in us the Holy Flame
Renew our minds
Transform our hearts
By the power of your word
Refresh our souls
Give us the peace
That passes understanding
We give you our anxieties,
Our fears, our struggles
Replace them with
Your grace
Your love
Your truth
Holy Spirit, Come
Miracles. So much has been written and said about them. Why do they occur and why does God seem to intervene with a miracle in one situation, and remain silent in others? Why did God use miracles throughout scripture, and why and how does he use them today?
I like the way CS Lewis explains miracles in his essay by the same name. He says, (paraphrasing) that the operations of the world and the laws of nature are indeed miracles, but because that is our “normal” we do not see the rising and setting of the sun, the growing of plants and of humans, and other processes that happen daily, as miraculous. When crops come in year after year, he says, and result in bread being made, we don’t regard it in the same way as Jesus multiplying the loaves, although it is just as much of a miracle. When grapes grow on the vine and are harvested for wine, he continues, we are not as amazed as when Jesus turns the water into wine, even though it is all accomplished by God’s hand.
When all the components of our body systems work so that we can live and move and think and breathe, we don’t see it as a daily miracle. Perhaps at times we will ponder such things but in the coming and going of everyday life, most people are not actively perceiving those things as miracles. The kinds of things we think of as miracles happen outside the laws of nature, beyond our “normal.”
Scripture tells us that part of the reason Jesus performed miracles was to confirm his identity, so that we would believe he was who he said he was. His miracles were to strengthen our faith, to “confirm the message” (Mark 16:20), as well as to be of benefit to the recipient of the miracle. The first prerequisite for a miracle is that there is a need. Through this need then, God has an opportunity to operate outside the laws of nature and demonstrate his power. If his miracles were only meant to amaze people, he could have done things that appeared more like magic tricks. Those things, too, would have been operating outside the laws of nature, but would not have served to demonstrate the larger miracles all around us.
Again, to draw on the wisdom of Lewis, “Each miracle writes for us in small letters something that God has already written, or will write, in letters almost too large to be noticed, across the whole canvas of Nature.” When Jesus healed a physical body, he was doing on an individual scale what the natural bodies of all humans do to heal themselves when there is sickness or injury. Many physicians will be the first to acknowledge, even with the advent of amazing medical advances, that they merely aid the body in healing itself.
Jesus healed people in a variety of ways while he was on the earth – sometimes he touched them, sometimes they touched him. Sometimes he prayed or spoke the word when the person was not even in his presence, and healing came. One time he told 10 lepers to go and present themselves to the priest – an act of obedience and faith – and ON THE WAY, they were healed (Luke 17). That phrase really jumped out at me as I read it – ON THE WAY. They had to start walking, with no evidence that the healing would come, they simply obeyed the voice of Jesus.
Maybe you’re reading this right now and you are in need of a specific miracle in your life; maybe there is a situation that you think has no possibility of being resolved, or you need healing in your body, or some other situation that only you know about. I don’t mean to oversimplify, but maybe this simple question is for you – what has he asked you to do?
Maybe your healing or solution happens ON THE WAY as you walk in faith – as you step out and start moving.
Maybe your miracle is on the other side of obedience.
I almost titled this post, ‘Trust Your Feelings, Luke?” in homage to that old line from Star Wars. In that make believe world, Luke was encouraged to trust his feelings, but I want to ask each of you a question.
Have your feelings ever steered you wrong? Have you ever been absolutely convinced of something, and then your feelings did a 180 degree turn after some time went by, or when you got some new information? Maybe you thought you were in love as a teenager, but if that relationship had remained, you would not have met your spouse and your life would have taken a totally different trajectory. Or how about misjudging someone’s character initially – maybe you were sure about an opinion or a feeling you had about someone, and then found out that person was much different than you thought? Or have you ever been so angry or sad or depressed that you felt like you wanted to end it all, thinking the world would be better off without you? Most of us can likely relate to at least one of those situations, and you can probably think of other instances where feelings let you down. Feelings that, had you followed through on them, could have led to disastrous consequences.
In today’s society, it seems honoring and being true to one’s personal feelings is considered the pinnacle of virtue, and happiness is the worthiest goal of every life. But, in actuality, focusing on our feelings is the very opposite of Godly wisdom. From the time we are born, our parents and others are helping to shape us into people who can offer something to the world we live in. Think about how we train toddlers – they have very strong feelings! No one has to “teach” a toddler how to be selfish, disobedient, or how to lie. No, we teach them how to be self-LESS, how to share, and how to tell the truth, even when telling a lie seems more comfortable. We teach them to have self-control, rather than to be totally controlled by, and at the mercy of, their own emotions.
As they grow, we teach children how to be tactful, how to be considerate of others. We don’t tell them to “just be yourself” without regard to others – no, we are constantly molding and shaping them to be BETTER people. If left strictly to their “feelings,” many children would not go to bed at a decent time, not go to school, and not eat properly. Having control and mastery over our feelings keeps us from doing all kinds of destructive things to others and even to ourselves. Lack of self-control, and just doing what “feels right” at the moment, is often a recipe for disaster.
Proverbs 25:28 describes a man without self-control as being “like a city broken into and left without walls.” If you don’t have walls, you are open to attacks of the enemy, you are without protection.
While “feelings” are exalted above all in the culture today, there seems to be a sense that there is something that still needs work within ourselves – otherwise why would there be such a plethora of “self-help” books? But in these books the advice is usually centered around “self-care,” doing what your heart tells you, living your best life, etc. This is all antithetical, however, to how the God of Scripture wants us to view and live out our lives.
Jesus never said, “Be sure and take care of yourself, put yourself first,” but rather, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew16:24-25). He gave us the example of servant leadership when he humbled himself and washed his disciples’ feet. “The greatest among you will be a servant,” he told his disciples when some wanted top status in the Kingdom. In other words, we are not to put ourselves, our desires, or our own personal happiness at the top of the hierarchy of priorities. Not every emotion we feel, or thought that pops into our heads, is equally valid or worthy of expression.
So, are emotions bad? Should we ignore our feelings? By no means! Our emotions and feelings can be the impetus for unselfish acts of kindness, and for loving our families and others well. Sometimes feelings warn us of harmful situations, or signal something is “off.” In my work as a pediatric OT, I often find myself repeating to parents what a wise instructor said in a continuing education course I attended, “All behavior tells you something.” Sometimes we just have to figure out what that is, in order to stop a negative behavior. I think the same could be said for feelings– all feelings tell you something.
As Christians we should examine how our feelings align with what God’s word says and His expectation of holiness in our lives. Jesus says he will give us a “peace that passes all understanding.” Do I feel that peace? The Joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). Do I feel joy? Peace and joy are fruits of the Spirit, and the presence of the feelings of peace and joy are indications I am being led by the Holy Spirit.
What about the negative feelings we experience? Again, examine the source.
When I’m angry, does my anger have a righteous cause, because of injustice or because someone is being mistreated, or is my anger rooted in pride, stubbornness, and wanting my own way? Jesus demonstrated anger when he drove the merchants out of the temple, but it was a righteous anger, because the merchants had made the Temple a place where goods were bought and sold instead of a place of prayer and worship. Some commentators also surmise that part of Jesus’s anger was because the merchants often cheated the poorest of people, which were usually the women and widows, as they sought to buy sacrifices outside the temple. Jesus’ anger was righteous on both counts.
Am I experiencing negative emotions because of jealousy, or unforgiveness, or fear of missing out? Is the sadness or depression I feel, rooted in an intense focus on the self? In every situation, we must examine our feelings, but not exalt them. Feelings can be good when properly assessed and addressed but can also be the “gateway drug,” so to speak, that leads to living a life so intensely focused on the self that it can never bring contentment. That kind of life always has us seeking the next situation we think will bring us happiness.
Jesus says, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33). Seeking the Kingdom is always outwardly focused, not inwardly focused. We seek the Kingdom by giving, by serving, by worshipping. And all that is more than just a feeling.
Roses in the Light
I have a sweet friend who sent a dozen pale pink roses to me for my birthday. They were beautiful when they arrived, but over the next few days they opened up and became even more gorgeous. I placed them on a table in a prominent place in our living room to enjoy them every minute that I could. On the table there is a lamp to the right, and on the left is the foyer area, with a lot of natural light. This is what I noticed about those flowers over the next few days – the flowers facing the side of the artificial light did not open as much as the ones facing the greater light source, and by the end of the week, the ones on the right side even began to droop a little. Things grow toward the light.
How like our lives, I thought. We can get some pleasure from an “artificial” source, but the true source of life and light is what brings us to our full potential, and gives us that beautiful opening up of our hearts and lives to others.
In John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Our culture has become so dark, with all kinds of depravity, and desperately needs to know the real source of light. So don’t settle for artificial when you can have the real promises, the real life, the real light, found in Jesus Christ.
Be blessed and walk in the light today!
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“…a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God” (Hebrews 7:19)
Jesus is better – immeasurably better than everything that came before, the “guarantor of a better covenant” (Heb. 7:22), able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him (Hebrews 7:25).
Blood was an important part of demonstrating a covenantal relationship in biblical times, and the shedding of blood was necessary for the redemption of sins. This would have been a concept that everyone would have understood in that day.
The blood of Abel was shed in the very first murder. God told Cain, “Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.” That blood cried out for vengeance. But Hebrews 12:24 tells us that the blood of Jesus “speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.”
Abel’s blood cried out for revenge.
Jesus’ blood cries out forgiveness.
Abel’s blood cried out for justice.
Jesus’ blood cries out mercy and atonement.
Present tense.
Jesus’ blood still speaks today, to your heart and mine. Once and for all the sacrifice was given. The spotless lamb, slain before the foundation of the world, given for the sins of the whole world.
He is better. His sacrifice, His hope, His power – all better.
Won’t you choose better today?
Have you ever been in a difficult situation you thought would never end? You felt abandoned, maybe even by God Himself? I have an idea this was how John the Baptist felt when he was in prison, while Jesus still walked the earth. After hearing things about Jesus’ ministry while he was in prison, John sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus if He was the promised one, the Messiah, or if they should still be looking for someone else.
Reading between the lines, I wonder if John’s thought process was something like, “If you are the One, you have the power to do anything, and yet, I’m still here – still in this jail, still waiting for you to DO something!”
Jesus responds to their query with, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” Jesus was doing what he was sent to do; he was God in human skin, doing what God does: healing the sick, resurrecting the dead, delivering good news. Why did he not rescue John from prison? I don’t have the answer to that question, but just because we don’t have all our “why” questions answered, it doesn’t mean God stops being who He is. He may not always do what we want, exactly when we want, but He’s always working to fulfill His purposes in and through us.
That’s all well and good and true, you might say, but I’m still here– in this mess, in this heartbreak, in this hardship.
My Friend, do you know what Jesus wants to say to you?
“I’m Still Here”
I am with you in the mess, in the heartbreak, in the hardship.
“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
He is good.
His promises are true.
His steadfast love endures to all generations.
“And behold I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
Whenever a person encounters Jesus, it changes him or her. All through Scripture we see encounters with people who are willing to give up everything, including their sin, after encountering Messiah. One such person was Zacchaeus. If you are over about 20 years of age, and grew up in church, you probably remember singing the Sunday School song about him (always a fan favorite). This was before the days of children’s areas that look like mini versions of Disneyland; it was a simpler time of butter cookies and apple juice, and felt boards that were the highlight of the lesson.
The song went like this:
Zacchaeus was a wee little man
And a wee little man was he
He climbed up in a sycamore tree
For the Lord he wanted to see
And as the Savior passed that way
He looked up in the tree
And said, Zacchaeus, you come down!
For I’m going to your house today
For I’m going to your house today
As a child, I guess the idea I came away with was that it was really cool to have Jesus come to your house for dinner, and that it was ok to climb a tree, or do whatever you had to do, to be able to see him and get His attention.
As an adult, this still resonates – do whatever you have to do to see Jesus clearly. Make time for Him, make sure you are in the appropriate place and position to be able to see Him.
Luke 19 tells us about Zacchaeus, that he was a “chief tax collector” and was “wealthy.” When Jesus tells him to come down out of the tree, Zacchaeus immediately does what Jesus asks, and welcomes Jesus to come and dine with him. People in the crowd were angry that Jesus was associating with one so reviled. “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner,” they muttered.
But what happens next is remarkable. Zacchaeus says, “Look, Lord! Here and now, I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount” (Luke 19:8). When he saw and accepted Jesus for who He was, Zacchaeus saw himself with greater clarity. He immediately responded with obedience that required a turning away from his old ways, from the practice of gouging the people for more than they owed. He also responded with a promise to be generous with his wealth, to give away half of everything he owned. Jesus tells Zacchaeus, “Today, salvation has come to your house.”
When we truly see Jesus and encounter Him, we are never the same; we can’t be. The old has passed away, and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). No matter who you are or where you come from, no matter if you are the most respected person in the community, or feel like an outcast, Jesus wants to come and dine with you.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).
I long to see Him ever more clearly, to make my table ready for Him.
Come and dine – you are welcome here.
I have been watching a humongous building going up in a corridor on the Atlanta Highway, which is now filled with warehouses – I’m talking warehouses which are several hundred thousand feet in scale. I noticed the corner of this soon to be monstrosity as it stood alone, being braced, it appeared, by beams as large as telephone poles. Even though I have known in theory what a cornerstone is, I don’t believe I have ever seen the corner of a cement building at its inception. A cornerstone, also called a foundation stone or setting stone, is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry building, around which all other stones will be set. It determines the position of the entire structure.
As I stared at it, I hoped, for the builder’s sake, that it was straight. Even if it were just a little “off,” the whole structure would be compromised. I couldn’t help but think about the Scripture describing Jesus as the Cornerstone – the chief Cornerstone, on which the church is built (Ephesians 2:20-21). He is the foundation for the church and for our very lives. How many lives are out of whack, crooked and disjointed, because the foundation, meant to orient the rest of the structure of our lives, is missing, or not in the proper place?
Paul describes the foundational characteristic of the nature of Christ in Colossians 1:15-. “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth…in him all things hold together.” He holds it all together; it is his very nature. He wants to be the cornerstone of our lives, around which everything else is built.
So I ask today, who or what, is your cornerstone? What are you building your life around – relationships, money, career, amusement? Anything other than the Chief Cornerstone is like building on shifting sand.
May we build well, on the sure foundation that will not fail.
It always happens after the decorations are taken down – you see that one lone ornament hook that somehow missed getting put in its proper place during the hustle and bustle of getting the decorations put away for another year. There it was, lying there sad looking – left behind – a reminder of the celebration gone by. Once attached to a sparkly ornament, but now separated from what gave it purpose. How many lives are like that, I thought- living on the memories of yesterday, left behind, either by people or by circumstances, no longer engaging in life, separated from what gives true purpose.
The new year brings no shortage of resolutions, and opportunities to look at our lives and dream about ways to make them better. But one of the greatest things we can do in 2023 is to connect with that which gives us purpose, that which joins us with something bigger than ourselves. The situation with the Pandemic we have been living through for the last few years seems to have disconnected us in many ways from what is primary – our connection to others, to family, to the local church.
This year, above all else, let’s resolve to plug into those relationships and people that help us fulfill our purpose. Reconnect with your church if you have been away for a while; there are people who are waiting to welcome you with open arms.
1 Corinthians 2:27
-Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
Written by: Michelle Dowdy
Life By The Way