Ezekiel 37:11 - 14 Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open up your graves and bring you back up from them: I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in your and you will live...Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.
Several years ago a friend of mine asked me to pray about a particular situation. Over the years I have prayed, but we have not seen much hope. Bits and glimmers, here and there, but not restoration. All this prayer, all this time, so little hope. We felt like the people of Israel, dried up bones, no life left, no hope, an abandoned people. Yet...
A missionary from Africa came to speak to our mission history class a couple months ago. She told a story about a man who came for healing to the pastor's home, and that the pastor and several others prayed for over five hours with the man. They firmly believed that the man was suffering from demons and that the hours of fervent prayer in the name of Jesus Christ drove out the demons and healed the man. That man left, completely peaceful and has been a faithful Christian ever since.
So my prayers for my friend were renewed. In our society we don't give much credibility to demons, but that didn't matter to me. What mattered was renewed prayer and faith in that prayer. When doubts crept in - after all, there's been no hope for so long - three things sustained me.
One - Ezekiel's vision. A valley full of dry bones, no hope, completely dried up and dead. And yet, God brings the bones together, puts tendons on them to put them back together, puts flesh over the bones and then breathes Spirit into them, brings them to life again.
Two - The story of Jesus' disciples who couldn't heal a boy with a demon. Jesus came down from the mountain and found the disciples with the boy and his father, who explains that the boy has been like this since childhood - many years, suffering. Jesus heals the boy and tells the disciples that this kind of demon could ONLY come out through prayer.
Three - "I believe, help my unbelief". Not being one who can easily memorize scripture, this verse popped into my head over and over in my prayers for my friend. I couldn't remember where it was in the gospels, but I prayed it over and over. When I wavered, I remembered the faith of my African friends, and said "I believe, help my unbelief".
In my morning devotional time today, I read the story of the healing of the boy again. And there it was - like it was in bold and highlighted! It is the boy's father who says to Jesus "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" The boy appears to be dead, but he isn't. Jesus heals him and lifts him to his feet. (Mark 9:14-29)
When all hope is gone, when everything looks dead and impossible, have faith. Believe, and ask God to help you overcome your unbelief. Pray. The power of Jesus is amazing and stronger than our eyes can see, our minds can understand and our own strength could acheive.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Beginnings and Middles
Working on the scriptures for next Sunday (13th) about the baptism of Jesus. It has me thinking a lot about baptism and what it means for the life of a Christian. It marks the beginning of the Christian life, the entrance into the family of God. Technically, it's a starting point, a beginning, a first step if you will.
In 12 step groups, the first step is to admit powerlessness. Powerless over alcohol, drugs, another person, food, whatever it is that is controlling your life - the first step is to admit that you are powerless over that. You can't quit, you can't control it, you can't let it go.
With Christianity, the first step is baptism - to admit that we can't control God. We can't shape God into the form we want God to be, we can't pick and choose what parts of God we'd like and which we don't. We admit that it is God who chooses us, rather than us choosing God. It is God who adopts us into God's family.
As with any journey, first steps are just that - first. The beginning leads to a middle. If you're on a trip, the first mile and the excitement eventually wear off after a few miles down the road. If you're riding a bike, the exhilaration of the first few pedals wears off as you focus on the path and the obstacles along the way. Skiing down a hill or climbing up the mountain - the first rush gives way to endurance in the middle, checking and wondering if you're still on the right path.
With baptism, the words come easy. Blessing the water, in the name of the Creator, the Christ, the Spirit. Congratulations and smiles all around, taking pictures.
But what about the middle? What do you say to someone stuck in the middle? When in their life's journey baptism and the joy of the moment seem so very far away? When sin and darkness have overtaken and all hope seems to have disappeared into shadow?
As many times as I've had the honor of being at someone's baptism, I've listened to two or three people who are struggling in the murky middle of their journey. Is this what God wants me to do? Where is God? Why can't I hear God? Why doesn't God answer my prayers? Is this all there is?
The middle of the journey can be hard. What I've learned from both recovery groups and Christians is that no matter where you are on your path, find companions. Pray with some one. Just one person. Risk it. Dare to tell just one person.
Or find a group who have walked a similar path - be it a women's Bible study or a 12 step support group - there are people who understand what you mean when you can't find your way, the shadow and doubt.
And as Paul prayed, so do I - I pray that out of God's glorious riches, God would strengthen you with power through the Holy Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your heart through faith. And I pray that you, being baptised and therefore rooted and grounded in love, may have power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Explorers
Francis Bacon said: They are ill discoverers that think there is no land, when they can see nothing but sea.
This Christmas, James gave me a compass and a St Christopher's medal.
Today's scripture reading is from the gospel according to Matthew 2:13 - 23: Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him."
Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son." When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:
"A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more."
When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child's life are dead."
Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He will be called a Nazorean."
It would seem that the theme this week, ending one year and beginning another, is journey. Joseph had angels in dreams, leading him, providing guidance. Francis Bacon had faith, even when he could not see anything other than water. Joseph and Mary had faith, living as refugees in a foreign country.
Two key elements on a journey - faith and guidance. My compass represents a guiding element - God's guidance, found in God's word. Reading the Bible daily is the way to write scripture on your heart, so that when you aren't sure of what to say, which action to take, which direction to go, you have God's word inside you, like a compass showing you the right direction. The St Christopher's medal is a symbol of faith. Christopher means "Christ bearer" and Christopher helped travellers across a river, one of them a child who grew heavier as they went across, representing the weight of the world which Christ carries.
With faith and guidance, the challenges on my journey should be easier to face. I am so grateful for James, who understands and supports me along this journey of life. I pray that you have faith in the coming year, and that you find your guidance in God, your compass through life.
This Christmas, James gave me a compass and a St Christopher's medal.
Today's scripture reading is from the gospel according to Matthew 2:13 - 23: Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him."
Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son." When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:
"A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more."
When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child's life are dead."
Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He will be called a Nazorean."
It would seem that the theme this week, ending one year and beginning another, is journey. Joseph had angels in dreams, leading him, providing guidance. Francis Bacon had faith, even when he could not see anything other than water. Joseph and Mary had faith, living as refugees in a foreign country.
Two key elements on a journey - faith and guidance. My compass represents a guiding element - God's guidance, found in God's word. Reading the Bible daily is the way to write scripture on your heart, so that when you aren't sure of what to say, which action to take, which direction to go, you have God's word inside you, like a compass showing you the right direction. The St Christopher's medal is a symbol of faith. Christopher means "Christ bearer" and Christopher helped travellers across a river, one of them a child who grew heavier as they went across, representing the weight of the world which Christ carries.
With faith and guidance, the challenges on my journey should be easier to face. I am so grateful for James, who understands and supports me along this journey of life. I pray that you have faith in the coming year, and that you find your guidance in God, your compass through life.
Resolutions - it's not too late
My friends Sherry and Warren have a good blog for pondering resolutions and making it through the holiday season of stress: http://healthinterests.blogspot.com/
As I'm pondering my own resolutions, their blog was helpful. I hope it helps you form your own new year's resolutions.
I'd add prayer to the list - prayer has been scientifically shown to reduce stress and improve healing (for you skeptics out there) and in my experience, prayer has made my life so much richer - questions and answers, energy and serenity, peace and movement. I highly recommend it!
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