Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘Jesus’

Spending Time Together

Posted in Time Up to Pentecost, tagged , , , , , on May 20, 2009| Leave a Comment »

John 3:22
… Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.

It’s really very simple. To get to know someone, you have to spend time together. If we want to be known, then we have to spend the time. But, our contemporary life is making the spending of time with others more and more difficult. We are busy… too busy to “spend” time. We will spend money before we will spend time. We will rush from place to place, event to event, workday to workday, phone call to phone call… but is it really spending time together?

To me, spending time means giving no thought to my own agenda, but giving that time as a gift to another. If I am more interested in the other person and listening to that person, I am spending my time on him or her. There is a difference.

I confess, I enjoy telling a good story. I can “entertain” anyone or any small group with a series of anecdotes about the Browns… one teen story after another, one work story after another, one random act after another (for instance, I fell out of my shoes at the last Chamber of Commerce luncheon: I landed on the floor and my shoes remained standing like two brave soldiers… a funny story at my expense). But, have I spent time with the person? Have I listened to them? Not really.

The time has come to make a conscious effort to “give” my time, my presence, my heart to others. It’s time to spend the time. And of course, the same is true for the time I spend in prayer and meditation. As I give time to God, I am rewarded with more time to give. “… to him who has, more will be given…” (Luke 19:26)

Read Full Post »

Stones into Bread

Posted in Time Up to Pentecost, tagged , , , , , , , , , on May 18, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Matthew 4:3
The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

It wasn’t that Jesus couldn’t turn the stones into bread. He could have done that at any point in his days of fasting and praying. But that was not the point. He was called to fast until he was released from it.

I think this happens all the time. There are things that are not available to us, but not because we are unable to have them. God creates an environment for us that is part of our evolving story.

If I look at my life, there are things I would have changed along the way if I could. For instance, I would have liked to have biological children but then, I would have missed having my wonderful adopted children. While pursuing pregnancy, there were many more steps I could have taken to push the point: more tests, more invasive measures, etc. Probably, I could have turned those stones into bread. But even then, I sensed a different destiny, a purpose if you will, for those circumstances.

Barrenness is part of my story so that God could produce a different kind of fruit. And as a result, not only do I have three wonderful kids, but I also have a sensitivity to the plight of orphans in a way that I would have never had before. I’m glad I trusted the Lord. I pray I can be as sensitive to His Will in my current situation.

Read Full Post »

Finding Messiah

Posted in Time Up to Pentecost, tagged , , , , on May 12, 2009| Leave a Comment »

John 1:41
The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).

We have lost the wonder of discovery. Unlike us, the disciples as well as all of the Jewish people of that time, were waiting for the Messiah. It was prophesied that he would come and each generation looked for the signs of his coming.

In some ways, I am reminded of the personal joy and even ecstasy that many African-Americans felt about Barack Obama. The wonder of it all when it finally happened: an African-American lifted to the highest office.

John describes Andrew as the first disciple to follow after Jesus. After spending a day with him, he runs to his brother with his news of finding the Messiah, the one foretold, the beginning of something unknown and the transformation of their world.

When we find Messiah in our own lives, we are changed forever. There is wonder in that message, our personal story of discovery. Who will you tell today?

Read Full Post »

Here is Your Mother

Posted in Time Up to Pentecost, tagged , , , , , , on May 10, 2009| Leave a Comment »

John 19:26
When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son.”

At the cross, Jesus passed the responsibility of caring for his mother to his close friend and disciple, John. He also bequeathed his friend to his mother.

This is an interesting exchange since Mary had other sons. It was not like she would be bereft after Jesus’ death. Nor is it that Jesus was so terribly close to his mother as an adult, although it is possible that she traveled with the disciples since there are references to women who accompanied the disciples. (e.g. Matthew 27:55) I believe Jesus was asking them to be united as family, to adopt one another.

Adoption is a major theme in our church and in our family. Over the years that we have attended Mt. Zion, over 70 families have adopted children. In our own family, we have adopted three orphaned children from Eastern Europe, now all teenagers. Adopting is only one aspect of orphan care… as there are millions of children around the world who cannot be adopted because of illness, circumstances, or country of origin. These children are also looking for a mother.

If each family in the Western world (with even modest means) would adopt an orphan child, whether financially (sponsoring a child), emotionally (fostering or mentoring a child), or literally (bringing a child into the family), the tragic stories could end or, at the very least, dramatically improve.

I consider my “motherhood” to be a gift from God.

Read Full Post »

Born of God

Posted in Time Up to Pentecost, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 6, 2009| Leave a Comment »

John 1:12, 13b
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God … born of God.

This is the gift of Christ Jesus, to have the flame within ignited by the Spirit of God. We are born… or reborn… this is the root of the saying, “born again.”

As I mentioned before, we all have the light, but our personal light needs to be linked to the Source.

And once that happens, as Paul tells Timothy (2 Timothy 1:6), “… I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you…” We do this through the personal devotion, koinonia [community], and connecting with the flame of others.

Read Full Post »

Witness to the Light

Posted in Time Up to Pentecost, tagged , , , , , , on May 5, 2009| 1 Comment »

John 1:8b-9
…he [John] came only as a witness to the light.[NIV] That was the true Light which gives light to every man [and woman] coming into the world. [NKJV]

John the Baptizer was a witness to “the true Light.” He began his ministry because it was important to tell everyone about the light. They had forgotten about the light. They could not longer see the light in each other. Just talking about the light brought light into a dark place.

As human beings, I believe we are all given light. Made in God’s image, we are bequeathed the light. But, what do we do with it? Do we hide it under a bushel? Do we distort it? Do we ignore it? And what about the light of others?

Over the last few months I’ve been really interested in the concept of the “sacred other.” It is my belief now that this sacredness is the same as the light that is within each one of us. Accepting Christ is not about accepting the light; we have that already. But the light of Christ fuels our personal light and shines brighter. Light is the root of love.

To witness to the light is to recognize light in others and fuel that fire with the light of Christ. Like John, we are to tell our stories. As we follow the way of Christ, our stories carry light.

Read Full Post »

What is Lost?

Posted in Time Up to Pentecost, tagged , , , , , , , on May 4, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Luke 19:10
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.

So often when we talk about “the lost,” Christians are referring to people who have not accepted Christ. But I think there is more. Jesus came to seek the lost parts of ourselves as well and to redeem what we have lost.

I think humankind has tremendous potential. But, by the choices we make and roads we take, much is lost. We lose our giftings. We lose our talents. We lose our ability to love. We lose our ability to hear and see God.

Reintegrate me.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »