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Posts Tagged ‘miracles’

Walking on Water

Posted in Ordinary Time, tagged , , , , , on June 9, 2009| Leave a Comment »

John 6:19
When they [the disciples] had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified.

Here are a few questions about this passage:

  1. Why did the disciples leave without Jesus? Did he tell them to leave?
  2. Why did Jesus walk to them on the water? Was it just more convenient or was he showing them a truth?
  3. Did they think He had abandoned them?
  4. Whose idea was it?
  5. Why were they afraid?

So far, in all six of the early chapters in the book of John, Jesus was telling the crowds AND the disciples who he was. He was establishing his authority.

He is still doing the same thing with us, but we don’t recognize Him. I am listening to a light fantasy book for young people and one of the characters says that “humans” can’t see through the mist. They see what they want to see.

Look, Jesus is walking on the water today!

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No Honor Here

Posted in Time Up to Pentecost, tagged , , , , , , , on May 28, 2009| Leave a Comment »

John 4:44
Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.

Face it, sometimes we aren’t appreciated in our own backyard. It’s one of the reasons companies come up with little awards to recognize achievement. It’s not that people aren’t doing extraordinary things all the time, we stop noticing. It’s hard to step away and realize that our colleague, our neighbor, our friend, or even a family member has done something noteworthy. We expect everyone to behave the same way they always have. And, in the end, our expectations are unconsciously placing some pressure on others to never change.

How many times have people said about you (or you about someone else), “oh, she’s always late,” or “he’s clueless,” or “she never remembers …. whatever.” All of these ‘always’ and ‘never’ statements come out of expectations.

I think Jesus resorted to miracles initially to “get their attention.” He had to shake things up. Of course, then the miracles became the norm and everyone expected a miracle. For Jesus, it was a balancing act. I’m pretty sure this is one reason that Jesus never performed the same miracle twice in the same way. It would have become a “method” instead of an intent, a prayer, a gift.

I want to look at the people around me today with fresh eyes. I think there are lots of miracles happening around me already and I haven’t noticed. “Lord, open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things in your word.” [Psalm 119:18] … and the wonderful things that others do and achieve today. Help me to see the gifts of their presence in my life.

For myself, I ask the Lord to help me let go of “wanting or looking to be appreciated.” Let me, instead, bask in the light of Your love and hear your voice tell me, “well done, good and faithful servant.” [Matthew 25:23]

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Afraid of Healing

Posted in Time Up to Pentecost, tagged , , , , , on May 23, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Mark 5:15
When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

I’ve been contemplating what it would mean to me to see someone transformed before my eyes. Why do we fear miracles?

In some ways, I think it’s similar to growing up in a dysfunctional family (who hasn’t?) and recreating those patterns in our adult life. It’s what we know. It’s our little norm. Healing, then, is not part of the norm.

I think about my daughter’s recent diagnosis of fibromyalgia. She has had pain in her body as long as she can remember. She never knew that people didn’t hurt to get out of bed or pick up clothes off the floor. Would she recognize her body without the pain and with full range of motion? She can’t even imagine it or vision it.

And, I think about the people who surround those who want to change. I remember some years ago when I joined Weight Watchers and the group leader warned us about our friends: the very ones who might sabotage our efforts. “Oh, you can have just one cookie, can’t you?” “Oh come on, it’s my birthday!” and so on. I understand that alcoholics run into similar sabotage if the loved ones are not on board with the program. Enablers don’t like change.

Lord, don’t let me sabotage anyone who is trying to change! Don’t let me fear transformation… in myself or in others. (Mark 9:24b “…I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”)

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On Faith 6

Posted in Fifty days with Jesus, tagged , , on October 10, 2008| Leave a Comment »

In my daily devotion, I am up to Luke 1:5-38, the conception stories of both John the Baptist and Jesus. In both cases, the angel Gabriel comes with the big news, first to Zechariah in the temple and then to Mary herself in Nazareth. In both cases, the human response is “How can this be?”

Things haven’t changed much in today’s world. If anything, they are worse when it comes to accepting the possibility that God could/can/will work a miracle in our lives. We are entrenched in the 3-dimensional world. We doubt the supernatural.

Belief … faith … are part of the supernatural world. To experience the fullness of faith, we must also be willing to accept the fullness of the supernatural.

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