Our problem is not with sight. With today's advancements in eye-care technology, most of us can see.
Our problem is not with vision. We've all got a "vision", a dream, a goal of what we think things ought to look like.
Our problem is perception. We see, but we do not perceive. We have vision, but our dreams are far too small.
Like the blind man in Bethsaida, we have been touched by Jesus, we have the faith to see, but the people still look like trees…
In Mark 6, we read that Jesus sent out the Twelve. In Luke's 10, we find 72. Yet no matter how many disciples Jesus sends out on any given occasion, the outcome is the same. How is it that they can go into the villages with nothing but walking sticks and the clothes on their backs and return with declarations of incredible spiritual victory. "Lord, even the demons submit themselves to us in your name" (Luke 10:17).
"The early church had no building, no money, and no political influence. And they turned the world upside-down"
J.D. Greear …
While Jesus was still speaking with her, messengers came from the synagogue leader’s house, saying to Jairus, “Your daughter has died. Why bother the teacher any longer?
Mark 5:35
I don't know about you, but I must confess, I get frustrated when other people are late. When I am waiting on someone else to complete their portion of a project so that I can do my part, I get very anxious because I want to do my part on my timeline, not theirs. I tend to run life ahead of schedule to alleviate stress, but working with procrastinators sometimes forces me to delay the schedule I have set up for myself.
There are two key scenes in the gospels where Jesus is "running late" and on both occasions, his delay is literally a matter of life and death…
Then they pleaded with Jesus to leave their region.
Mark 5:17
We know about Jesus calming the storm. We know how Jesus healed the demoniac and sent the demons fleeing into the pigs. But what do these two stories have to do with each other?
After crossing the sea on that stormy night, Jesus finds himself in a position to minister to the 10 Gentile cities of the Decapolis. Of course there were mixed feelings among the disciples about the Gentiles in general, but either way, there is significant potential here for spreading the Good News of the Kingdom among countless people who have not heard. What strikes me is how quickly Jesus gets back in the boat to go home…
“Religion is one of the safest places to hide from God.”
Richard Rohr
That just about sums it up. There is something about being a good “religious” person that makes us feel good. In many ways it is like a “to-do” list. Our goal is to get everything checked off by the end of the day or week and then we feel a sense of accomplishment…
Those whom we call “sinners”, God calls “beloved.” Those whom we call “tax collectors”, Jesus calls “friend.”
I find it striking that Jesus never refers to people as “sinners.” This does not mean that people do not sin, nor does it excuse their sin. What it does imply is that people are not ultimately identified or defined by their sin. As Jesus said, let the one who is without sin cast the first stone…
It’s all about people. It’s always been about people. When it comes to people, there’s only one thing that really matters.
Every person is created in the image of a God who deeply loves him or her.
I am created in the image of a God who deeply loves me.
You are created in the image of a God who deeply loves you.
Your neighbor is created in the image of a God who deeply loves him or her.
Your enemy is created in the image of a God who deeply loves him or her.
Get the point yet? …
… Relationships matter.
Love of one another bridges the barrier between us and a loving God.
… How do we respond when our desires for security, approval and control are triggered?
Are we even aware when these desires become the driving force behind our actions?
As this year comes to a close, let us examine our hearts and prepare to respond as Jesus did. Rather than allowing our desire for security, approval and control to define us and drive our behaviors, let us simply learn to quiet our restless hearts and find grace at the center.
We often think of Zechariah’s silence as a punishment or consequence of his doubt. In Luke 1:20, we read: “because you didn’t believe, you will remain silent, unable to speak until the day when these things happen.”
Yes, the silence is a result of Zechariah’s unbelief, but nowhere does it say he is being punished. What if in fact the silence was a gift, a difficult gift to be sure, but a gift nonetheless. For it is in this silence that Zechariah’s faith grows beyond measure. When he is again able to speak, he can only speak the prophetic words of the Lord which the Holy Spirit had written on his heart all those months. Silence clears out the rambling chaos of our minds and fills the emptiness with the Word which speaks all of Creation into being.
As Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes, “It is silence in which God in known and through the silence of His mysteries that God declares Himself to us…”
The temple has been rebuilt. The city walls are under construction. Jerusalem is being restored. God’s people have come home.
And yet as they gather to dedicate the temple we read that the older priests and heads of the families who had seen the first temple wept aloud. No matter how much they tried to make it look like home, it would never be quite the same again. Their weeping reminds us that we are not home yet…
