Month: March 2021

Reaching for His Hand

Posted on by Wendy
Jesus doesn’t just heal us and leave. He takes our hand and helps us back onto our feet.

I have recently been participating in a Bible study on the Gospel of Mark. I always enjoy reading the Gospels because they show Jesus doing what He does, healing the sick, casting out demons, questioning the self-righteous and challenging the people who think they have all of the answers, not to mention dying to save all of humanity and then rising from the dead defeating death for good. The Gospels tell a story that even Hollywood couldn’t dream up; only God Himself could weave such an intricate story.

I also find reading the Gospels to be a bit of a treasure hunt. Every time I read one, I find a different gem to carry with me. This time, I found it in some of His healings.

In Mark 1:31, Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law who is sick in bed with a fever. The text says: “So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.”

In Mark 5:41: In the case of Jairus’ daughter, “He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha koum!” (which means little girl, get up!) Technically, this was more than just a healing because the child was dead, but she got up.

When I got to the part about Jesus casting out of a demon in Mark 9:26-27, “The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet and he stood up,” a new gem caught my attention.

In three different instances, Jesus not only performed a miracle, but he reached for the person’s hand and helped them back onto their feet.

He didn’t leave them where they were, flat on their backs, to figure out what to do next. He reached for their hands and helped them up onto their feet, presumably to get back to living, doing whatever they were called to do. Peter’s mother-in-law got busy serving everyone around her and Jesus told them to give the little girl something to eat.

When Jesus heals, he doesn’t turn and walk away. He reaches for our hand, pulls us to our feet, no matter how deep the hole is we may find ourselves in, and He invites us to get back to life serving Him. We are all called to make some kind of difference or we wouldn’t be here. We all have the opportunity to reach for His hand and learn what that calling is. He will always help us up. The Gospel of Mark reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Learning to Appreciate the Storms

Posted on by Wendy
“New seasons of life are often birthed in the midst of a storm.” Beth Warner

This past week has been a rough one for me. I will never completely understand how one solitary hour can create such havoc in my life. Last weekend we sprang our clocks forward sacrificing one hour of sleep, but gaining an hour of daylight.

I always look forward to the time change and what it represents. It’s like an official proclamation of spring. I love the longer days even though it takes me about a week to completely adjust to the change. Even though I always find myself tired and dragging, my fatigue is usually offset by longer days with more sunshine.

This year, the time change was followed by days of rain. It was dark outside as I sat at my kitchen table before work and it was cold, gray and pouring down rain on my way home. There were no walks after work. There was no extra daylight, just longer days that were dark and dreary.

On Thursday, when I headed to work, not only was it raining, but there was talk of severe weather. I was definitely already riding on the struggle bus as I trudged across the street, but when I got to my building and reached into the pocket of my raincoat to grab my mask, it was gone.

“Just great!” I grumbled.

I knew there was probably a spare in my purse, but my hands were full and it was raining. I pulled my jacket over my mouth and nose and darted in, hoping no one would see me and once again, cursing Covid. When I got to my desk, I was able to dig out a mask, which was a good thing because I suppose I wouldn’t have been able to go to the restroom all day without one.

As I sat there, waiting for my computer to boot up, frustrated, annoyed and quite frankly, overwhelmed, I received a notification from Facebook. Now, I have no idea why Facebook seems to randomly let me know when different people have posted, and I often ignore the buzzing phone, but a gentle nudge told me to take a look, so I did.

Beth, a friend of mine who is a farmer, and makes it her mission to see God in every place and every circumstance, had posted a picture of a chicken on a fence under the same dreary skies I was experiencing and grumbling about. Yet, she saw something different.

Her caption was, “Watching the skies, listening for the howling winds, ducking the rainstorms, praying against tornadoes…Springtime is not just about pretty blossoms, newborn lambs and balmy weather. New seasons of life are often birthed in the midst of a storm.”

She was right of course and her wise words sank deep into my weary soul. I sat there for a moment, thinking of all the forces that were in play for me to see that post at exactly that time and I was overwhelmed by the goodness of God, so much so that I felt led to share.

A social media post from a friend reminded me that new beginnings often come from stormy seasons. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 😊

 

 

Maybe There Are No Late Bloomers

Posted on by Wendy
God’s timing is always perfect.

I was recently in my bedroom, putting away clothes and tidying up, when a bright pink bloom, caught my eye. It was on my Christmas cactus. Delighted, I went and took a closer look. There it was, straining towards the window’s light. The entire plant had been in full bloom in late December and early January and it was a beautiful sight to behold, but those blooms had dropped off months ago.

Now, in mid-March, this gorgeous tropical looking bloom stood alone and gorgeous against nothing, but the greenery of the plant. It had no other blooms to compete with, making it all the more special.

I found myself smiling as I took multiple photos of my little late bloomer and thought about it for the rest of the afternoon.

We live in a society that celebrates the fastest and the strongest. We are encouraged to compete to be the first at everything from the day we are born. Our parents compare notes on the first to sleep through the night, the first to take steps and the first to be potty trained. Once school starts, the competition really ramps up. Parents want their children to be the first to learn their alphabet and the first to write their names correctly. Kids on the playground want to be the first, when they run a race. And, who doesn’t remember hoping to be the first picked to be on a team, or at the very least, not to be the dreaded last?

But, God’s economy has always been different than humanity’s. In the parable of the workers in the vineyard, found in Matthew 20, Jesus said, “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” In  the Gospel of Mark, He said, ” But, many who are first will be last, and the last first.” Mark 10:31 Jesus didn’t seem to put too much value on being first.

Ecclesiastes 3, tells us that there is a time for everything. Verse 11 reminds us that, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Notice how it doesn’t say our time?

This got me to thinking that maybe there are no early or late bloomers in God’s economy, because His timing is perfect. Maybe we are just called to bloom at different times and as long as we are walking with God, we will always be right on time.

A March bloom on a Christmas cactus, reminded me that God’s timing is always perfect and the results of walking with Him are always beautiful. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Finding Hope in Remote Places

Posted on by Wendy
Remote places are where Jesus does some of His best work.

I recently read the account of Jesus feeding the 4,000 found in Mark Chapter 8. It’s a familiar story that most Christians know. But, this time, I caught a new detail. In verse two, Jesus tells the disciples that he has compassion for the crowds because they had already been with him for three days and hadn’t eaten anything. He was concerned that they would collapse from hunger if he sent them away.

The disciples asked Jesus, “Where in this remote place can anyone get enough to feed them?” Mark 8:4

They were looking at Jesus’ capabilities on a strictly human level even after all of the miracles they had already witnessed. They were in a remote place, far way from any type of assistance in the disciples’ eyes, so how could they possibly provide for these hungry people?

Of course, they couldn’t, but He could. That was the point.

In the past, I have always focused on the miracle itself, the multiplication of the fish and loaves. But this time their location caught my attention. Where they were was important. It was a remote place and that’s where Jesus wanted them. They couldn’t possibly provide for themselves.

They needed Jesus.

I think the remote places are where we too, most often find ourselves acknowledging our desperate need for Jesus. When we are in waiting rooms, or doctor’s offices, or waiting for a phone call, or lose our job, or when we hit rock bottom, or are weathering a pandemic, when we are completely incapable of providing for ourselves is when we cry out to Him.

And just as in this account, Jesus has compassion on us and He provides. He fills our souls with love, mercy, peace and hope. He redeems us and gives us a fresh start.

Jesus feeding the multitudes reminded me not to fear the remote places because that’s where Jesus does some of His best work. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂