Our dear friend Jesus

Matthew 9:2

In this passage we see friends who cared deeply enough for the one to bring their friend to Jesus. This paralyzed man could not hide his need for healing, like so many of us do.  It was right there for everyone to see, but it was his friends who took action and brought him to Jesus. His friends wanted more for him.

This reminds me of the fact that even when we’ve done a great job at hiding our need for healing, isn’t it our friends who continue to love and care for us? Sometimes we’re so good at the hiding that we actually hide our need for healing from ourselves. It’s quite the cover up job, one that I am humbled to say, I am quite familiar with.

I am grateful for the gift of good friends who continue to love me and see my need for healing more clearly than I do and have time and time again, lovingly brought me to Jesus. And yet, even when life is lonely enough that we feel even our closest friends can’t see our deep need for healing, we all have an even dearer friend named Jesus, who sees even deeper still into our lives.  

This paralyzed man had friends who knew his body needed healing and brought him straight to Jesus.  Jesus amazed everyone by healing this man’s body and his soul.  It gives me great comfort to know that Jesus is a healer who sees the whole me, not just my outward needs, but my greatest inner need for forgiveness.  We all receive forgiveness just like the man in this story, completely passively.  We do nothing and everything is accomplished in Christ.  I can’t think of a greater friend than that. 

Reviving our Memory

Read:  John 21:1-11

I loved my Dad.  He loved being active, helping people, and an amazing man of faith.  Back in the year 2000, he and my Mom moved from their home in Northwest Ohio into a Condo near my sister and I here in Columbus.

In their new Condo, Dad set up a little wood working shop in his garage where he made things, especially things he could give away as mementos of his faith.  His favorite thing to make was crosses.  When he was in conversations with people, he would often ask, “Do you have a cross in your home?”  And the follow up question, “If I give you one, will you put it up?”  Many of the people my Dad touched still have one of his crosses in their home.

As he aged, slowly his memory started to fail.  First it started small, like not remembering what he had had for lunch, or what time it was. Before long he was having times where he had fallen and did not remember what happened.  At one point, my Mom started getting scared when he would come in from the garage and say, “Someone else’s car is in our garage.” 

In April of 2010, we as a family decided to help my parents move into assisted living.  Over the next few years, my Dad’s condition became worse and worse. Our worst fears were realized when they diagnosed him with Alzheimer’s disease.  Things were disappearing from their apartment, like his glasses, or my Mom’s dentures, only to find out that he had hidden them or thrown them away.  He would ask my Mom the same questions over and over like, “Where is Mother?”

The assisted living facility would plan special activities for the residence. One of their favorite events was when the singing group called “Black Hat” would come play for them.  This precious couple, Jimmy and Eve, brought their talent of music, song and love to the residence.  In the first few years, my Dad would joyfully participate in their sing-a-longs to the oldies. But as his Alzheimer’s progressed, he could no longer read nor remember the words, so he would just fall to sleep.

One day, when the “Black Hat” came, I had the opportunity to join my parents.  As they went through their repertoire, my Mom sang along, and Dad quietly listened, a little distracted.  When they started with their gospel songs, to my amazement, when they began with , “Jesus Loves Me” soon I heard my Dad’s baritone singing voice bellowing out the words.

 “Jesus Love me this I know, for the Bible tells me so,

Little Ones to Him belong, they are weak, but He is strong!!”

Recalling this now brings tears to my eyes.

Just like in today’s Bible reading, we often get spiritually forgetful.  We don’t recognize the voice of Jesus when He is calling out to us “Friends, do you have any _______?”

Then He softly tethers Himself to our memory banks, awakening a part of our soul that we thought was lost and long gone. There He is waiting for us, drawing us to Himself, and reassuring us that He will NEVER leave or forsake us!

When you hear Him calling you today, don’t resist.  Don’t tell yourself you are only imagining it, or that you are too busy.  He is there waiting for you.  Listen to His voice calling You!

A Quick Fix

John 5:2-11

When you have a disability or disease, the longer you walk this earth, the more you encounter questions or comments that annoy you.  People have tips or tricks, quick fixes or diets. You receive more advise than what you need or want from well-meaning people who have a friend who tried “this”, and it solved everything.  I have now walked through this experience with several close loved ones and realize sometimes the annoying or dumb questions are coming out of my mouth as well. Sigh.  When your body has chronic pain, particularly in our Western mindsets of “try harder” and “do better”, we just don’t like to think about chronic illness, being just that, chronic.

Here in this passage from John, we encounter a man who may have taken someone up on their tip or trick because he was desperate for a fix.  He’s looking to get into a pool that if you get in at the right moment when the water stirs, it might just heal you.  It seems like an infomercial of the first century in my mind.  He’s been sick for thirty-eight years.  You can just feel the heartache in that last sentence.  Thirty-eight years of illness.  And he couldn’t even help himself into this pool in hopes of healing.  

And then here comes Jesus, asking what feels like a dumb question, “Do you want to get well?” But since we know Jesus doesn’t ask dumb questions, I have sat with this question, letting it do its work on me.  I am now hearing it in the kindest voice. “Why are you looking to this pool for a “fix”, when the healer of the world is right in front of you, looking to give you life to the full?”  Jesus brought healing both physically and spiritually to this man on that day.  

Jesus is still our kind healer looking to mend and heal our hearts of sin and shame.  And He is still a healer, not a fixer today. Are you desperate for a Savior for your sin-sick heart today?  See past the mirage of quick fixes for our sin problem and look our healer Jesus in the eyes and let him make you well. 

I am willing

Luke 5:12-15

When I was seventeen, I went on a missions’ trip to Albania for six weeks to serve at an orphanage. By week two I was sick and getting sicker. My glands by my jawline and neck were swelling so much that my skin started to feel tight and hot to the touch. Playing with the kids at the orphanage had given me the mumps and I was miserable.  My group decided to quarantine me in hopes of not spreading the mumps to my teammates. This quarantining only lasted a week, as I recall, but it was almost as bad as the illness itself. I was sick and wanted comfort. I longed for my mother’s hugs which were an ocean away.

The willingness of Jesus to reach out and touch this man with leprosy had to have been jaw dropping for the man. He was an outcast from society. Touching the man with leprosy would make Jesus unclean. Jesus was sharing something very important about his kingdom in touching him and healing this man.  Jesus’ kingdom is ruled not by law, but by mercy. Mercy reaches out and risks.  Mercy gets dirty.  Mercy does not operate under the law but outside of it. And here’s the thing, the whole world needs to be grasped and held by mercy.  None of us have clean hands. The man asked if Jesus was willing, and Jesus answered with a resounding yes.  The willingness of Jesus to reach out and touch us with his mercy is a willingness that never exhausts itself.  There is no sin too great that will not be met with the willingness of Christ.  God’s kingdom breaks into our lives through Jesus and in Jesus we find a kingdom ruled by mercy.  Sometimes this comes with physical healing and sometimes it doesn't, but mercy always shows up.  

As you reflect on this passage, what comes to mind that needs God’s mercy in your heart and life today? Where are you struggling to believe in God's willingness to embrace you with mercy? Bring your whole self to Jesus and let the mercy of Christ embrace you and keep you.