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Monthly Archives: January 2013
He Knows
Mark 5:25-34 (NIV)
And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. [26] She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. [27] When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, [28] because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” [29] Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. [30] At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” [31] “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, `Who touched me?’ ” [32] But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. [33] Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. [34] He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
Jesus lived his life for me, for you. A sceptic reading Mark would shrug and say that Mark crafted this story. I believe Jesus crafted it. Every detail matters–in the story, in his life, in out lives. Nothing is accidental.
I think about those 12 years of waiting. Jesus was there–in Israel, alive in the world–he was on his way to her.
I have lived through a number of chronic conditions. Pain, illness, suffering, grief without a quick-ish resolution is terrible. You live with the pain of today and the dreadful fear of all those tomorrow. What if it gets worse? What if it never stops?
The definition of unending suffering is hell.
The Bible tells us this woman’s condition was getting worse. Imagine her mixture of hope and fear when she heard about Jesus, as she pushed through the crowd toward him.
Jesus heals her automatically.. His power is abundant. He stops everything to talk to her because he loves her.
The gift of his love, his gaze, is more precious even than her restored health and freedom.
Waiting.
Mark 5:21-29 (NIV)
When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. [22] Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet [23] and pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” [24] So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. [25] And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. [26] She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. [27] When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, [28] because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” [29] Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
Jesus from afar. He is not constrained by cement walls, ordinary time, peer pressure, or the weather.
This can be hard to understand in a crisis. We want instant relief from grief or illness, and sometimes we get pain, loneliness, waiting.
This story works best if you don’t know the ending. Jairus was desperate. We know he wouldn’t have risked himself if he had another option. It must have been excruciating to wait. You can almost see the words in a bubble–
c’mon, my daughter is dying!
But Jesus is in no hurry. In fact there is no mention of him ever hurrying. The waiting is part of the story….
For all of us.
Wow! You’ve Changed!
Mark 5:18-20 (NIV)
As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. [19] Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” [20] So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
I would have wanted to follow Jesus like a puppy dog. But Jesus tells the man to go home.
Think of 5 of the worst humans you know–personally or historically. Now imagine them come home smelling good and acting like Mother Teresa.
That is what God can do.
And it is indeed amazing.
Those Pigs.
When I was a kid I went through a rough patch–lots of strep throat. I remember rounds of antibiotics and shots. The shots worked the best. One big dose of medicine.
That is how I see Jesus. His healing is so profound and complete and wholesome. Miraculous and life-giving.
So when he meets up with a guy who has an army of demons, the authority of his healing is strict and simple–
Mark 5:9-17 (NIV)
Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” [10] And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. [11] A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. [12] The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” [13] He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. [14] Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. [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. [16] Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. [17] Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
The pigs were smart, out for themselves, property, minding their own business, pork bystanders.
Why did the demons want to go into the pigs?
They did not want to get sent back to their master or their chosen home. Even demons don’t like hell.
And pigs aren’t crazy about demons.
Humans invite darkness into their hearts all the time, but these pigs did not. Their panicked suicide is a barometer of how awful the habitation of darkness is.
And the humans? Upset they lost their pigs. They fail to see Jesus is worth all the pigs in the world. They banish the Lord of Life for a few shekels.
Don’t make their mistake. Stay close to Jesus.
He sets the captive free.
Holy handbags, Robin!!!
Tonight I sang loud and off-key to God. There may have been some dancing around too. One of my children eyed me with a bit of alarm. Notable only because you would think they all would.
I also washed my purse today.
Not seeing the connection? Well, first let me explain that I am not a Gucci/baby Louie gal. My purses are cheap, washable, frequently seconded to me.
They are the receptacles of diapers (new), hair bands, gum (also new), keys, money, action figures, snacks, beverages, electronics, random papers.
Crumbs, a lot of crumbs…
I have been feeling itchy because I knew that my current purse avatar was the victim of a public bathroom floor incident that I will not shock you by explaining.
Just trust me: unhygienic.
So I feel good. Brownie crumbs evacuated, wallet transplanted. Purse clicking noisily in a midnight wash.
Cleaner.
I am aware that the God I trust and love is holy. Really clean.
I have a few kids who are well versed in superhero lore. So I was thinking about how a good comic book superhero needs an Achilles heel. And that led to thoughts of the only real superhero.
No Achilles heel–wait! There is a weakness. Not in him, us. We are his weakness. We are his mortal heel.
And he lets himself bleed out in holiness to bath us in his eternity.
That is clean. That is holy.
So I worship–messy and loud. Because he has rescued me. Once and for all eternity.
The closest you get to f…
Mark 5:9 (NIV)
Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.”
Huh. Like Jesus didn’t already know his name.
Jesus knew his name.
Jesus still knows his name.
Jesus knew all of his names.
Jesus knew their names.
Jesus knew them before they were shadowy inhabitants of a man in a graveyard.
Jesus knew when they were light.
Jesus knows this story.
He knows it all.
He is the eternal God incarnate.
So why ask the guy’s name?
I read today that Nokia was going to begin selling 3D kits to customers to “print” phone cases.
I saw a picture today of a small USB drive with a TB memory.
This is a story about before and after.
This is when and how the world changes.
God, the Poet asks the question because he knows the answer but we don’t. The guy doesn’t. The Legion has an idea. They know they are dealing with Eternity, Fire, and Change.
They are about to be kicked out.
But the question to ponder before we look further is–how did they get in?
Who let them in to the man’s messed up heart?
He did. Once called different names–pride, lust, ambition, lies. They walked in through the door….
And gradually took over.
Shaken Baby Syndrome
What do you want with me?
Mark 5:6-10 (NIV)
When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. [7] He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won’t torture me!” [8] For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you evil spirit!” [9] Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” [10] And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.
The light is beginning to break through. I love this guy. I know he is a mess at the beginning of the story.
At the beginning of his story he was a beautiful baby. He was a cute toddler. Somewhere in his life things went horribly wrong and they stayed wrong probably for a long time.
By the time Jesus finds him among the dead he is dead himself–no one wants him.
But Jesus is all about resurrection. He changes everything and he does it in a way that no one else can.
Notice the man’s language is even possessed. He alternates between I and we because he is swarming with demons.
2000!?!
No match for God.
Light is coming…
Manti and Lance
Manti T’eo is spinning. So is Lance Armstrong. Of course they are at different levels. Armstrong has lied for years, drawing in his intimates to a destructive web of lying and doping. And we paid him for this.
Make no mistake, Manti is doing what he is doing because he does not want to lose his grip on years of money and fame. But when he “huddle” with advisers to decide what to say and do he is spinning.
I know this for one simple reason. No one needs to “spin” the truth. It is what it is and it is simple to tell it. Painful. Humiliating. Exposing. But very, very simple.
What Lance does not see is the ordinary people whose marriages and families he has harmed by setting himself up as a superman. There is only one superman and his name is Jesus. And Lance has conspicuously denied the healing existence and power of God.
Lance has let his son down. Imagine being a kid and defending your father against accusations that are in fact true. Heartbreaking.
The truth remains: integrity is more important than money, fame, power or winning.
To borrow a phrase from the world’s most famous loser–
what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?
Wake up boys, your souls are calling.
Carrying Light 