if you're like me, a good christian, you've been watching The Bible on History Channel (totally kidding, please don't post hate comments). tonight's episode portrayed Jesus' healing of the leper. old testament law dictates that those affected with leprosy could not be in the midst of everyone else--and if they came within eyeshot of others they had to yell out "unclean! unclean" ensuring that everyone knew they were "unclean" and could not be touched, less the clean ones become infected with this uncleanness too. Jesus approached him when He heard him calling out, and to the shock (and to some, horror) of those around them, reached His hands out and embraced his face--touched him. the leper seemed as shocked as others to have been touched by anyone---but especially Jesus. immediately, he was made whole--clean. not over a period of months, weeks, days, even hours--immediately. in the midst of trying to multi-task and do my tummy exercises while watching this, i found myself wiping the uncontrollable tears from my face. much of me identifies with the leper. the poor decisions i have made, the lives i have stolen happiness from, the havoc i have caused, and all the times (many times a day) i have been a wretched example of a christian. i read the writings of amy carmichael, mother teresa, elisabeth elliot, and i feel in the midst of incredible, loving, gentle christian (women) like them, i have to throw my hands up and shout "unclean! unclean!" i cannot be touched, i cannot be welcomed in, and why on earth, with christians like them to walk in the midst of, would He want to come to me, touch me, embrace my face, with all my uncleanness. i understand that i am not actually unclean, that i am redeemed, that He has already made me whole--but i still struggle with my new identity at times. i too often, identify with the leper; but even in the dirty, disease-ridden state, the Christ still embraced the face of the leper. i no longer have to shout out "unclean! unclean!"
there was also the scene with peter and walking on water. the storms raged, and Jesus stood calmly on the water, calling peter to Him. He called peter! the one He knew would be too timid and scared and deny Him three times--that peter--He called him to walk on the stormy waters to Him. peter got out of the boat, he stood on the water, took a few steps, then let doubt sink in. once the doubt sunk in, he began to sink. Jesus wasn't doubting him--Jesus was the one calling peter to Him--peter is the one that began to doubt-not Jesus! that's kind of like us. Jesus calls us, plants gifts within us, and speaks to us. it's us who doubt what we are doing. the impact we are having. it's us who doubt if we are part of His plan, part of loving others, part of being His hands and feet. it's our doubt that causes us to sink, not His doubt in us. and like peter, once we begin to sink, He will still pull us up, and He will still proclaim to us that He will build His church upon us.
i'm going to do something wild and wacky and crazy and fun, and connect winston churchhill with a bible verse ('cause i'm daring like that). churchhill once said, "do what you can with what you have, where you are"....don't wait to be changed to a foot, an eye, a hand, a missionary to india, ecuador, or to be smarter, prettier, richer, or have a sharper wit....He has equipped us, and planted us where we need to grow.
1 corinthians 12:14-20:
there was also the scene with peter and walking on water. the storms raged, and Jesus stood calmly on the water, calling peter to Him. He called peter! the one He knew would be too timid and scared and deny Him three times--that peter--He called him to walk on the stormy waters to Him. peter got out of the boat, he stood on the water, took a few steps, then let doubt sink in. once the doubt sunk in, he began to sink. Jesus wasn't doubting him--Jesus was the one calling peter to Him--peter is the one that began to doubt-not Jesus! that's kind of like us. Jesus calls us, plants gifts within us, and speaks to us. it's us who doubt what we are doing. the impact we are having. it's us who doubt if we are part of His plan, part of loving others, part of being His hands and feet. it's our doubt that causes us to sink, not His doubt in us. and like peter, once we begin to sink, He will still pull us up, and He will still proclaim to us that He will build His church upon us.
i'm going to do something wild and wacky and crazy and fun, and connect winston churchhill with a bible verse ('cause i'm daring like that). churchhill once said, "do what you can with what you have, where you are"....don't wait to be changed to a foot, an eye, a hand, a missionary to india, ecuador, or to be smarter, prettier, richer, or have a sharper wit....He has equipped us, and planted us where we need to grow.
1 corinthians 12:14-20:
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts,yet one body.
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