Do we want to be well?

I got to thinking about Tim Ernst’s hiking guides this morning.  He has a designation –SSS- which means Super Scenic Spot.   Generally it is an inspiring view that needs a little time to process and enjoy.  Often it’s a good place to take a short –or not so short-rest from the rigors of the trail.  I find that some trails are just one SSS after another, until the mind can barely be excited about the most glorious sight.

Well in my personal spiritual journey, I decided to copy and paste Personal Soul-catching Passages –I shall call them PSPs- to my journal for later review and study so that I can keep reading and get the total picture and then go back to process and dig into the meanings of words or look up references to quoted passages within the text and such.  As with the trail, some passages are just full of PSPs to the point your mind gets so full, it can barely feel the enormity of the words.

John chapter 5 is one of those passages.  When I finished it, I had almost the whole chapter pasted to my journal.

PSP #1:  There is a man who has suffered for 38 years and Jesus asks him “Are you really serious about getting well?” AMP  What a question!  But for 38 years he has put up with a serious destructive illness –we are not told what it was- and had put his hope in a pool of water that has a legend attached.  He hadn’t even asked Jesus to heal him.  I don’t think Jesus had that reputation yet.  My thought was “Can we go time after time through a crippling situation without trusting the source of restoration and redemption?  Is it easier to trust a rumor than the Savior?  Or do we just not know to trust him with certain needs?”  Does he ever say to us “Do you even want to be rid of this?”  I believe he does in my life.

Another thought evolved from this passage.  The man had been an invalid for so long that it became his way of life.  He was there day after day watching the water trying to be the first one in.  He had no occupation.  His one purpose in life was tied to his illness.  His way of life revolved around his lack of health.  “Do you want to get well?” Jesus asked.  He’s in the middle of a group of invalids and Jesus singles him out.  “Do you even want to be well?”

The man replies that he has no one to help him into the water.  He tells Jesus how he has been trying, but somebody else always gets in the way and steals his success.

Jesus tells him to pick up his bedroll and walk off.  At that moment the guy feels good and does just that and Jesus disappears into the crowd.  It just happened to be the Sabbath.

The next scene is one that is replayed several times in the ministry of Jesus.  The Jewish leaders ask why he’s doing that and he says “This guy healed me and told me to do it.”  Then everyone ignores the miraculous recovery and starts picking apart the peripheral issues.   The complaining-explaining cycle begins.

Jesus finds him later and tells him to stop sinning or it will be worse than before.  The man tells the Jewish leaders it was Jesus that told him to carry his bedroll on the Sabbath.  But that leads to another PSP.

It leaves you with a lot of questions.  It gives you a lot to think about on the journey.

Authority - particularly spiritual authority

In the past couple of days, my private devotion has been inundated by the idea of authority.  In the past, I have studied, listened and even exercised authority, and yet when I read the first two chapters of John, I felt almost overwhelmed by my questions about authority.  

Jesus encountered a soldier once who told him that there was no need for him to come to his house, for he was a man of authority and he understood that if Jesus spoke the word, it would be done.  Jesus was amazed.  Just the thought of Jesus being surprised at the capability of a man to understand and believe is food for thought.  But that said, few people understood in that day.  Even his disciples didn't really understand.  And after all these centuries of studying and such, we don't often understand either.

Authority may well be the key to faith and spiritual success, but it seems to be a key we have lost track of.  We hunt for all kinds of phases and antics.  We try to blow up the wall, we hack at the gate, when, if we have authority, we really only need to ask that the gate be opened.  Maybe you have this under your belt, but I still struggle.  Here are some verses that caught my attention these past two days.  They are taken from the Amplified Bible and from the NIV 84.

1

Jesus came to occupy what was his own.  His own did not accept him as owner.  But some did and they were given the authority to become sons of God.

For out of His abundance we have all received one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift heaped upon gift.  For while the Law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 

No man has ever seen God at any time; the only begotten of God, Who is the intimate presence of the Father, He has revealed Him and brought Him out where He can be seen; He has interpreted Him and He has made Him known. AMP

2

My hour to act has not yet come.  AMP

I will be consumed with jealousy for the honor of Your house. AMP 

“Give us a sign.”

Jesus answered them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.   Then the Jews replied, It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?   But He had spoken of the temple which was His body.

Jesus did not need to be instructed in human nature.  He understood completely.

His first act of authority after creation, was perhaps to come to earth with a plan for redemption to give people the authority to become sons and daughters of God.  Yet, his first public act was quiet; he simple took authority over the composition of the liquid in the pots.  Only what they put into the pots was changed.  The story doesn't even tell us he said or did anything but tell them to fill the pots and then draw out and serve the wine.
Why was that the beginning of his miracles and wonderworks? (AMP)  It seems like such a small thing.  Yet to the host of that wedding it was no small thing.  And perhaps it was really more allegorical than we have realized.  Weddings were a big deal.  They are often used symbolically.
Miscalculating the amount of wine needed was a big deal to that family.  It makes me wonder what happened there that they fell short in a critical time.  Perhaps the family had only limited resource and were hoping to get by.  Perhaps they could not provide more than they did.
This event reminds me that all have come short of the glory of God.  We all have failed to provide for our most important event -the afterlife.  In fact, we have no way to provide for that event except in the authority of Jesus.
The second act we are told of in the Book of John was aggressive.  He saw the merchants and their merchandise.  He saw the dishonesty and greed and became angry.  He grabbed some cords, fashioned them into a whip (premeditated; not an irrational act)  and began beating the merchants enough that they had to vacate the courtyard of the temple.  He called them thieves and accused them of misusing his Father's house.
They rubbed their chins and said "Who gave you the authority to do this?"  His justification was his death and resurrection.  Wow!  He kept his purpose always in the foreground.  His purpose was his justification time and time again.  His obedience was his authority.
When I come upon injustice, illness, ignorance, I want to scream in authority "Be done with you!"  But what would I say if I am successful and challenged.  Am I confident in my obedience and authority based on truth.  I am a daughter of the Most High God.  Yet do I understand my purpose?  Jesus gave me the authority to become God's daughter when I believed and received.  But what about the authority to speak to cancer?  What about the authority to insist on the redemption of my family?  The water went into the pot.  The wine came out.  It was authority.
I have questions to ask of the Father.  He promises answers.  I will listen and wait.  Can I make a difference in my world?  I do not know, but someone must.  It is a day for wonderworks, I believe.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a curious thing.  It's not really an option.  Unforgiveness will kill everything good in our world.  It brings in fear and bitterness which methodically destroy our relationships and our bodies by our own permission.  And yet.  And yet.

I think one deterrent to forgiveness is the feeling that the despicable acts of the other will not get their due.  Another is the feeling that as long as the behaviors of others are not dealt with they will continue and our lives cannot progress in good.  Yet just the opposite is true.  God has promised by his character that evil will be avenged.  It is either avenged by the blood of Christ applied or it is avenged by the wrath of a Holy God.  
"Vengeance is mine.  I will repay," says the Lord.  Yet because judgment is not executed speedily, men's hearts are set to do evil.  You will be forgiven as you forgive others.  He who is forgiven much, loves much.  God's written word has much to say about the subjects of vengeance and forgiveness.  Forgiveness requires faith in God's ability to deal with evil -their evil; our evil.  Vengeance requires faith in God's ability to have grace for our evil but not for another's evil.
I have heard people say that if it still hurts you, you have not forgiven.  I do not believe that for one second.  Some things will always hurt.  You have a choice when you feel the pain.  You may forgive again and sink your heart and hopes back into your God.  Or you can twist the knife in your gut and begin the bitter vengeance again.
It is true that God can take all those things that were evil and meant for evil and reroute them to produce good in the lives of those who love him and recognize the call he has on their lives.  Wounds can become purposeful then.  But what is bound on earth by God's chosen ones is bound in heaven.  Sometimes we tie up the blessings that could come with our faith by our unforgiveness.  We feel the pain and we lose hope in the 'all things'.  Yet the promise is true and does not depend on our own strength of will or character.  It depends on the strength of our God's will and character.  He has determined.  He will do it.  I'd rather he got my attention by speaking to me than by altering the course of my life.  And yet.  And yet.
Nothing will fail of the promises of God.  Years ago I committed myself to his care and will.  It has been a long road. At times it has been a hard road but the hard times have proved his promises were good and active more often than the smooth smiley road.
And so one more day, I choose to forgive.  It does not absolve the guilty but it allows grace to flow.  It does not stop the pain but it does give purpose to it.  It recognizes that I had much to be forgiven of.  It reminds me that I am forgiven.  But what if evil continues?  What if the perpetrator is not dealt with?  What if I don't get what I want?  What if we are not restored?  Tomorrow, I will choose to forgive, for my Father in heaven will be there holding me, loving me, saving me, forgiving me, changing me, healing me.
Forgiveness is not really an option it is the only course that leads to life and God has promised me life.

Hatred - if you must.

Today I am astounded by hatred.  I am amazed at what it is and what it is not.  I do not believe that an immoral life is a wise or right choice.  But I don’t hate those who are deceived by immoral choices. 

There is a great sorrow when I see young people I have learned to care for using consistently vulgar language sometimes even within the concept of faith.  You may say it is just how people talk today and it means nothing bad.  But it saddens me that respect for life, love, belief, family, marriage and more has been casually laid aside in an attempt to respect modern reality.

I was distressed yesterday by a post that equated ‘relationship’ with fidelity.  I could have laughed for it was meant to be funny, but it made me sad for I know that the person is a struggling Christian; I don’t hate her at all.  I don’t even feel that I am better than she is because I see things differently.  My first reaction was “Oh sweetie, . . . “

I don’t hate people who have abortions.  I feel sorry and ashamed that in our culture the creation of a living being has become such a casual, selfish, irresponsible thing.  I am sorry and ashamed to realize that the destruction of life is such a thoughtless, convenience based business.  Hate language?  No it’s not.

I believe that homosexuality is wrong, but I do not hate homosexuals.  I believe that all scripture is given by God for doctrine, for instruction, for correction- even the ones about same sex sex.  It grieves me that their hearts are so distressed.

To this date, I have the right to stand for what I believe.  That does not include trying to destroy other people or their lives.  I don’t even think that is a Godly approach.  But these things still sadden me greatly.  It also saddens me that I may not always have the right to stand publicly and say “This I believe. . . . . “ without being convicted and punished for hate crimes.

So after the extreme hatred I have seen in the past few days in regards to the various sides of the recent political events, I ask myself is there an appropriate hatred.  Is there anything I truly and justly hate?  So I have gone to the scripture this morning.  Here are some things I have found.

  Leviticus 19:16-18

Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt.

  2 Chronicles 19:1-3

Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you.

  Psalm 139:20-23

Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD, and abhor those who rise up against you?  I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

  Proverbs 8:12-14

To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.

  Amos 5:14-16

Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy . . . . .

  Zechariah 8:16-18

do not plot evil against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the LORD.

  John 7:6-8

The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.     John 15:17-19   If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.

  Romans 12:8-10

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

  Titus 3:2-4

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

I will say in conclusion –if you read this far-  that there are things worth hating.  There are things God hates.  But there are very few people we should hate.  After a great amount of thought, I’ve decided I must admit to hatred.  Those I truly hate are those who intentionally destroy the lives of others for personal gain.  There are those who entrap people knowing what they are doing.  These do not care what the outcome is to the enslaved as long as they personally profit.  Their cold hearts feel no shame.

You may say “But they are enslaved themselves, they are deceived as well.”

And I will concede that grace and mercy are their gift as much as mine.  But in this state, I do feel hatred rise in me.  “I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.”  And I do pray for the destruction of their works and empires while I pray for the salvation of their souls.

So if you must, call me a ‘hater.’  If you must, reciprocate.  But take time to consider what it is you are hating in return.

Blessings.