Have you ever found yourself thinking about something, such as a funny or sweet memory, and then realize that without consciously thinking about it, you're smiling? It's like you're in your own little world for a minute, just you and the memory (and in a way, whoever else shares that memory with you). And as you think about that memory, you can't help but smile. It's almost like you have a special secret for a moment as you smile, remembering and reflecting on a previous time.
This happened to me recently, but in a way that was new to me.
I was driving, and a song came on the radio. For those of you who know me well, you know that I tend to connect to songs a lot. (And I also become obsessed with songs fairly often...) A lot of memories for me are connected to a song, so it isn't unusual for me to hear a song and immediately recollect a memory or feel nostalgic.
This time it was a little different, though. Because this time the memory that popped into my head wasn't one that I shared with anyone else. It was just between me and God.
It was a memory of a recent moment when I had really sensed His peace and His love as I chose to trust Him instead of fear.
And when the song came on the radio, the same song that I had been listening to in the moment I mentioned above, I found myself smiling.
When I realized that I was smiling, I was surprised for a minute... This was something new. Like I said earlier, I've had those moments when I've caught myself smiling at a memory with other people, but it caught me off guard to realize that I was smiling as I remembered a moment that God and I had shared. It felt intimate, personal. There was this fleeting thought that ran through my mind, "Is this okay?" I didn't want to be irreverent in the way I was thinking.
Then it hit me. Of course it is okay! God is not only my Father and my Savior, He is my Friend.
God desires us to walk with Him through each day, leaning on Him, talking with Him, and trusting Him. He wants a relationship with us. Our Father and King wants to know us deeply and intimately. A relationship (friendship) with another person means that you will do a lot of talking and listening, and I think that sometimes some of that talking will be about the memories the two of you share. I think that the same can be said of our relationship with God. We should talk with Him and listen to Him (prayer), and I think that it is okay (actually, better than okay. I think it is great!) to remember and reflect on the ways You've seen Him at work, and the times that You've felt His peace or His strength.
Psalm 25:14 says that "The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear Him." FRIENDSHIP! I love that. I can relate to that. The Lord is my Friend.
Friends share memories, share smiles, and share the joys and the sorrows. If we are to have friendship with the Lord, then I think we are going to have memories that we share with Him alone, that just the two of us know about. Memories of the way He has touched our hearts, or given us courage, or filled us with His joy or peace.
And I hope that the next time you are remembering one of those times, you catch yourself smiling at the memory with your Friend. :)
Friday, March 21, 2014
Monday, March 10, 2014
The Untouchable
I recently started reading through the book of Matthew, looking especially at Jesus, who He was, His words and His actions, and how He interacted with people. This morning as I was reading, I came across Matthew 8:1-3, which says:
"When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy." (NIV)
I can honestly say that I've probably read those verses many, many times before, never really giving them a second glance. You know, thinking "that's awesome! Jesus healed him!" and then moving on to the next passage. Today, though, they caught my attention in a new way. I realized that these verses show just how much Jesus loved people.
The man was a leper, meaning that he had a very disfiguring disease, that he could not live near anyone else (he would've had to leave behind his family and friends), and that he was an outcast in the society. People would not give him a second look. Then along comes Jesus.
When most other people would've walked right by this man, not giving him a second glance, Jesus stopped and talked to him. And even more than that... Jesus touched this man. He touched a man who had leprosy. This was a huge no-no in the culture, and it went very much against the grain. But Jesus was not only willing to heal the man from his disease, which he could have done by just speaking a command, but he was willing to reach out his own hand and touch him. This man, who was considered unclean and untouchable and unlovable by the world, was touched by the hand of Jesus.
Jesus was willing and able to heal the man from his disease, but I think that He also went above and beyond to show this man the love of God. Think about this: this man, because of his disease, had probably not felt the touch of another person in a very, very long time. As a person who enjoys physical contact, such as hugging a friend or family member, I can't imagine not being able to do that. This man couldn't, and no one would venture to do so even if he was allowed to be near others. He was literally starving for the touch of another human being. Not only did Jesus heal him from his outward disease, but I think that by touching him, one human being to another, Christ showed this man genuine love, helping to heal his inner hurts as well.
As I continue to think about these short few verses, I am so amazed at and challenged by the love of Christ. His love is so much greater than any human obstacles or limitations we put on it. His love is deep, and His love is strong. He sees the invisible, and He loves the unlovable and the untouchable. His love is genuine. No matter how dirty or "untouchable" you may feel, Jesus's love is stronger and He is reaching out His hand to you and I.
Soak in His love today, and then turn around and love the people around you the way Jesus would. Love the unlovable and the untouchable, seeing them the way Jesus does, and showing them the genuine love of God. If Jesus was willing to reach out His hand to the untouchable, shouldn't we be willing as well?
"Give me Your eyes for just one second
Give me Your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me Your love for humanity
Give me Your arms for the broken-hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me Your eyes so I can see."
-Brandon Heath, "Give Me Your Eyes"
"When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy." (NIV)
I can honestly say that I've probably read those verses many, many times before, never really giving them a second glance. You know, thinking "that's awesome! Jesus healed him!" and then moving on to the next passage. Today, though, they caught my attention in a new way. I realized that these verses show just how much Jesus loved people.
The man was a leper, meaning that he had a very disfiguring disease, that he could not live near anyone else (he would've had to leave behind his family and friends), and that he was an outcast in the society. People would not give him a second look. Then along comes Jesus.
When most other people would've walked right by this man, not giving him a second glance, Jesus stopped and talked to him. And even more than that... Jesus touched this man. He touched a man who had leprosy. This was a huge no-no in the culture, and it went very much against the grain. But Jesus was not only willing to heal the man from his disease, which he could have done by just speaking a command, but he was willing to reach out his own hand and touch him. This man, who was considered unclean and untouchable and unlovable by the world, was touched by the hand of Jesus.
Jesus was willing and able to heal the man from his disease, but I think that He also went above and beyond to show this man the love of God. Think about this: this man, because of his disease, had probably not felt the touch of another person in a very, very long time. As a person who enjoys physical contact, such as hugging a friend or family member, I can't imagine not being able to do that. This man couldn't, and no one would venture to do so even if he was allowed to be near others. He was literally starving for the touch of another human being. Not only did Jesus heal him from his outward disease, but I think that by touching him, one human being to another, Christ showed this man genuine love, helping to heal his inner hurts as well.
As I continue to think about these short few verses, I am so amazed at and challenged by the love of Christ. His love is so much greater than any human obstacles or limitations we put on it. His love is deep, and His love is strong. He sees the invisible, and He loves the unlovable and the untouchable. His love is genuine. No matter how dirty or "untouchable" you may feel, Jesus's love is stronger and He is reaching out His hand to you and I.
Soak in His love today, and then turn around and love the people around you the way Jesus would. Love the unlovable and the untouchable, seeing them the way Jesus does, and showing them the genuine love of God. If Jesus was willing to reach out His hand to the untouchable, shouldn't we be willing as well?
"Give me Your eyes for just one second
Give me Your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me Your love for humanity
Give me Your arms for the broken-hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me Your eyes so I can see."
-Brandon Heath, "Give Me Your Eyes"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)