ALL – Psalm 46:1-11
ALL – Proverbs 22:15
OT – Ecclesiastes 1:1-3:22
NT – 2 Corinthians 6:1-13
Interesting passage for the day: Our hearts ache, but at the same time we have the joy of the Lord. We are poor, but we give rich spiritual gifts to others. We own nothing, and yet we enjoy everything. – 2 Corinthians 6:10, The Living Bible
Thought: Have you ever thought about comparing Paul’s words here in 2 Corinthians 6 to what Jesus said in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5)? Following Jesus leads us through pain, but it also leads us through the best of life. Apart from Jesus, there are many hurting people I probably would not have stopped for. But because I’m walking with Jesus, I have sometimes stopped. And then their sorrows become my sorrows. Their foreclosures. Their extreme joint pain. Their friendlessness. Their despair. I share it with them, and I mourn with them, and my heart aches. Even inside my home, I learn to bear other people’s burdens. I am called to bear other people’s burdens, following Jesus, who bore my sin and my cross.
And yet despite the pain that is added to my life—my own, of course, but also all the pain that comes from feeling powerless to help others overcome their problems—I have the joy of the Lord, like Paul. I have the joy of knowing that my own sins are washed away. I smile as I think of how Jesus offers everyone that same joy. Even more, I rejoice that Jesus is setting the world straight. I shout when He uses me to help someone in a small way, or better yet, when He uses His church to help in a big way. I see His victory pouring down from heaven to earth. And when the church’s resources are exhausted, I celebrate when Jesus comes through in miraculous ways. And when the world still has problems, I set my eyes on the day when Jesus comes back. And I sigh with contentment, even going through the troubles of this world. Because my Jesus will set everything straight on that day.
I don’t think anyone can be as deeply sad and as deeply happy at the same time as a follower of Jesus. No one except God, who is infinitely more sad about our sin and pain and yet infinitely more happy about restoring us all through Jesus. As followers of Jesus, let’s follow Him into greater and greater sorrows. As we do, the reality of His power and plan to make all things new will lead us into deeper and deeper joy. Jesus is everything!
Question: When you avoid entering into other people’s pain, how much of it comes from a fear that Jesus can’t or won’t help us through the pain? What has Jesus already helped you through?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Showing posts with label restoration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label restoration. Show all posts
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Forgiveness or Healing – Which is Better?
ALL – Psalm 65:1-13
ALL – Proverbs 11:23
OT – Numbers 33:40-35:34
NT – Luke 5:12-28
When I began to work at Toccoa Falls College as an Application Coordinator in the Admissions Office, my supervisor was already a very sick lady. She had been battling cancer. Courageously. She was a Christian, and her trust was in her Lord Jesus Christ. She had found forgiveness of her sins through Him. But now she was sick, and growing more sick. And she wanted to be healed. We prayed for her to be healed.
Often when we read about Jesus’ ministry to the sick or disabled, we hear Him say, “I am willing to heal you. Rise and walk,” or something along those lines. We get used to those words. We find them to be extremely comforting. Jesus seems to put such a priority on healing people’s sick bodies. We know Jesus cares.
But in Luke we read the story of a paralyzed man. His friends had to work extra hard to bring him to Jesus. Jesus was inside a house, and they couldn’t even approach Jesus because of how crowded the place was. Their creative solution? This paralyzed man’s friends lowered him on his mat through a hole they made in the roof of the house! Obviously they were hoping for healing.
But Jesus’ first words to this paralyzed man weren’t, “Be healed.” Instead, Luke records this:
Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “My friend, your sins are forgiven!” – Luke 5:20, The Living Bible
Jesus first words to the man were not healing, but forgiveness. It is only after some religious leaders challenge Jesus’ authority to forgive sins that Jesus turns to heal the man. The way the story reads, Jesus actually heals the paralyzed man more as evidence of His own authority to forgive sins than anything else. But finally the paralyzed man hears the words from Jesus’ lips:
Pick up your stretcher and go on home, for you are healed! – Luke 5:25, The Living Bible
The response?
And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped to his feet, picked up his mat and went home praising God! – Luke 5:26, The Living Bible
Our attention is usually drawn to the fact that this man was healed. That’s what impresses us: the reality that he jumped to his feet, picked up his mat and went home. But what about the last two words in Luke 5:26, “praising God.” Do we notice those? Perhaps the man was praising God merely for his healing. But what if those two words are meant to indicate that his relationship with God had been healed? What if the fact that he was praising God had more to do with Jesus’ words, “Your sins are forgiven,” than His words, “You are healed”?
Which is better? Forgiveness? Or healing? A restored relationship with God or a restored body? If you say “healing,” what makes it better? If you say “forgiveness,” do you really believe that? Seriously? How often do we thank God for His forgiveness?
The Rest of the Week's Readings:
March 23, 2010
ALL – Psalm 66:1-20
ALL – Proverbs 11:24-26
OT – Numbers 36:1-Deuteronomy 1:46
NT – Luke 5:29-6:11
March 24, 2010
ALL – Psalm 67:1-7
ALL – Proverbs 11:27
OT – Deuteronomy 2:1-3:29
NT – Luke 6:12-38
March 25, 2010
ALL – Psalm 68:1-18
ALL – Proverbs 11:28
OT – Deuteronomy 4:1-49
NT – Luke 6:39-7:10
March 26, 2010
ALL – Psalm 68:19-35
ALL – Proverbs 11:29-31
OT – Deuteronomy 5:1-6:25
NT – Luke 7:11-35
March 27, 2010
ALL – Psalm 69:1-18
ALL – Proverbs 12:1
OT – Deuteronomy 7:1-8:20
NT – Luke 7:36-8:3
March 28, 2010
ALL – Psalm 69:19-36
ALL – Proverbs 12:2-3
OT – Deuteronomy 9:1-10:22
NT – Luke 8:4-21
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 11:23
OT – Numbers 33:40-35:34
NT – Luke 5:12-28
When I began to work at Toccoa Falls College as an Application Coordinator in the Admissions Office, my supervisor was already a very sick lady. She had been battling cancer. Courageously. She was a Christian, and her trust was in her Lord Jesus Christ. She had found forgiveness of her sins through Him. But now she was sick, and growing more sick. And she wanted to be healed. We prayed for her to be healed.
Often when we read about Jesus’ ministry to the sick or disabled, we hear Him say, “I am willing to heal you. Rise and walk,” or something along those lines. We get used to those words. We find them to be extremely comforting. Jesus seems to put such a priority on healing people’s sick bodies. We know Jesus cares.
But in Luke we read the story of a paralyzed man. His friends had to work extra hard to bring him to Jesus. Jesus was inside a house, and they couldn’t even approach Jesus because of how crowded the place was. Their creative solution? This paralyzed man’s friends lowered him on his mat through a hole they made in the roof of the house! Obviously they were hoping for healing.
But Jesus’ first words to this paralyzed man weren’t, “Be healed.” Instead, Luke records this:
Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “My friend, your sins are forgiven!” – Luke 5:20, The Living Bible
Jesus first words to the man were not healing, but forgiveness. It is only after some religious leaders challenge Jesus’ authority to forgive sins that Jesus turns to heal the man. The way the story reads, Jesus actually heals the paralyzed man more as evidence of His own authority to forgive sins than anything else. But finally the paralyzed man hears the words from Jesus’ lips:
Pick up your stretcher and go on home, for you are healed! – Luke 5:25, The Living Bible
The response?
And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped to his feet, picked up his mat and went home praising God! – Luke 5:26, The Living Bible
Our attention is usually drawn to the fact that this man was healed. That’s what impresses us: the reality that he jumped to his feet, picked up his mat and went home. But what about the last two words in Luke 5:26, “praising God.” Do we notice those? Perhaps the man was praising God merely for his healing. But what if those two words are meant to indicate that his relationship with God had been healed? What if the fact that he was praising God had more to do with Jesus’ words, “Your sins are forgiven,” than His words, “You are healed”?
Which is better? Forgiveness? Or healing? A restored relationship with God or a restored body? If you say “healing,” what makes it better? If you say “forgiveness,” do you really believe that? Seriously? How often do we thank God for His forgiveness?
The Rest of the Week's Readings:
March 23, 2010
ALL – Psalm 66:1-20
ALL – Proverbs 11:24-26
OT – Numbers 36:1-Deuteronomy 1:46
NT – Luke 5:29-6:11
March 24, 2010
ALL – Psalm 67:1-7
ALL – Proverbs 11:27
OT – Deuteronomy 2:1-3:29
NT – Luke 6:12-38
March 25, 2010
ALL – Psalm 68:1-18
ALL – Proverbs 11:28
OT – Deuteronomy 4:1-49
NT – Luke 6:39-7:10
March 26, 2010
ALL – Psalm 68:19-35
ALL – Proverbs 11:29-31
OT – Deuteronomy 5:1-6:25
NT – Luke 7:11-35
March 27, 2010
ALL – Psalm 69:1-18
ALL – Proverbs 12:1
OT – Deuteronomy 7:1-8:20
NT – Luke 7:36-8:3
March 28, 2010
ALL – Psalm 69:19-36
ALL – Proverbs 12:2-3
OT – Deuteronomy 9:1-10:22
NT – Luke 8:4-21
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Day Three
Hosea 4-6; Psalm 127; Proverbs 29:15-17
Something special happens on the third day.
Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. – Hosea 6:1-2
On the third day, the LORD restores His people so that they can live in His presence. What’s that mean? Hmmm, let’s see. What day was it that Jesus Christ was raised from the grave? Oh, yeah. The third day. On the third day, Jesus—who had been torn to pieces and injured and killed for our sins—was healed and His wounds were gone. He was revived and restored, and in His resurrection we are also revived and restored to live forever in the presence of God.
Thank You, Father!
Can anyone share a testimony about how the truth of Jesus’ resurrection led you to do as the first verse urges and “return to the LORD”?
Something special happens on the third day.
Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. – Hosea 6:1-2
On the third day, the LORD restores His people so that they can live in His presence. What’s that mean? Hmmm, let’s see. What day was it that Jesus Christ was raised from the grave? Oh, yeah. The third day. On the third day, Jesus—who had been torn to pieces and injured and killed for our sins—was healed and His wounds were gone. He was revived and restored, and in His resurrection we are also revived and restored to live forever in the presence of God.
Thank You, Father!
Can anyone share a testimony about how the truth of Jesus’ resurrection led you to do as the first verse urges and “return to the LORD”?
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