Expect The Unexpected @ Ground Zero

 

FRI Evening Prayer Reflection 050721 (Romans 14: 13-23; Luke 8: 40-56) 

Expect the Unexpected at Ground zero

Almost every time, we find ourselves at rock bottom, we don’t think there is anything good that can come out of being at rock bottom. There are actually incredible lessons that can only be learned when one is at rock bottom. One of those lessons is that learning the truth about ourselves can be challenging, because we are suddenly faced with a responsibility to respond accordingly. The Gospel according to Luke presents us with two cases of people who have hit rock bottom. The first case concerns parents with a dying child. They were desperate and looking to Jesus for an answer. Luke tells us that Jesus was busy teaching a crowd and another story was actually developing. A woman who was ill for 12 years touched Jesus hoping to be healed. That was the second case. In both cases there was great desperation, and Jesus met them right where it hurts. The first case actually did get worse because, the child died before even Jesus began to say anything. It made me think of when we say things like: Can this be any worse? I am convinced that Jesus is greatly moved by our emotions.

Right there, as soon as the parents were told not to bother the teacher anymore because the child had died, Jesus began his involvement: ‘Do not fear. Only believe, and she will be saved.” Jesus willed it and asked the child to get up, she lived. I wonder how we also can memorize these words of Jesus, because they are as valid for us as they were for Jairus daughter. As parents, we find ourselves in desperate moments, moments of panic, may we remember those words: “Do not fear. Only believe, you will be saved!”

The case of the woman’s faith also made me thing how Jesus was always self-conscious physically and spiritually. We can tell when someone touches us physically, but it may be hard for us to feel it in the spiritual realm. Jesus knew that this woman had touched him because power went out from him. It seems like the lesson here is that Jesus is our miracle! She believed her answer was to touch Jesus, and she went for it. It took faith! I am convinced that Jesus is the answer we have been looking for: Perhaps our goal is surrendering our situations to God.

This is a kind of gratitude you can’t fake! That the gratitude of parents whose daughter was dead but now alive; that gratitude of the healed woman! It makes us think more deeply about this person, in whom the power of resurrection and the power to heal reside. In and with him, both Jairus the ruler of the Synagogue, as well as the modest citizen woman who got healed meet. Jesus concern for them goes beyond just the physical needs: This is a lesson we often find it hard to learn. A child was restored to her parents and the woman with the issue of blood was healed. I am thinking that inner peace was also restored.

I was reading today’s epistle of Paul to the Romans, and my impression of what was going on, is that our trust in God is very important. Paul tells the Romans not to pass judgment on another person. When we trust God, we have to let him handle things. The Romans were quick to point out what was wrong, which I believe we also do quite well. Paul points out the issue of our conscience, so we can consider what is proper to do in any circumstance. Paul says: “For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Perhaps like the Romans, we are concerned with issues of food and drink, things that pertains to the realm of earth rather than things that pertains to the Kingdom of God. Our two cases were inevitable, Jesus got involved and brought healing and restoration. I am wondering if there was a way to scan our concerns, would we say they pertain to the Kingdom of God? Contributing to the healing and restoration of others? This is our mission: To bring healing and restoration to others. Be the unexpected for others!