What faith for miracles looks like

I always seem to be drawn back to this part of the Bible. This time as I read John 11:20-27 I was inspired by Martha. She and her sister Mary were believers, they knew Jesus well. Their brother had died, they were grieving, and they had waited days for Jesus to respond.

Nonetheless, Martha went out to meet Jesus when she heard that He was on His way (v.20). It would have been quite legitimate not to. When we are grieving or going through difficulty it is easy to give up – even just for a season – on seeking God. Martha hadn’t given up on her faith in Jesus. She took what must have felt like a risk even though she was hurting.

Martha expressed her feelings honestly and respectfully (v.21). I’m encouraged by the honest way that Martha shared her feelings of disappointment with Jesus. I’m encouraged because I know that she knew Jesus well and felt that this was okay to speak that way to Him. I’m encouraged that Jesus didn’t flinch at this or find fault.

Martha was quick to follow this with an expression of her faith (v.22). She must have been feeling all sorts of things, yet she still acknowledged with her words that anything was possible with God. Martha also hadn’t given up on what she had been taught, she hadn’t thrown out her theology on end times (v.24).

Martha again acknowledged her faith by confessing that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God (v.27). Although she was grieving and disappointed, Martha didn’t give up. She went out to Jesus, she told Him how she felt, and she expressed her faith. Jesus, in His own wisdom and grace, had made them wait 4 days. But then, He did it. Jesus raised Lazarus back to life. Not in the end of time but right then and there.

Martha received her miracle. God is indeed good.

But hold the press just a moment. My next day’s reading blew me away even more. Of course I learnt from Martha that I should seek Jesus even when it’s tough, that I should express my feelings and my faith to Him. But just before I make a recipe or an equation or a contract out of the process to receiving your miracle, I learnt something else from Mary, actually about God.

He is so gracious. Mary didn’t go out to meet Jesus. We don’t hear any great professions of faith. She may well have been an emotional mess. She made Jesus cry. But Mary also received her miracle.

Sometimes faith looks like Martha and sometimes like Mary. But God is always good, and powerful, and unpredictable. 

Inner Schism?

 “...dividing soul and spirit...”  Hebrews 4:12

Sometimes I feel fear and faith at the same time, probably more often than I’d like to confess. I’ve had times when I feel expectant about what God is going to do as I share the Word but also feeling quite discouraged. There’s been times when I feel full of confusion but able to make jokes and play with my kids.

Is this fake? Am I a hypocrite? Does this make me mentally ill?

When I have reflected on this I have presumed that this is strange and somehow wrong. I am one person, I want to be self-aware and consistent. How can I experience such different things simultaneously?

I’ve recently been considering what it means to be one person yet made with a body, a soul and a spirit. I realised that it can make sense to feel different things at the same time. My body might be tired, my soul worn out, while my spirit can be full of belief for what’s about to happen. Ideally all three parts would be doing great, and I certainly believe that this is possible, but it is foolish to doubt and judge myself when it’s different.

When our soul is overwhelmed with doubt and confusion, we need the living and active truth of God’s Word to divide between our soul and our spirit. Then, as our soul submits to the truth received in our spirit we’ll have peace that passes our understanding.

The Computer Metaphor

I thought about this idea to help understand the distinction between the spirit, soul and body. It has its limitations. Perhaps you can think of another way.

Hardware

The body is everything we can see, the physical, the moving parts; like the hardware of a computer. If something goes wrong with your hardware then it needs to be fixed or replaced. The hardware needs to do what the software tells it to do.

Software

The software is where the thinking and decision-making happens in the computer. Programs run, files are organised, memory is stored. If there is a problem with your software then you need to get an update, to refresh and to remove any bugs.

Connection

If the hardware and the software are doing their jobs, then the computer should be able to connect to the internet. It can come alive to the big world of the web. The internet is not God, but I think this connection is like the way our own spirit’s come alive at salvation and are then able to connect spiritually with God.

Friends, God is so good to us, so we really ought to submit our hardware to Him which pleases Him. Don’t be branded by the world but as you connect with God, let Him update, upgrade and refresh your software. Then you will know all that God has for you and wants for you.

Very rough paraphrase of Romans 12:1-2

Note to soul: Praise the Lord

"Praise the Lord, O my soul;" (Psalm 103)

It's encouraging that even the great worshipper, King David, had to have stern words with his own soul to focus in worship. In any time when I want to focus spiritually I find that I need to put my soul in its place or I'll quickly be distracted, inundated with fresh thoughts and feelings that make the quietest place so noisy. This Psalm of David encourages me.

He begins by commanding his soul to conform to what he believes in his spirit. He praises God for all that He is doing for him - God forgives, heals, redeems, crowns and satisfies. It's clear from the text that David was glad to remember these things and to be renewed like the eagle. This is coming from a time when David needed to remember, needed to make his soul focus.

With body and soul now submitting to his spirit's agenda, David begins to consider the character of the Lord God he knows so well, so intimately. David thinks about God's righteousness, compassion, grace,  faithfulness and love. David didn't simply learn these things from Sunday school. He had experienced these things in these times of intimacy, they'd been revealed to his spirit as he spent time with God even through the most difficult times.

Then it gets really interesting. As David has made his soul submit to the truth and as he tunes in to the character of God he begins to prophesy. David moves from expressing what he remembers and what he knows, in to sharing live what God is telling his spirit about the future. He sees the future of God's people being filled with His love and righteousness. David sees God's throne established and His dominion over all. David freely builds into a crescendo of praise.

It's as we offer to God our bodies and our minds that we can truly worship, and He can reveal His heart to us (from Romans 12:1-2).

Body, Soul and Spirit - Who am I?


For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12


Recently I've been thinking a lot about the distinction between soul and spirit. I'm beginning to think that understanding the difference is as important as appreciating the difference between my arms and my legs, or between my brain and my heart - maybe even more important.


The Scriptures are clear enough that there is a distinction, but there's plenty of room for mystery with the details. I'd like to be more strong in my spirit. It's my spirit that came alive when I came to Christ. It's with my spirit that I believe. 


I find it easy to let my soul lead the way. I think. I feel. It's hard to stop. I'd like to give my spirit some more airtime, but I need to learn how - and practise. 

Glory!

Glory is one of those Bible words that just keeps on coming up, yet it can seem mysteriously elusive and difficult to define.

When my son put me on the spot to explain what it meant my first thought was to get him to think about the awesomeness of a thunderstorm, something we both enjoy to watch. Later I looked in a dictionary to see if I could get some clarity but found that I was happier with the picture of the thunderstorm to understand it.

I think glory, like grace, is something that is better described through pictures and stories – better experienced than explained. God’s glory is revealed freely but it is easy to miss, like an ant walking over a gold bar looking for food.

Any idea of man’s glory, the triumphant hero, the victorious sportsman, is tangled with man’s ego. God has no need of such affirmation, He displays His glory for our benefit and because it simply His nature.

God’s glory is His greatness on show, His power and character displayed for the benefit of us.

What does it for you? What’s a picture that overwhelms you with God’s glory?

Flapping or soaring?

Do you not know? 

Have you not heard? 

The LORD is the everlasting God, 

the Creator of the ends of the earth. 

He will not grow tired or weary, 

and his understanding no one can fathom. 

He gives strength to the weary 

and increases the power of the weak. 

Even youths grow tired and weary, 

and young men stumble and fall; 

but those who hope in the LORD 

will renew their strength. 

They will soar on wings like eagles; 

they will run and not grow weary, 

they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40

It seems that my natural approach to life is to rely on my own strength and resources. It doesn’t take long before I’m flapping around like a seagull, craning my neck to and fro, looking for the next thing to squawk at or the next hot chip to steal.

But God, my Heavenly Father, has made me to soar like an eagle. I’ve watched sea eagles, strong and graceful. They stretch out their wings and rise up on the currents of warm air; letting those currents lead them on. They move effectively and easily.

I choose to wait on God, to hope in Him. I want to glorify Him as I determine not to flap anxiously, but to soar with a heart full of trust.

Resolutions

A New Years resolution can be quite a burden. Any goal that we set for ourselves can be a weight that we carry. As I consider the new year ahead I plan to make it a year of carrying burdens lightly, to keep them in perspective and to lean on God for the outcomes.

I’ve learnt before that having a goal whether it’s to save money, to get fitter or to write more regularly can become a source of disappointment and discouragement, often taking the joy out of what we’re trying to do and taking an axe to our motivation.

So this year there is a condition to any resolutions I make. I don’t want a personal goal to become a distraction or a rod for my back. I’m making goals with this in mind.

My New Year’s Resolution is to carrying burdens lightly in 2012.

How can you carry your goals ‘lightly’ this year?

Light Burdens

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Jesus, in Matthew 11:28-30


Jesus didn’t say that there aren’t any burdens to carry, but He did say that we could carry them lightly. Coming to Christ doesn’t mean a carefree life where we float around while He does everything for us. Yet neither does it mean that we are to walk so heavily laden with expectations that they bury us.

Jesus challenges His disciples to live with the values and purpose of His Kingdom. We are to love one another as He loved us. We are to be a light in our community. We are to become like Him. We are to ‘take up our cross daily’. Jesus was obviously not promising a walk in the park.

Strangely, Jesus says that carrying these burdens shouldn’t be difficult. Now, I’ve tried living up to these challenges. I’ve tried balancing them and managing them. But in my own strength I have failed. And I’ve seen others try and fail too, sometimes becoming discouraged at their weakness or dropping the ball altogether.

But Jesus is offering to us a different way. We’re not on our own. He doesn’t expect us to carry them without His help. He knows that we can’t possibly succeed that way. And so He invites to Himself and to His way. He draws us near and promises to teach us how to walk next to Him so that He can take the weight.

I have become intrigued and excited about this idea of light burdens. It somehow resonates with me. I want to live like that. I’m not interested in living without burdens and I’ve certainly tried to carry a whole lot on my own and learnt how awful that can be. So I’d like to take some time to develop my thoughts and hopefully let Jesus change the way I live. Feel welcome to come along for the ride and let me know how it’s working out for you.