Children of God

 By: Joanne Viola

 

Let’s turn to the Gospel of Mark where we find two separate individuals who have an encounter with Jesus.

In Mark 2:1-12, we find the paralyzed man who was lowered through the roof of a home by his friends. This man had lost his identity and purpose within society as his infirmity left him to being a beggar.

Then in Mark 5:24-34, we read the story of the woman with the issue of blood. She had both a unique and personal encounter with Jesus which resulted in her healing. Due to her issue of blood, this woman was ceremonially unclean and was also considered an outcast. She, too, had lost all purpose and identity within society.

Both of these people had lost their identities due to the restrictions placed upon them by the Law and society. Yet here is an interesting thought:

Along with physically healing each of these people, Christ also restored their identity and their relationship with Himself.

Addressing the paralytic, we read these words:

“And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, 
“Son, your sins are forgiven.” 
(Mark 2: 5 NASB)

These words are spoken to the woman:

“And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; 
go in peace and be healed of your affliction.” 
(Mark 5:34, NASB)

Christ calls one, “daughter”, the other “son”. Each title indicative of an identity. He restores not only health, but dignity and purpose to each of them.

To each of them, Christ restores relationship as both are familial terms. Both are made whole, not only in their bodies, but also their minds and emotions are restored as well, enabling them to reenter society.

God calls each of us into relationship with Him. He desires to free us from those things which would hold us back from being all that He created us to be. He longs to restore identity, dignity, and purpose to each of our lives. May each one of us grab onto this truth today.

“For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, 
but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 
The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, 
heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” 
(Romans 8:15-17a, NASB)

Jesus forgives,
and restores identity and dignity,
so that our lives find the purpose for which He created us.

 

 

Reflection:
May each of these accounts cause you to realize Jesus longs to restore identity and purpose to each one of us. We are called “children of God.”

 

Image by Chu Viết Đôn from Pixabay

 

 

 

 

A Faith with Passion and Tenacity

  By: Lauren Thomas

What is your faith characterized by? The only qualification for salvation is faith in Jesus, but how different one person’s faith can look from another’s faith! What qualifies your faith? Have you ever thought about it?

When I think about the faith I want to have, I think of an Old Testament prophet. His name was Elisha. In 1 Kings 19:19-21 Elisha was called into prophetic ministry, to assist Elijah. While Elijah had been through it (just read 1 Kings 18-19), Elisha was fresh and eager. When Elijah threw his cloak on Elisha, Elisha wholeheartedly said goodbye to his family and former life, in order to pursue God’s call. He literally burned his oxen on the wood of his plows, symbolizing a clean break with his livelihood. Elisha then ran after Elijah in order to assist him. Elisha exemplified passion for following after God and God’s power manifested. 

 

Later, when Elijah’s time was drawing to a close, Elisha requested a double portion of Elijah’s spirit (see 2 Kings 2). Elijah told him that in order for this to take place, Elisha must see him depart. Ironically, previous to Elisha’s request, Elijah had been trying to get rid of Elisha! But Elisha was tenacious. He couldn’t be persuaded to leave. He wouldn’t allow himself to be distracted. He held on. And this was rewarded. After watching Elijah’s miraculous departure from this life, Elisha received a double portion of the power of God that had been manifested in Elijah’s ministry. 

 

That’s the kind of faith I want: to be passionate in following Jesus and to be tenacious in my following after him. 

 

It’s easy to lose passion the longer we stay with one thing. It’s easy to loosen our grip when we get “weary in well-doing” (Galatians 6:9). But when I think of Elisha, I pray for renewed zeal, renewed perseverance. 

 

12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:12-14 ESV

 

Which begins with a passionate and tenacious pursuit of God’s presence.

 

Seek the Lord and his strength;

seek his presence continually!

1 Chronicles 16:11 ESV

 

Today, seek the Lord’s presence and pray for passion and tenacity in your faith. And like Elijah, be rewarded by his presence manifesting in your life.

 

Reflection:

How do you want your faith to be characterized? What element of Elisha’s faith would you want in your own faith? How will you seek the Lord today?

Names of God Series: The Door

 By: Rebekah Hargraves

Photo Courtesy of: Jan Tinneberg

"I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."

~John 10:9

In our series on the names of God, we come now to a name Jesus ascribes to Himself - "The Door", a name pointing to the fact that He is the entrance to salvation, the only way to eternal life. This name is very reminiscent of another name Jesus gives to Himself that we have already studied, also in the book of John - "The Way". Both names make it unequivocally clear that in Jesus alone we are able to acquire salvation and eternal life.

But what sets this name apart in such a beautiful way is what comes after it - "If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."   Right on the heels of this verse comes this famous passage: "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)

These two verses are so beautiful and highlight the lovingkindness and amazing grace and mercy of our dear Savior. Jesus didn't just come to save us and then go back into heaven to wash His hands of us until eternity rolls around. No, far from it! He came to save us eternally, yes. And praise the Lord He did! But He also goes above and beyond in His amazing grace and also blesses us with abundant life in the here and now, as well.

Now, this abundant life doesn't mean that we will always be recipients of health, wealth, and prosperity. On this side of heaven, we still live in a fallen world and we will still face hardships, trials, and loss sometimes. But the blessing here is that, even in the midst of hard seasons, we still have the blessing of being able to do life with Jesus, even here and now. He companions us, walks with us, is always with us to comfort, help, lead, guide, and strengthen us. 

That is what abundant life in the here and now is, dear sister. That is what it looks like for us to be able to go out and find pasture in the here and now. It is the comfort of knowing Jesus provides for our needs (physically, financially, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally), that He is our constant companion, and that He will never leave us nor forsake us, instead bringing everything together for our good.

What a blessing! And it is ours to live out today! Thank You, Jesus!

Reflection Questions:

1) What stands out to you about this second portion of verse 9? What comes to mind for you when you read about being able to go out and find pasture?

2) Who could you share this comforting truth with today?

3) How does the cultural lie that there are many ways to heaven do grave harm to people? Will you be willing to boldly stand against it?

Stoop & Reflect Jesus

 By: Joanne Viola

 

Grace. The word has been weaving through my thoughts for a week now.

Grace. We all need some in our lives, especially God’s grace. At the moment, when we are aware that we are helpless and weak, we are always able to turn to God and receive help. Jesus reminds us,

“Apart from me, you can do nothing.” 
(John 15:5)

Jesus doesn’t mean we can’t do anything. He means we can't do anything which will have any spiritual or eternal effect without Him. It is only in His strength and by His grace, when we call upon His Name, that we are able to do that which will last.

“There is no one too weak for God to help, only people too strong.”
(author unknown)

When we find ourselves unsure, lacking strength or wisdom, may we turn to our God in prayer. Why?

“Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!”
(Psalm 116:2, NLT)

“He stoops to look down on heaven and earth. 
He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. 
He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people! 
He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother. 
Praise the Lord!” 
(Psalm 113:6-9, NLT)

What imagery these verses bring to my mind – a hand extended, lifting us up out of any pit we may find ourselves in. This should deposit hope into each of us in whatever state we may find ourselves.

Grace has been defined as > “that which causes joy, that which creates delight in the recipient; favor without expectation of any return” (New Testament Lexical Aids, 5921).

God extends His grace to us to bring us joy and delight without any expectations in return. If God Himself stoops to help us, how much more are we to stoop to help others?

May we be reflections of the grace which we ourselves have received.
May we find grace to humble ourselves,
stoop, and reflect Him.

 

 

Reflection:
How can we best stoop and reflect Jesus? Think of someone you can reach out to and delight today.

 

Photo by Igor Kasalovic on Unsplash

 

 

Reading 1 & 2 Kings

  By: Lauren Thomas 

I’ll admit that in the past, I got confused and bored reading through 1 and 2 Kings in the Bible. Whenever I came to the parts about prophets, however, my interest renewed. The prophetic activity recorded in these books is compelling, and it makes for a nice break in the historical narrative. But 1 and 2 Kings is so much more than history, and the prophetic accounts are more than captivating stories. 

 

If you have struggled through these books, keep reading for some inspiration!

While 1 and 2 Kings are historical, they are also theological. They tell us about who God is. They tell us about his ways – punishing sin, but showing mercy to the those who walk faithfully to Him. Historically, these books show the line of descent from David to exile. But theologically they show partial fulfillment of God’s promise to David, that a descendant would always sit on the throne of Israel. This is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ. For this reason, 1 and 2 Kings are important to salvation history. 

 

The presence of prophetic accounts within these books shows that even as judgment was imminent on idolatrous Israel, God was always sending men to call his people back to him. And in doing so, he revealed his steadfast love, mercy, and other characteristics, such as his sovereignty. 

 

Let’s look at 1 Kings 17 for an example. In the ESV, this chapter is broken into 3 sections. In the first, Elijah prophesies a drought. In the second, he goes to live with a widow and the Lord miraculously provides. In the third, God raises a dead boy through Elijah’s prayer. Each of these is interesting, but they aren’t just interesting. They each tell us something about God! 

 

1. God sends a drought. This was a direct challenge to Baal, a god worshipped by King Ahab and idolatrous Israel. Baal was supposed to control fertility and agriculture. Healthy crops were believed to be from Baal. They also believed that Baal temporarily succumbed to Mot, the death God. This resulted in a yearly dry season. God sending a drought showed, not only that he is in control of weather and agriculture, but that he is alive and does not submit to death or any other god. 
2. The Lord provides for a widow. When God sent Elijah to live with a widow during the drought, he sent Elijah to a town belonging to the Sidonians who worship Baal. Yet even here, God provided for Elijah and for the widow. In Old Testament times, people believed that gods were regional and only controlled limited areas. In this account, God demonstrated that he can cross national/regional borders and can minister to people other than his chosen people in Israel. 
3. God raises a dead boy through Elijah’s prayer. When the widow’s son died, she brought him to Elijah who prayed that the boy might live again. God answered his prayers and resurrected the boy. This demonstrated God’s power over death!

Not only is 1 Kings 17 an interesting read, it shows us that God is all-powerful, all-sovereign, and has power over death. 

 

Now, do you think you might want to read 1 and 2 Kings? If you, like me, have struggled to get through these books, here are some tips:

• Take notes. Specifically, make two columns – one for the southern kingdom and one for the northern kingdom – and list all the kings as you read about them. Maybe color code the evil and good kings. Record any info that might help you keep track of them.
• Read the commentary in a study Bible. Sometimes this is all it takes to help these passages make more sense or to uncover something you didn’t notice before.
• Read while listening. Follow along in a physical Bible as you listen to the audio version on your Bible app. 

 

Reflection:

When was the last time you read through 1 and 2 Kings? How does the truth of who God is, according to 1 Kings 17, impact your life?