I'm so excited lately about our Savior who is so big and so real that I can barely contain myself. I've started the 90 day Bible challenge a couple times in the past, but I keep getting bogged down in the old testament. I am not by any means implying that it isn't worth reading or the new testament is better or more important when I say this-I think Satan wants to keep me out of the new testament and away from Jesus. (Again-not that the old testament has nothing to do with Jesus-I'm just thick and need it real directly sometimes...) Soooo...yesterday I started in Matthew and when I finish the new testament, I intend to pick up where I left off the last time I was in the old testament.
Ha. Take that, Turd.
Anyway, I read in Matthew today about several people that Jesus healed during his ministry. I've been around the Bible block long enough to have heard most of these stories before, so I knew I needed to ask for a fresh perspective. As I was reading along I was wondering if people who aren't close to Jesus ever hear these stories and think "yeah, so what...man has come a long way since then-we can cure all kinds of diseases." Which is kind of true-even though I definitely believe in miraculous healing that is straight from the Lord.
I think the Turd often gets us with these things that are "part true". He's such a good liar that he knows we're kinda smart and we need enough truth to make it plausible. I hate him. Anyway...
As I was pondering this, something neat occurred to me (as if for the first time...) Man may be able to do some pretty awesome things in the field of medicine and physical health-but only Jesus can heal and restore my spirit. And I know this from experience. I've tried to medicate and heal my broken spirit 55 thousand other ways (you know, just in case Jesus isn't sufficient. I never claimed to be the wisest individual in His kingdom.) And guess what? None of them work. Don't waste your time. Seriously. :)
That was my first cookie I received to go with my tea this morning...here is the second:
I was reading about Jesus healing the demon possessed men in chapter 8. If you don't know the story-basically Jesus meets up with these two guys that are dangerously possessed (as in no one can pass by the area where they hung out) and the men screamed at him "Why are you bothering us-have you come to torture us before our appointed time?" Then the demons ask if Jesus is going to cast them out, to please put them into a herd of pigs feeding nearby. Jesus says "Go!" and all the pigs run down a hillside into a lake and drown.
Something I find amusing here (besides the picture of demon possessed pigs charging down a hill) is that the Bible doesn't say that Jesus said a single word until the demons got done begging and he says "Go". I take this to mean that the demons knew who Jesus was and what his business with them was AND that they have a judgment appointment...and they're demons. How is it that I forget these things? Anyway...that wasn't even the real cookie...
The real cookie is that after the pigs drown all the herdsmen run to town to tell all that happened. The NLT reads like this (verses 33 and 34) "The herdsmen fled to the nearby city, telling everyone what happened to the demon-possessed men. The entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone."
I was sitting here thinking "what a weird response..." (Actually, I always found the whole story kind of odd...) But then I wondered-is it really so weird? How many times am I afraid of what Jesus might do? Not in a "he's going to strike me down" kinda way, but in a "Wow! He's really big and amazing! If I truly follow him, in what way might he ask me to "take up my cross"? It could definitely get uncomfortable...I'm afraid to be uncomfortable, so Jesus-if you could just wait right over there at a comfortable distance...I'll see you in Heaven, mmmK? Thanks."
Right? Am I right? I don't think we want to admit that we "beg" the Lord to leave us alone...but I know I've wrestled with him over not wanting to follow his directions before. Kinda the same thing...
He always lets me go and have my tantrums in the corner when I want to be left alone and graciously accepts me back into his loving arms every time I realize how stupid I'm being. That's what I love most about his grace-it is so sufficient I can't even screw up beyond its sufficiency.
And that's the two and a half cookies I had with my tea this morning.
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