Just one touch

Scripture

Mark 5: 28 “For she thought to herself, “if I can just touch his clothing I’ll be healed”.

 

Observation

With just one touch, a private moment of reaching out and with fingertips outstretched, reaching for the hem of the clothes of Jesus as he walked past her. Just a little further, got it… instant healing. Was the cloth laced with some magical potion? Was this just an emotional or metaphysical reaction to a desperate woman’s situation? No, it was her faith in the man she saw walking past her. Jesus, the Christ gave her hope for a life beyond sickness and isolation, if she could just get close enough to touch even his clothes she knew something would happen. And it did.

 

Application

How desperate am I for an encounter with Christ? I often expect him to come to me and touch my life. This women’s plight drove her to reach out and touch Christ, and her faith in his authority rewarded her efforts. My efforts are often found in calling him to come toward me. But I recognise that he wants me to draw near to him and in doing so he answers my cries and heals my sicknesses.

 

Prayer

Jesus please forgive my arrogant attitude. I so often want you to come and touch my clothes in the throng of my busyness. I almost expect you to press through the crowd and reach out and touch me when I call out. I know you are near me, I know you want to heal me, but I recognise also that it is I who need to press toward you, not you toward me. Forgive me when I act this way.

 

Jim Jung

Storm Language

S – Mark 4: 38

 

            ‘Jesus was in the stern sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’

 

 

O - The disciples find themselves in a furious place. I’m sure it wasn’t the first time they had experienced bad or stormy weather. However this was a serious storm. It took them to their fear limits; in fact they were expecting to die by drowning! Their waking of Jesus of Jesus was not in the expectation of a miracle, rather it was in the response of their fears which took them to a place of accusation to Jesus – ‘don’t you care if we drown?’ this was addressed to Jesus whom they had just witnessed earlier His compassion and power in the demonstrating of miracles to the crowd who was listening to Him. It seems they had lost any expectation for a miracle. They seemed to be more disconcerted that Jesus was asleep, not pulling his weight while they were battling to save their lives, and prevent the boat from going under. It was of course the wrong question to address to Jesus. Perhaps the right question was to ask for a miracle.

 

A - I cannot avoid storms but I can be responsible for the language I use in them, and to how I behave or respond when I go through them. In the fear of a personal storm how easy for me to reply the same as they did; ‘where are you Lord, don’t you care that I might be overwhelmed by that which I am going through?’ Yet I see the Lord wants me to have a different language and perspective in the storms. There is an appointment for me to experience and grow in. It was actually Jesus’ idea to go to the other side. I’m sure He knew the storm was going to happen. I see also that his presence is there in the storm. I cannot get go preoccupied and focused on the storm and the consequences that I lose sight that He is present. I also see that in the storms, the Lord has a purpose for me. I think He wants me to learn to be quiet and find a peace as I turn to him with expectation not accusation. Jesus is in the storm with me. He has the power to bring Quiet and peace. I cannot allow myself to be so overwhelmed that I don’t see His appointment, presence or purpose.

 

P – Lord, I know there are many storms. Help me to have my eyes on you rather than the fury of the circumstances. Forgive me when I get so preoccupied with what I have to do, I overlook the fact that you are in the boat going through the storm also. I thank you that your responses in a storm are different to mine. Let me know the Peace and Quiet that you impart and deliver in my storms.

My Redeemer lives

Scripture

Job 19:25 “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he will stand upon the earth at last”

 

Observation

In the midst of amazing tragedy, accusation and misery, Job is able to see beyond his circumstances and declare that there is someone greater than all of his problems who is overseeing his life. The concept of redemption was one of being rescued by someone able to reclaim a lost or undeclared possession. The Redeemer was a person who would redeem lost humanity back to himself and Job was declaring himself a candidate for selection! This Redeemer was alive and able to overcome all obstacles and intimidation to redeem Job’s life. This Redeemer had power, authority and ability. This was Job’s eternal hope. Job understood this concept “pre-cross”. I have the benefit of living in an era of “post-cross”. Jesus Christ has come as that Redeemer and posted his message for all the world to see.

 

Application

The concept of redemption is enhanced and anticipated highly when we need rescuing. The heightened alert though depletes after the event and we “get on with life”. Job was waiting for the Redeemer. Throughout his tale you hear the desperation and the longing for intervention. I have known the Redeemer. He rescued me and gave me a new life and an eternal purpose. How awesome. But over time it is so easy to become complacent about my redemption. My days normalise and I amble along without recognising the opportunities and the privilege metered out to me by Him. My life needs to declare everyday “My Redeemer Lives!” because I still require his intervention in my life.

 

Prayer

My Redeemer Lives. Jesus Christ, my saviour and friend came and rescued my life from certain destruction. He set me into His family as a co-heir and I am so grateful. Lord, help me to never lose sight of the wonderful gift you have given to me. Life. Fulfilled life. Purposeful life. Eternal life. Thank you.

Be ready for the miraculous

Scripture

Acts 28:9 “Then all the other sick people on the island came and they were cured”.

 

Observation

When the miraculous happens, people come. Paul is bitten by a deadly snake and is unharmed. The people of Malta thought he was a god to have survived. Paul then prays for a man with gastro. Not a cripple, not a dead person, someone with gastro! The person is instantly healed and the entire island hears about it and all of the sick are brought to Paul. When the miraculous happens, people come. Paul was just going about his business and the Lord used him to bring Christ to an entire people group.

 

Application

I don’t think Paul thought this day would be his finest one. Ship wrecked, bitten by a snake. But it became an amazing day. I wonder how ready I am to allow even the worst of days to become days of opportunity for Christ to intervene in the lives of those I interact with? I need to be ready for the miraculous at any time. It may just be today that the Lord wants to use me to bring salvation to a home, to a community, to a nation.

 

Prayer

Father, your ways are much higher than mine. I often only see the problems before me but you see opportunity. Help me to trust you through the times I only see problems and issues to deal with. Help me to see your hand moving and keep me alert to the miraculous. It could happen at any moment!

 

Jim Jung

Quite a commotion

Scripture

Acts 22:23 “They [the crowd] yelled, threw off their coats, and tossed handfuls of dust into the air”

 

Observation

Paul is trying to defend himself against the mob who have been incited by a small band of agitators into believing that Paul had defiled a sacred rule. It’s amazing to see the crowd being galvanised into action by a few agitators whom most of the people would never have even met. They were from a distant province and had come to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple and within moments of their arrival had created enough tension that the crowd were ready to kill Paul. The scene described in today’s scripture verse (above) is the final act of the mobs displeasure and the beginning of Paul’s long journey to Rome and his eventual martyrdom. These few men knew the religious buttons to press with the crowd. It only took a few moments and the crowd flew into a frenzy, without any actual evidence or truth being presented, and were ready to commit murder. How often do we see this scene played in our society. A small group of agitators, incite the broader population with words they know will gain instant reaction and before you know it the crowd begins yelling, throwing off their coats and tossing handfuls of dust into the air.

 

Application

How easily am I sucked in to becoming a member of the incited crowd? Is it possible at times to be one of the small band of agitators to gain my own way through manipulation and the clever usage of words that I know will get an instant reaction? How ready am I to be the accused? Am I willing to stand for a principle or a truth that is unpopular and may cause me to become a target for the agitator and the incited crowd? These moments don’t even need to be in the context of a public forum, these can be issues I face with my close circle of friends, or within the confines of my own family. Paul knew the truth and he had a conviction to hold true. It’s so important for me to have a clear understanding of the issues at hand that incense the crowd before adding my voice to their cries for justice or else I to run the risk of just being agitated into action through ignorance.

 

Prayer

Lord, help me to hold to the convictions of my heart. Even if I’m wrongly accused or see the intimidating actions of the incensed mob. Help me also to be wise in adding my voice with the crowd if I don’t know all of the facts. It’s so easy to be carried along by the things that sound right. Grant me a discerning heart in the days that lie ahead and help me to discover the truth before raising my voice.

 

Jim Jung

He Rocks My World

Scripture:  

Acts 16:26 
‘Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.  At once all the prison doors flew open anhd everybody’s chains came loose’.

Observation:

The impossible just became possible.  From the depths of the earth came the vibrations that were so uncontrollable by man – that foundations of buildings rock to and fro and a miracle took place.  To not be in control of your environment – even the ground that you stand on is uncertain – would obviously be a fearful thing.  The event would not pass by your mind – never to think of it again – but the thought of the earth shaking under your feet at any given time – the thought of walls of solid stone violently shaking with no human reasoning – would be the moment that the Jailer would never forget.

The rules of maths, construction, architecture and gravity – all became ‘unstuck’ and God intervened at a chosen moment – to reveal who really ‘rocks’.  God is in control.

Application:

The ground I stand on, the house I live in is truly in God’s hands.  If he chooses to shake and rattle it – he will.  The life in Him is the rock I rely on.  If he chooses to rock it – he will.  The foundation, the trust is enormous.  The relief to know that he can ‘rock my world’ to release me from the ‘pickles’ in life is also enourmous.  God sees and knows all things and when trials and challenges come, he has the power to push the relief valve and make a way.

He loosens my chains, he releases my pain, he rocks my world and I am grateful that my trust is in him.

Prayer:

Lord, the violent earthquakes in my life are all designed by you.  I know the only foundation that is trustworthy is my faith in you.

It’s almost as if you give me wings to fly and soar over my rocky world.  You have set me free and I am grateful.

 

Terry B

 

 

                                  The ‘Kosher’ Room

Scripture: 

Nehamiah 13:8  ‘I was very upset and threw out all of his belongings from the room’.

Observation:

The Holy spring clean.  The uninvited one who was not welcome to reside in the room, was evicted ‘on his ear’ so to speak.  The room was set aside for God’s holy purpose - a store room for precious items of tithes and offerings, was defiled by an unauthorised person.  Tobiah was one of a group of men who had plotted to kill Nehemiah and discredit his position.  He had no authority to be residing in God’s Temple.  The act of throwing out Tobiah’s belongings in the state of emotion by Nehemiah was justified.  The demand of cleaning the room thoroughly and return the goods back into the room was right – to restore what was defiled.

Application:

I live in a nice house – but at times my daughter’s bedroom needs me to be upset (and justifiably so) and in turn the action of emptying out the contents in order to see the floor and walls again.  It needs to be cleaned up and return what is ‘kosher’.   Not all things that were thrown out of the room would be fit for anyone’s use, but someone with a discerning eye had to do the sifting and keep the good and turf the bad.

 

My walk with God is similar.  I need to keep my life ‘kosher’, keeping a check on what God desires.  My sacrifice of praise, my heart attitude, my love and desire to be near Him, and obedience.  All else needs to be turfed – I need to remove selfishness and self-promotion.  There’s no room for self in His house – where I reside.

Prayer:

 Lord,  Thank you that you have invited me into your temple where I have a place to reside.  All I have is there – my offerings - and I am here to bring you glory, praise and honour.  As I keep this place clean, may you reside with me.   Amen

 

Terry B

 

Right there is where I'm planted

Scripture

Psalm 1: 1-3 “Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people, who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God. Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law

of the LORD, and they study it day and night. They are like trees that grow beside a stream, that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up. They succeed in everything they

do”.

 

Observation

Advice seems to come from everywhere. Everyone is an expert in your issues! The writer recognises that true wisdom is found in the Law of the Lord. Recognising its wisdom requires consumption of it day and night otherwise other voices will come and drown out the wisdom it contains. The ones who discover the wealth of knowledge and wisdom contained in the Law of the Lord aren’t pushed around easily, they are planted deeply in the soil of the fields that God has planted them. In hard dry times, as well as plentiful times, they thrive. The opposite is therefore obviously true. Those who don’t consume the Law of the Lord and would rather listen to the multitude of voices offering their own perspective are like tree’s that are constantly being uprooted and transplanted into “better prospective fields” disallowing their roots to ever grow deeply into the soil and therefore always struggling to survive and never appear to produce the fruit they have the potential to grow.

 

Application

The grass always seems greener on the other side of the fence. But is it? I once lived in a small, isolated country area where only a handful of other families lived. As I grew older I had dreams of living in the city as I was certain that I was missing the opportunities that city kids were getting at my age. I couldn’t get a part time job – there were no shops or businesses within the area, I couldn’t easily play sport in a team – the nearest team was miles away. Years later I look back at those times as the happiest of my life. The attractions of the city were great to start with but when it all normalised – I dreamt of the country town again. Life is like that unless I accept the attitude of the psalmist and put down my roots and find joy in the field that God has planted me. It is right there that I will produce the harvest that was destined for me, it is right there that I know where to find the “secret places” when times are dry. It’s right there that I will succeed. Because that is where the Lord planted me and unless he changes my address I am called to grow – right there.

 

Prayer

Lord, thank you for this anonymous psalmist who penned these wise words so long ago under your inspiration. These words are like dew on my spirit today.

 

Jim Jung

On-again, Off-again

Scripture

Nehemiah 9: 29b “They [the people of Israel] did not follow your regulations; by which people will find life if only they obey”.

 

Observation

The people are gathered together in a solemn assembly dedicating themselves and future generations to the Lord. In their speeches they remind themselves of the on-again off-again relationship their forebears have had with the Lord. When times got hard they cried out to God to rescue them, and He did. When times were good they refused to listen and obey the ways of the Lord and trouble beset them. This generation gathered together and saw the folly of their nation’s history and vowed to never allow it again. History shows us that the cycle unfortunately continues. But contained within this speech of remembrance, the people recognised that obedience to the ways of the Lord was truly the only way that they would find fulfilment and purpose in life. It is a lesson that hasn’t changed.

 

Application

If I were to do a history of my brief life, let alone my ancestral history, I would find evidence of similar behaviour as that of the nation of Israel over its existence. On-again off-again levels of obedience often determined by my immediate circumstances. If things are going well then it’s easy to just coast along and allow “dodgy” decisions to get through. When the consequences of these begin to take affect and times become less joyful I find myself swinging back to the Lord and crying foul of my circumstances. He must get so tired of my on-again off-again level of obedience. I can see now as people get older they generally do get wiser. The wisdom I think we gain is the reality of consequence and the stupidity of some of our selfish, un-thought-through choices. Obedience to the ways of the Lord is where I am going to find the greatest fulfilment, the highest levels of satisfaction, and the ultimate purpose of why I exist. I just need to apply that in ever increasing levels!

 

Prayer

Lord, thank you for your loving kindness and endless mercy! Without it I’d be a dead man walking. I hear the genuine cry of the men of Nehemiah’s generation and the convictions they held. I too hold those same convictions and ask that you grant me the strength to carry them through, not only for myself but for the generations that are yet to come. Help me to be obedient daily, hourly, to the ways you have set for me to live. Amen.

 

Jim Jung

"Do as we're told!!"

Scripture:

Ezra 9:12 You told us not to let our daughters marry their sons and not let our sons marry their daughters and not to help these nations in any way.  You promised that “if we avoid these things”, we would become a prosperous nation, You promised that we would enjoy the good produce of the land and leave this prosperity to our children as an inheritance.

 

Observation:

Sounds like we just never learn.  Obedience is one of the most critical areas of our lives and we let ourselves down over and over again, starting right back from Adam.  God says don’t eat this or avoid these people, but what do we do!!  Each time we disobey we deny ourselves the prosperity that God promises us through our obedience.  And death and destruction follow us at our own hands, all because we don’t do what we’re told.

 

Application:

I know the sound of God’s voice, I know when there are times for me to act or make a move, but there are so many times that I choose to ignore, but the most subtle of all is that I justify myself away by being “mature” or process areas through “mans wisdom” and not God’s, and I slowly minimise what God tells me to do.  Where I then miss the boat and become blatantly disobedient.  My spirit needs to become much sharper and have deeper convictions to be obedient to God.  I should never ever call God’s bluff on anything He tells me to do.

 

Prayer:

Father bring stronger convictions to my heart when You speak.  Lord give me the courage to go in obedience even if I think it will be unpopular or even look stupid.  For Your ways are higher than mine, and Your thoughts are not my thoughts.  Lord I need to be obedient to you with Your strength help me be that obedient man you have called me to be.    Amen!!

 

Stephen Hutchison