Monthly Archives: March 2024
“The Process in Miracles and the Miracle of Process”
“2 Kings 5:1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 So Naaman went in and told his lord, “Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel.” 5 And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.”
So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. 6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7 And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.”
2 Kings 5:8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his servants came near and said to him, “My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” (2 Kings 5:1-14, English Standard Version)
One of the pastors at the church my wife and I attend is a young man named Tyler. He preached the sermon yesterday and did a stellar job. I was a preacher for a long time. I myself was not always stellar, but I can recognize a really good sermon when I hear one. Tyler’s sermon yesterday was a really, really good sermon.
He said many helpful and intriguing things, but one point that he hammered away at is the fact that there is often a process when it comes to miracles. As Tyler pointed out, Naaman had a bad case of a very serious disease: leprosy. While his healing was miraculous, there were things he needed to do to set himself up to experience this miracle. Naaman had to travel to the prophet Elisha. He had to overcome his pride. He had to dip seven times in the Jordan River.
I do believe in miracles, but I also believe that, very frequently, miracles are preceded by a process. Sometimes the process is simple and brief. More often, we are preparing for the “sudden” miracle for a big chunk of our lifetime. This preparation, this process, does not make the miracle less miraculous. Perhaps, instead, the process makes the miracle even more amazing and more appreciative.
Sometimes, the process is the miracle.
“The Power of Encouragement—Even for Old People”
“But encourage each other every day while it is ‘today.’ Help each other so none of you will become hardened because sin has tricked you.” (Hebrews 3:13, New Century Version)
Yesterday, I was walking at a nearby park. There was a large group of young people some of whom were running while other young people were cheering them on. I was walking, thank you very much, but I did applaud some of the young people who were running. But then, one of the young men looked directly at me and said, “You’re doing great! You can do this!”
I immediately started running full tilt. I ran fast, but not very far. I pumped my fists in the air as if I had just finished first in an Olympic race. The young people cheered. I have no idea if they were making fun of me or not. I don’t even care. From my standpoint, it was a sweet moment.
A little encouragement goes a very long way. I am afraid that our culture encourages us to discourage, rather than to encourage. But who says that, just because our culture elevates bringing people down, Christ-followers should join the discouragement train? Do we really think it makes us cool to pour ice water on others?
I used to be a terrible discourager. I was not at “home on the range, . . . where never is heard a discouraging word.” I was full of lots of discouraging words. I do much better these days, and I am so thankful to God for the improvement. Is there still room for improvement? Absolutely! But I do so much better than I used to do.
Perhaps it might be helpful if I (and everyone else) got up in the morning and one of our first prayers was this: God, please help me to be an encourager today. And please help me to enjoy the encouragement that others give to me.
You’re doing great! You can do this!
“Endurance”
“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.” (Hebrews 10:36, English Standard Version)
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2, English Standard Version)
The Christian life is sometimes portrayed as a race in the New Testament. More often, it is spoken of as a walk rather than as a race. Being an old guy, I appreciate the walking analogy more than I do the race analogy.
However, I have run a couple of marathons. A marathon is more about endurance than speed. So, I appreciate the emphasis on endurance in the metaphor of the race in Hebrews 12:1. This verse and its surrounding context suggest that I ask myself some hard questions.
- Am I committed to God and this race for the long haul?
The Christian life is not a sprint. No one achieves holiness overnight. In fact, no one achieves anything if that person is not committed to the long haul. I can testify to this personally: I’ve tried a lot of short-term diets. I always gain weight when I go into any eating regimen with a sprinter’s mindset.
The truth is that nothing worthwhile is a quick fix. Good marriages, good job skills, education—all these and many more—are a “long obedience in the same direction”, as Eugene Peterson wrote in one of his books by that name.
So, the pursuit of God and of godliness are not for sprinters. Instead, this pursuit is for people who are endurance runners. This is not because God is trying to torture or evade us. We need endurance in our quest for God and godliness because, apart from such endurance, we are busy running away from God.
2. A second question I did to ask is this: Is this the race I am supposed to be running?
This might sound too simple to even ask, but it is much more important than it might seem at first. When I ran The Flying Pig Marathon, the course was already mapped out for me. I did not have the option to run anywhere I decided to run.
Yet far too often when it comes to the life that is called “following Jesus”, I seem to act as if Jesus ought to follow me. “Here is what I’m doing, Jesus. Please bless what I have decided to do, even though I haven’t consulted you.” Now, of course, I don’t generally actually say this verbally, but my actions scream it out loud. The “race that is set before us” is not the race I set for myself.
3. A third uncomfortable question I need to ask myself is the following: Do I have a running companion? Better yet, do I have running companions?
Hebrews 12:1 speaks of “a great cloud of witnesses”, and chapter 11 has detailed some of the faithful men and women who ran their faith race with endurance. Now, they are in the stands cheering us on. But in another sense, they are also our fellow-runners. We draw strength from their races as we run the one mapped out for us by God.
And then there is Jesus. Jesus ran the race set for him and we look to him for guidance and encouragement. Furthermore, there are many verses in the New Testament that speak of Jesus being with us even after his earthly life, death, resurrection, and ascension. We don’t run our race as pious particles. We run with Jesus as our LORD, but also as our companion. And if we can’t run, we can walk. And if we can’t walk, we can crawl. No matter our speed, no matter if we are running or walking, or crawling, we can do so with endurance, knowing we can count on Jesus being with us every step of the way. His endurance with us and for us is also our endurance with and for Him.
DOWN TO EARTH BELIEVER
- DTEB, “Getting Christ and Ourselves Back in Focus” November 11, 2024“Col. 3:1 ¶ If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Col. 3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. Col. 3:3 For you have died, and your life is hidden […]
- “Search Me!” October 27, 2024“Psa. 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23-24, English Standard Version) I am participating in a Bible study, and this is a prayer […]
- “Christian Speech” October 26, 2024“Eph. 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Foulkes, in his excellent commentary on the Book of Ephesians, writes the following, which I quote at some length: “29. Now the […]
- “God is in the Details” October 11, 2024“The devil is in the details.” (A general saying, often quoted by lawyers, reporters, and negotiators.) “God is in the details.” (Me, almost certainly not original.) “Luke 12:7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Jesus) God does not micromanage, but God […]
- “Grandma’s Pump” October 8, 2024When I was a little critter, I would stay at my grandma’s house for a night or two sometimes. I liked this for a lot for many reasons. One thing I liked about staying with her was that Grandma’s house was much more technologically advanced than ours was. For one thing, she had indoor water—sort […]
- “Wearing the #14 Wrong-Side-Out” October 5, 2024Pete Rose, #14, is dead. Many of the old guys with whom I play softball watched him play and appreciated him greatly. I do as well. He was one of the greatest players who ever played the game. Yes, he admitted (eventually) to betting on baseball. But many of us still regard him as one […]
- “Passing Along the Love (and a Link)” October 4, 2024Several years ago, a friend of mine put me onto a daily meditation by Richard Rohr and friends. I don’t read them all the time, but I probably should. They are good! I thought that today’s writing was especially good, and I also figured that this would be a good way to post something. I […]
- “Witnessing Versus Being Witnesses” September 19, 2024“Acts 1:1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, Acts 1:2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. Acts 1:3 He presented himself alive to them after […]
- “A Bathroom Prayer for Hurting Hands” September 11, 2024A week ago Sunday, my hands were hurting so badly at church that I went to the bathroom to run hot water over my hands. Arthritis perhaps, or carpal tunnel, or general orneriness—I don’t know why my hands hurt, but they do. They have for years. So, while I was running hot water over my […]
- “Waiting and Seeking” September 10, 2024“Lam. 3:19 ¶ Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! Lam. 3:20 My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. Lam. 3:21 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: Lam. 3:22 ¶ The steadfast love of the LORD […]
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