Maybe not 20 questions…but one that I hope gets some dialogue going…
What do you think this looks like?
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also;
and greater works than these he will do, because I go to my Father.
I’ve had quite a few thoughts swirling around in my head and would love to hear from you…
Sometimes I read my bible and it makes me uncomfortable. I read things I have read over before and suddenly some thing hits new and hard. In this particular case, it made me a tad uncomfortable. Since I enjoy company in my discomfort, I thought I would invite you along for the ride.
***shout out to some amazing Revive Church women. I’m beyond grateful to wrestle in the Word and do life with you 🙂 I’m glad we are still friends***
I was doing a some bible reading on Sunday morning (hooray for Sunday evening services). I’ve read the new testament multiple times. I’ve read it straight through, in portions at a time, studied…you get the idea. I miss things all the time. If anything, this new little revelation can be seen as sad. Feel free to say “seriously, how did you miss this”. Regardless, here I am with a verse in the middle of a familiar chapter that I can’t seem to let go of.
Please, allow me to share my discomfort with you…
Matthew 11:4-6Â Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended by me.”
We could play a little game and I could make you guess which part jumped out at me…but that is mean.
My brain went something like this. “Ok, this is a list of miracles and Jesus is calling the following a sign that He is who He says He is.
Blind see – check
Lame walk – check
Lepers are cleansed and deaf hear – check and check
Dead are raised up (thats a big deal) – check
The poor have the gospel preached to them – HOLD THE PHONE!
I’ve sat and thought about this for several days now. I don’t about you, but I have my idea of what a miracle looks like. This was never on that list. I always knew that it was important, have been convicted by this in the last few years more than ever before and it’s often over looked…but to call it a miracle. I think Jesus was on to something…
Something about it that screamed “you can witness all these things, but this…THIS is also a sign that I am who I say I am”.
Gulp. I have all kinds of thoughts swirling. I’ll keep some of them to myself for now. It’s best I think before I speak.
Thoughts?
Good Morning!
I’ll get my “I can’t believe I’ve gone this long without blogging” statement out of the way and get to the nitty gritty here. Life is busy…and I finally feel as if I can make a complete sentence and feel the desire to do so.
For the last couple of weeks, there have been a few verses that have stuck out to me. In this case, it was three words in a verse that really stuck out to me.
“Sing, O barren”…
What a bizarre set of words to catch my attention. It did…and continues to.
Not until later in the verse do you see the “why” and what is coming. Something about that command to sing…
It’s to sing without excuse and in the face of emptiness. Mind you, in this culture barrenness was seen as a curse. So, let’s add in to the mix that some people think something is wrong with you…sing anyway. The joy and restoration was coming but you don’t know that when you first start reading.
A few verses down, it says “enlarge the place of your tent”. It’s sing…and get ready…and what I feel like is a “this doesn’t make sense now but sing anyway”.
So on this Monday, wherever you are, whatever you are doing…in the face of emptiness, confusion, pain…
Sing…
Joy comes in the morning. He is faithful.