Healer's Hem

I was remarking a couple of days ago about the poignancy of the various personal encounters with Christ as depicted in the book of Mark. I'm still reeling from reading those stories again, but reeling in a fantastic way - as if it were the first time I'd ever heard these accounts.

I'm so moved by the images . . .
. . . of Christ grasping the hand of the blind man and carefully leading him outside of the town, giving him back his sight - and he sees everything clearly. . .
. . . of Christ dropping to His knees and embracing armfuls of children . . .
. . . of Christ facing another blind man, asking him a question and knowing (perhaps even smiling about) what was going to happen next . . .

I'm like Bartimaeus today . . . Jesus, I want to see . . . I want to follow You down the road.

The Touch of Christ

I've been enjoying the book of Mark and the beautiful stories of Christ's compassion. I am deeply moved by how these stories mirror my own experiences with the Savior.

"...and all who touched Him were healed." Mark 6:56

Think about it - every time we touch our sweet Savior, from the first time on, we are changed and healed.

"People were overwhelmed with amazement. 'He has done everything well,' they said. 'He even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak." Mark 7:37

Indeed, salvation has been accomplished - well and perfectly, bringing us back to our senses.

"He took the blind man by the hand and led him . . . his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly." Mark 8: 23, 25

The Messiah takes our hand in His and leads us out of darkness into His wonderful light.

"The boy looked like a corpse..But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet..." Mark 9:27

From oppression and death, we are lifted up by the blessed Christ and restored!

"He took a little child and had him stand among them . . . [t]aking him in his arms . . ." Mark 9:36

"And He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them." Mark 10:16

All of my rest, peace and security is found in the arms of my Savior. I am an adopted child of the Father. Amazing.

Rest My Weary

Thirty-six hours from the time of this posting I'll be winging my way back East for a week of vacation in Vermont with my wife and two close friends. I doubt I'll be in front of a computer much, so this post will have the chance to age a little before it gets bumped down the page.

I never read a book without a pen. Provided the book is mine, I will underline, mark up and write notes and thoughts as I go. Sometimes it's fun to grab a favorite book off the shelf and flip the pages just to remind myself of what struck me the first time through. I did this the other night with John MacArthur's "The Love Of God."

At the beginning of chapter 8, JMac briefly tells the powerful story of George Matheson. After great loss in his life, Matheson found solace in God's unchanging love and penned the hymn "O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go."

O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee
I give Thee back the life I owe
That in thine ocean-depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.
What profound comfort for the true believer! Though we are not immune from trouble, we are indeed immune to being lost by our loving Father. Wow - to be swallowed up in that knowledge and give my all and everything to Him in obedience!

The song in the video below is Steve Camp's own song along the same theme. I can't listen to it without weeping. Soli Deo Gloria! Be blessed.

Predestination: NOT A Bad Word

Here's an anecdote that vividly illustrates how some folks live in doctrinal paradigms:

A few months back I found myself teaching from Ephesians chapter one in a high school class on Sunday morning. Now, of course this is powerful stuff regarding election and predestination and God's glory.

All at once, one young man fairly burst out with, "you mean you believe in predestination?!" My response? "Well, yeah!"

What really struck me was the tone the teen took: it was as if predestination was a bad word, cursing, or some kind of heresy.

"You mean you believe in predestination?"

Well of course, it's a clear biblical doctrine. There need be no speculation about it whatsoever! It's a jewel of Scripture! Yes, I believe in predestination, because I believe the Bible!

Now, this young fella had no doubt been taught (or at least given the impression) by his folks and his denomination that predestination is a dirty word. I suspect that is because their doctrinal paradigm doesn't allow for this sort of thing (you know, that God has a sovereign plan and He has every right to do whatever He pleases - not that they would verbally deny this, because I don't think they actually believe it. How much is one allowed to put in parentheses, anyway? And now, back to our story...).

What struck me so forcefully about this whole situation was that such a clear Biblical doctrine was so easily tossed aside without a thought: just a knee-jerk Arminian reaction (and really, I suppose anyone could be knee-jerkish). I truly think this young person is sensible enough to see the truth the Bible teaches, if he'll stop and look at it. It's just so amazing sometimes what gets rejected for the sake of a precious paradigm.

Short Thoughts On Suffering

Why are we so surprised when life feels something akin to a ride through a meat grinder? The Christian life gets difficult and suddenly we're trying to figure out what went wrong and asking all of our friends to pray for us so that things will get better. What is it we expect?

"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you." 1 Peter 4:12

I think it's remarkable that as soon as Jesus was baptized by John and received the acclaim and approval of the Father, "[a]t once the Spirit sent Him out into the desert." There was no hiatus between baptism and trial. As somewhat of an ancillary thought, I wonder if it was there, in the desert, that place meant specifically to be place of trial and testing, where Jesus our High Priest was "tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin."

I guess I'm just pondering the certainty and necessity of suffering in the Christian life, as well as the tension between suffering and joy. Both are promised, but only joy is optional. I don't want to recoil with shock when suffering - whether from Divine discipline, seasons of growth, persecution for doing right, or whatever - settles in like smog.

The world is full of suffering, but for the Christian suffering has a refining influence, and that should be cause for joy and peace.

Shadows, Steam and Vapors

You should know that I had intended on writing about Fahrenheit 451 even before I saw this post today. My post, however, shall not be satirical, but observational.

Fahrenheit 451 has always been a favorite novel of mine. I've read it several times and Ray Bradbury's word craft is brilliant. I've read his short stories as well, and no matter what you think of Bradbury, he's an entertaining, insightful and gifted writer. So, to the point...

In a passage that comes late in the book, the character Guy Montag is trying desperately to escape capture by the authorities (his crime: becoming a book "sympathizer" and refusing to do his duty as a "fireman" and burn books). It's night time, and helicopters and mechanical hounds are on his trail. In a last ditch attempt at escape, he jumps into a river and floats downstream and away from danger using his valise as a flotation device.

As the current carries him gently along, he senses himself moving from a world of unreality into reality. Bradbury describes Montag as "going away from the people who ate shadows for breakfast, steam for lunch and vapors for supper." And THAT is the line that I underlined in my book.

What a perfect description of the life lived by so many people. Our lives are a vapor anyway, just a blip on the radar screen, and a life lived apart from Christ is as empty as the darkest vacuum.

My prayer for those around me who have not been redeemed is that the Holy Spirit would burn off and blow away the fog of deception that keeps them in darkness. After all, there was a time when I was blind, but God in His mercy healed me, gave me back my sight and brought me to my senses so I could see hear His voice, see the truth, taste His goodness and feel His forgiveness.

Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. 2 Timothy 2:25-26

Lux Exerit

For a proper beginning to this post, open the following link in a new tab or window and listen to "A Little Bit of Light" while you read . . .

A Little Bit Of Light - Album Version - Phil Keaggy

I've done it again and started reading a third book while in the midst of two others. Surely I'm not the only person on earth who does this. I suppose it's the paper equivalent of channel surfing...only more worthwhile.

At any rate, what I picked up was a biography of Vincent Van Gogh and it's fascinating. It's amazing to me to watch the growth and transformation of this creative, troubled, struggling man's art. He surely would have been an interesting character to know, had he allowed me into his world. He studied the work of many great men but disdained copying their techniques, he was dependent on his brother's monthly stipend for many years, he married a prostitute, and, much like Hosea, stayed with her for a very long time in spite of her repeated unfaithfulness. The stages of his life were characterized by searching and yearning for truth and love.

I don't know if the phrase originated with Van Gogh, but he had written in the margins of a Rembrandt etching the words "In medio noctis vim suam lux exerit" : In the middle of the night light spreads its power.

Now, as a Believer saved by grace, that makes me think of many things: the darkness of fallen man, the yearning for hope, the glory of the Savior, the power of God, the blessedness of redemption.

I for one am thankful that I've been sought out by the Savior and given hope, so much hope. Even in darkness, light shines - and it shines powerfully.

"Even in darkness, light dawns for the upright..." Psalm 112:4