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To Touch with Love

10/25/2017

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"Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me. And once that person is with me, I hold on and don't let go " (John 6:37-The Message)
 
 
 Jamie Grace, with TobyMAC: "Hold Me" 
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISgr8SgCYbY
 



Jesus touched people.  His presence touched their souls. His gaze pierced their psyches.  His message of forgiveness and change transformed hearts. Jesus touched people.

 
Touch is the first sense we acquire. A baby is born – ideally it is placed in its mother’s and father’s loving arms, gently cleaned, swaddled, hugged and kissed, lovingly touched -- all the while being poked and prodded by doctors and nurses.  Our skin is our largest organ – making touch spread throughout our entire body. In that famous picture by Michelangelo, humankind is brought to life by God – not by the speaking of a word, a bolt of lightning, but by the touch of the outstretched divine hand. Reaching – touching humanity, imbuing life.
 
Jesus made touching a part of his ministry.  He could have healed by just saying the word.  But he did more.  Often we see him touching the sick and outcast. He touched a man with leprosy (Matt. 8:2-3, Mark 1:40-42, Luke 5:12-13).  He touched Peter’s mother in law (Matt. 8:14-15, Mark 1:30-31); a 12 year old girl in Capernaum (Matt. 9:25, Mark 5:41-42, Luke 8:54-55), the blind (Matt. 9:29-30 Mark 8:22-25 John 9:1, 6-7, Matt 20:30,33-34),  deaf (Mark 7:32-35)   a woman whose body was deformed (Luke 13:11-13),  washing his disciples’ feet (John 13:1-17) – among many other examples.  In some instances, Jesus frequently ran the risk of being considered “unclean” by touching someone “unclean” by disease, such as leprosy. 
 
It is said that"healthy touch signals safety and trust, calms the cardiovascular system, activates the body’s vagus nerve (which is connected to compassionate response), releases oxytocin (the “love” hormone), stimulates the brain’s "happy" hormones, reduces blood pressure, reduces pain, increases pleasure, boosts the immune system, lessens symptoms of depression, and lessens fatigue and irritability."  A hug, a shoulder rub, a double kiss to the cheeks, a playful head thump, a reassuring touch on the arm or back, holding a hand in prayer or in a time of illness or distress, a fist bump or high five -- go a long way to promote care and connection.* 
 
It is a sad fact of modern life that we live in a touch-deprived society, while at the same time we must deal with the abuses of touch that have created a climate of guardedness.  So we need to discern and even ask permission to touch.  It is important that we not lose the capacity to touch in healing ways. Jesus touched because we are wired to be touched. Jesus physically touched those in need, and his presence touched countless lives.  So we are called to convey loving care with touch, when it is appropriate.   A discouraged child.  A partner overwhelmed with anxiety. A dying relative. A friend battling depression. They all need our words of support and a reassuring touch.
 
 So we follow the example of Jesus, touching the lives of others in all the ways we serve. As we touch, we are touched. Remember, today, every raindrop that falls on our face, the wind that weaves through our hair, the leaves our feet crunch on the path, the food and water we swallow, the licks from a dog happy you’re home, the myriad ways we experience human touch – are among God’s way to touch and hold us. As we become aware of all the ways God’s love touches us, let us take in this message: “… I hold you by your right hand--I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, 'Don't be afraid. I am here to help you” (Isa 41:13). 

​ May we bring this message of touch to others as we go about our day.


 
Reflect and Pray: " Christ Has No Body"
Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.  

Christ has no body now on earth but yours..”
 Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)

 

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Resting with Jesus

10/18/2017

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 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30


 Listen:  Troy Sneed, "Lay It Down"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThHMlSTPjnI&playnext=1&list=PL7vy24BGVZRlyP7-vTjrvBnXd7bYssbVF&feature=results_main

 

​
A young ox, being trained to the yoke, is placed with an older more experienced animal. The older one carries the brunt of the load. Most of the weight is put upon him. The younger one must learn to pace itself, not too fast, and not too slow. It learns when to start and stop. It learns from it's partner how to be in "relationship". 

So it is with Jesus.  When we give our lives to God, we are spiritually yoked to the Lord. We learn what spiritual relationships mean. As we go through life, we carry heavy burdens. We encounter obstacles that we must overcome.  We grow weary.  Jesus calls those who are burdened to come to him.  Twice in these two verses he promises rest.  Rest is part of God's creation. We are meant to rest -- rest gives us restoration of strength and spirit.   Allowing ourselves to be yoked to Jesus gives us balance -- work and rest.  If we are workaholics we are taught to let go, to lay down the burden and rest. 

As we walk along side Jesus, we learn the task of plowing through life's soil and becoming more like him. Jesus assures us that he is "gentle and humble in heart." He leads us securely, patiently, so we too can develop a heart that is gentle and humble. Imagine: gentleness carrying the burden of our lives. Humbleness soothing our weariness? Such is the way of the Lord.

God has also spiritually yoked us as brothers and sisters in faith.  We help carry each other's heavy burdens in our sharing and caring. We help each other  to turn it over to God. We build in opportunities to rest, relax and fellowship. And together we learn to be gentle and humble with each other ...following the footsteps of our Savior.

PRAY: "Lord, I am tired. I am weary. My burden's are heavy, as are so many. Teach us to lean on you and find rest."

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Through the Eyes of God

10/11/2017

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 Listen to:  Brandon Heath:  "Give Me Your Eyes"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGr8as7pPBE



Painting called "Calvary" by Octavio Ocampo. Crucifixion and faces 


Look at the picture of the crucifixion by Octovio Ocampo.  How many faces do you see?  How many sets of eyes do you see?  How many crosses, do you see?  Every time we study this amazing picture, we see something we didn't see before.

Some time ago, I needed some vision therapy, because my eyes weren't working together properly.  I had to train my eyes, with exercises and games, how to see together. It was amazing;  every week, I could see something I hadn't the week before.  The same is true with our "spiritual eyes."  They need to be trained to see as God does.  

 In the Bible the eye is the organ of perception, and perception involves more than physical sight. The eye often stands as a metaphor for the mind.  What we see, what we allow ourselves to take in, informs how we think, the questions we ask and how we will behave.   

We use a lamp when we what to be able to see or find something in dim light or darkness. So what if our "lamp," our eye, is covered with prejudice? anger? bitterness? self-righteousness? Ignorance?  It will determine how well we can see the world. We will project our perceptions onto others -- because that's what we are used to seeing!!  What we see is what we get.  

Jesus encourages us to practice seeing the way God sees.  God's eyes are pure light and pure love.  

What do we see when we see an addict?  a self-indulgent bum?  or a suffering, lost, child of God?

What do we see in the crabby co-worker?  a difficult person who makes life hard?  or someone who is struggling, and needs encouragement?
​

What do we see when we see a poor person?  Someone who is lazy?  Or someone searching for dignity?
​

What do we see when we see a rich person?  A snob, who cares nothing for others?  or someone lonely, or lost?

It's all a matter of perspective. Of training our eyes in the school of love.  Week by week, day by day, we gain the vision of Jesus, until all whom we see are brother and sister, children of the same God.

PRAY: "Lord, I am blind. Give me your eyes to see"

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God's Yes

10/4/2017

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For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between "Yes" and "No." He is the one whom Silas, Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God's ultimate "Yes," he always does what he says. (2 Corinth. 1:19)

​



Watch & Listen to:
  A young filmmaker's grappling with life and faith issues:  "A Thousand Questions"  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiNBmNl88Pk

Questions.  Confusion.  Doubt.  Have you ever had them?  How often do we ask: how does a loving God allow such evil in the world?  Most of us are reeling from another mass shooting in Las Vegas, claiming the lives of at least 59 people and leaving 500 injured. Why such pain, such heartache?  Why do our leaders not conduct themselves on behalf of the people's real needs?  Why are our churches dwindling? 
Why? Why? Why?


 How do we, as people of faith, live with integrity; not dismissing serious questions with simplistic answers, but trusting in the power and love of God to be with us, and guide us, inspire us to action through those tough questions, questions for which there seems no easy answer forthcoming?  

Paul reminds us Jesus is God's "Yes."  Above all else, this is what we need to know.  We don't need to understand everything, have answers to life's pressing problems, to take positive action.  How many of us really know the make up of an atom or the anatomy of a cell? The names of the animals and sea creatures, and fauna and flora of the world? The intricacies of the Tree of Life?  How many of us even understand our own motives -- why we do what we do?  But we still go on living, we make choices and we can make a difference in our world.  Just  stay rooted in God's Yes: Jesus.  

Remember this powerful message  I shared last Sunday by poet, Rainer Maria Rilke, in his Letters to a Young Poet,"I beg you...to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer."

Live your way into Jesus. Be God's "Yes" wherever you go today.



PRAY: " Yes, God, Yes.  Here am I. Send me."

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    Moirajo is a minister, social worker, wife, mother, writer and animal lover. That's just for starters. Join the story, there's so much we can share together! 

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