A Life Worthy

Tag: Matthew 11

  • One-a-Day Tuesday, 1/6/15

    number 1When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”  Jesus replied, “Go back and tell John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear …” (Matthew 11:2-5).

    When I was a kid, I said something that really impressed my grandma.

    Yeah, maybe your grandma is easy to impress; mine was not.

    Anyway, she was speaking to me, but I was not paying attention—bad habit, not impressive.  Gram called me on my inattentiveness and asked if I had heard her.

    “Oh, I heard you,” I said.  “I just wasn’t listening.”

    Gram took a moment to praise me for making the linguistic distinction before shredding me for not paying attention to her.  Funny how a thing like that sticks in your head.

    Christ has healed your ears, spiritually speaking.  The sin nature that kept you from hearing God has been defeated.

    You can hear, Beloved.

    But are you listening?

  • One-a-Day Friday, 1/2/15

    number 1OK, back to Matthew…

    When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”  Jesus replied, “Go back and tell John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk …” (Matthew 11:2-5).

    I spent a little time on crutches when I was in high school.  How I got them doesn’t really matter.  I may have broken my leg leaping from a burning building while rescuing a small child.  I could have smashed my toe delivering a brutal kick to the head of a bad guy while defending my school from terrorists.  I might have tripped over one of those concrete blocks in the parking lot.  It’s kinda hard to remember.

    Anyway, I do remember the feeling of feeling…lame.  I couldn’t walk.  I couldn’t run.  I couldn’t dance—at least not without endangering those around me.

    Frankly, there are those who still fear my dancing.

    Isaiah identified healing the lame as one of the signs of the Messiah.  And Jesus healed.  But fixing the body—awesome as that was—was symbolic of greater work within.

    Jesus came to heal the broken—

    arms

    legs

    hearts

    souls

    As you head into your weekend, rejoice, Beloved.

    The Healer is here.

    Happy Friday.

  • One-a-Day Wednesday, 12/31/14

    number 1The blind receive sight…  (Matthew 11:5)

    It snowed last night.

    This is not unheard of in our town, but it is rare—about once a year.  So, of course, everyone turned out into the streets to watch the snow fall and freeze our collective tucases (tucai?) off.

    As I stood looking up into the night sky I noticed that, while I could see the snow collecting on trees and cars and children, it was in fact too dark to see the snow falling.

    I could feel it.

    I could taste it—at least, I hope that was snow.

    But I couldn’t see it.

    Then I had one of those flashes of brilliance for which I am known throughout my living room.  I took my flashlight, aimed it at the sky, and clicked it on.

    Wow.

    The sky exploded—figuratively, not literally—with light.

    I could see each individual flake as it fell toward me.

    It was like white-hot sparks drifting down from some heavenly fire.

    It was like being in my very own ticker-tape parade.

    It was like travelling in the Enterprise at warp speed—geek brethren, can I get an “Amen”?

    It was glorious.  So I gave him glory.

    If someone had come to me at that moment and asked me to prove that what I held in my hand was a flashlight, it would have been simple.

    I could see.

    The Light came, and I could see.

    Enjoy the view today, Beloved.

  • One-a-Day Tuesday, 12/30/14

    number 1Jesus replied. “Go back and tell John what you hear and see…” (Matthew 11:4).

    I’m really glad that Jesus didn’t respond with a parable here.

    He often did, you know—particularly when he thought that questions stemmed from hard-heartedness, disbelief, or a challenge to his authority.  But John has already proven that he belongs in none of those categories.

    Jesus also didn’t respond with nebulous promises or obscure references to Scripture.  He answered directly, pointing to the things he was doing that clearly identified him as Messiah.

    He said, in effect, “Look around and see for yourself.”

    I like that he took John’s question seriously, because it means that he takes my questions seriously.

    It’s OK to ask him questions, Beloved.  He knows your heart.

    He formed it, after all.

    Happy Tuesday.