Tuesday, May 30, 2006
New Eyes
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As I was reading a book yesterday, I suddenly have some new insight on my own struggles. The author pointed out the following texts:
“Trust me in your times of trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory." -Psalm 50:15 NLT
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 'Teacher," his disciples asked him, "why was this man born blind? Was it a result of his own sins or those of his parents?" "It was not because of his sins or his parents' sins," Jesus answered. "He was born blind so the power of God could be seen in him. –John 9:1-3For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. –Philippians 1:29
And I was humbled. For many years, I prayed that God would use me as an instrument and in my mind I was looking at very large callings, a foundation, a feeding program, an orphanage, a fund-raising-drive. Never in my mind did it occur to me that my prayers have been answered but not in the way I wanted to. He has His own way and it is a very special way. And my birthday became an example on His faithfulness, on His perfect timing!
Which led me to reflect about Christmas. I guess the Nativity story that I am familiar with is the tamed version. You know, cute lambs, 3 wise men, little drummer boy… Is that it? The man whose birth will divide time into B.C. and A.D.?
Philip Yancey wrote something about it in The Jesus I Never Knew. Christ’s birth was an epic! Imagine a teenage girl about to be married to Joseph who could have been a leader in the church. Imagine her being pregnant and all she could say that an angel came to tell her she has conceived! At the risk of being stoned to death! Then came His birth in a manger. No one except animals and some shepherds. Then came the slaughter of the innocents and the exile to
Someone once said that “No one who meets Jesus ever stays the same.” That can be true of Mary. Imagine being asked to carry the Son of God in her womb! With the risk of being stoned to death! She even sang:
And Mary said: “ My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.” Luke 1:46-55 NKJV
This would be the same Mary in exile in Egypt. The same Mary who would see Jesus being scourged and carrying His cross and eventually crucified. The same Mary depicted in Michelangelo’s Pieta. Jesus touched her life even before He was born!
What about the 12 apostles and all those who heard him preach? How about those who received miracles? Those whom He have saved from stoning? Those who dined and drank with Him? Those who have been healed by touching His cloak? Those who heard Him forgive those who crucified Him?
As I am writing this, I know I would never be able to read John 3:16 without my heart melting in gratitude. I know that I could never listen to “Amazing Grace” without tears in my eyes.
“No one who meets Jesus ever stays the same. He remains forever changed. "This was true 2,000 years ago. It is still true today.
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