A Bold Prayer

Wow – what is happening in this psalm? Has the psalmist done something so terrible that God is furious? What’s this discipline thing about? Is the Psalmist dying of some illness – or what?

Well, we are not told. What we do read is that the psalmist feels rebuked and disciplined and is crying out for help and for mercy . . . again. But this time there is a cry for healing, for release from pain and sleeplessness.

Can I Step Out and Call to Jesus Too?

Reflections from a man with family members dealing with recurring pain and illness

. . . Jesus had finished his sermon, or his teachings, on the hillside. I was shocked by the simplicity, clarity and authority of it all. It was so different than anything I had ever heard. I had never heard anything like it before. It was like he was speaking right into my heart.

Testing and Tears

With the arrival of Joseph’s brothers in Egypt a long story of testing begins. Joseph recognized his brothers, whereas they, not surprisingly, didn’t recognize him. When they bow down, he sees the fulfilment of his dream in Genesis 37:7. Joseph, now in command of the situation, needs to test them. In the process the brothers experience what Joseph had experienced at their hands, and Joseph gradually finds out the truth about his family, which he needs to know before he can respond to them with justice.

Healing and Justice

As people living in a post-Christian world, whenever we read about healings in the Scriptures our thinking often goes to debates about Jesus’ divinity or evidences that Scripture is true. But, as important as these debates might have been, they can take our mind off what is most important in Scripture by diverting our attention to what is most important to us.

Did you notice the connection made between Jesus’ healing ministry and Isaiah’s servant bringing about justice?

Read More healing, priorities, restoration, justice

Alone and Praying

Jesus’ day started with confronting an evil spirit in the synagogue (Mark 1:21-28) and ended, long after sunset, with him healing “all kinds of terrible diseases” and silencing and forcing out a lot of demons who knew who he was (Mark1: 34).

Peace may be the Greatest Healing

This is a passage full of healing. First Jairus, whose daughter is dying. Jesus is on his way to see her, presumably to heal her, when their journey is briefly interrupted. A woman who had been bleeding for 12 years—a humiliating and socially ostracizing condition, touches his garment. “If I can just touch his clothes, I will get well,” she says. And that is exactly what happened.

A Double Take

This is about learning to see.

The disciples are blind according to Mark as he leads his readers to the “hinge” upon which his whole Gospel is constructed in the following paragraphs. Just as the healing of the deaf mute in chapter seven completed a cycle of stories that started with the feeding of 5000 people and 12 basketfuls of pieces that remained …

In Pursuit of Christ

Jericho symbolized victory to the people of Israel. But not everyone felt victorious. Blind Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, forced to earn his keep by begging on the street, heard that Jesus of Nazareth, was in town. A crowd followed Jesus as he made his way down the street. Bartimaeus tried to attract the attention of Jesus by calling out. Some tried to hush up the loud, obnoxious cries of the blind man.

When an Outsider’s Faith is More Than My Own

Reflections from an officer’s friend

. . . Many Romans had been in our town before, but none like him.

This Roman officer was so different. He respected me, a Jew. He watched out for us. He didn’t abuse us. He was so different. He asked questions – really good questions.

Eyes of Compassion

Reflections from a mother

… Grief. Anguish. I had no more tears. My body ached with exhaustion. I felt like I was in a catatonic pain-filled walk. My soul was being squeezed as if it had no life.

My son had died. My only son. My only son.