I love reading about the miracles Jesus did. In Matthew 8 I read today about how he calmed the sea amidst a great storm. The disciples were so afraid, and yet he just slept. After the calming of the storm, he asked why they were so afraid? Why didn't they have faith in him? Then later I read about the deliverance of two men from demon possession. The images both situations bring to my mind: watching the waves and winds immediately cease at his word, seeing the men delivered and watching as Jesus cast the demons into a herd of pigs that then plunged themselves over a hillside to their death in the water below. The sounds, the feeling in the air must have been breathtaking. How incredible to be a disciple of Christ in that day, standing at his side, knowing him in his time here on this earth, not just following him in the spirit but in person. I can only imagine. I find it interesting that the disciples struggled to recognize Him and His power as the Son of God, and yet the demons in those two men knew who He was immediately and asked to be delivered from His very presence. Do we truly recognize Christ and His power in our lives today? Or do we allow the things of this life to distract us and convince us to question who He truly is? I think our actions speak louder than our words. Look at the way we speak to one another, our priorities throughout the day, our habits, our preferences, our needs, our desires. Who are we serving? What do our lives say about what is most important? My grandfather passed away this week, so I find myself reflecting upon the life I am living. Will I be able to say I lived a good life? He did, and he was ready to let go. My family has experienced the loss of my grandfather as more of a relief than a great loss. He was thankful for the life he lived, said he had lived well. He was not a man of many words, not easy to know and love but, we have many fond memories of him and loved him dearly. I know it will be a difficult transition for my grandmother, but I am thankful she has my parents to support her through this. I hope my life is the truest reflection of Christ that it can be and should be. I want to be able to say I know Jesus, really know him and that there is no greater power in my life. What a good God we serve, and isn't it amazing what He has to teach us if we are willing to be His people?
Breathing room
The week leading up to Easter weekend this year, as part of my focus, my reflection upon this season of my life, my prayers, my meditations, my seeking greater space and breathing room-I determined it was time for me to depart social media. I had been thinking about it last year just prior to the holidays and the impending presidential election year of 2024. So I did just that, and it has been precisely what my heart and my mind needed. Since my Mom died in January, I have been thinking and internalizing a lot more with the goal to refresh, renew, re-focus. This season of experiencing simultaneous grief and peace has sharpened my internal perspective far more than any other time in my life. The reality is as life rolls on day after day, month after month, year after year, the rhythm of life brings a level of comfort and complacency for all of us. The unexpected can shake us, awaken us to a part of ourselves deep down that we didn't know was ther...
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