Is Jesus Limited in Your Life?

"Now He could do no mighty work there..."

Mark 6:5 (NKJV)

This statement has long baffled me. How is it that Jesus, God in the flesh, seemed limited while visiting His home town? Is it possible that when I need Him I might find Him limited in my own life? Is it possible you'll find Him limited in your life? I think I need to know before facing the trials of daily life. Is Jesus limited? I believe the answer is found by looking back one chapter to Mark’s description of the healing of a woman who had suffered with poor health for a number of years.

Beginning in verse 21, Mark 5 describes a journey during which Jesus heals two different people. Jesus and His disciples had just left the Gadarenes following His deliverance of the man who was delivered from Legion. As Jesus stepped onto the shore a crowd began to gather around Him. Among those seeking Jesus' attention was a leader from the local synagogue.

Jarius desperately fell at Jesus' feet, explaining that his daughter was sick and at the point of death. He begged Jesus, asking Him to come and lay hands on his daughter. He believed that if Jesus would do so, his daughter would live. So Jesus went with Jairus to his home followed by a large crowd of people.

In the midst of this crowd was a woman who had been sick for twelve years. I can't begin to imagine what this woman felt. Twelve years of suffering. Twelve years of doctor's visits and their version of medical bills. Twelve years of getting worse instead of better. And remember, there was no insurance available to cover her costs. This was a desperate woman reaching out in the hope that this Jesus might bring physical, and perhaps even emotional, healing.

With so many people around Him, the woman should have been able to touch Jesus' clothes without anyone noticing. However when she touched Him, Jesus immediately turned around. What was different about her touch versus all the other hands and bumps Jesus endured in the crowd? The Bible tells us that when the woman touched Jesus power went out of Him. Where did this power go? The power went into the woman and I believe it was the power to be made whole. By faith she immediately benefited from this power and was healed, released from her twelve year ordeal.

I believe this same power was available when Jesus visited Nazareth in chapter 6. He offered the same healing and the same abundant life that He made available everywhere He visited. But to receive these gifts people had to believe. By faith, those around Him had to allow Jesus to transfer His power to them. Unfortunately His neighbors refused to believe. As a result they could not receive, even though Jesus still had the power to do mighty things. So after marveling at their unbelief, Jesus gathered His gifts and moved on.

"I am the vine, you are the branches..."

John 15:5

Abundant life and all that comes with it is still available today. To receive we must believe in Jesus. By faith we must become branches grafted into Jesus Who is the vine. He offers the power but we must believe in order to draw from our Source. You can live a life where you rise above every situation. To do so you need only let Jesus' power flow according to His will. How do you receive His power? You do so by faith.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Philippians 4:13

A Forced Sabbatical and Post Pandemic Changes

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While I have had to do some work during the stay-at-home season, the workload has not been nearly as much as I am used to. At first this was a bit intimidating. I am blessed and fortunate to still have a job and the paycheck that comes with, but I felt like I needed to be doing something for 7-8 hours per day. There's just one problem. The nature of my position at the day job is such that I need to be in the building to do most of my work. And so I do what I can and then the rest of my day is sort of like being on a sabbatical, which would be nice if I knew how to handle being on sabbatical.

It seems like being on a sabbatical should be easy, just stop doing what you would normally do and do something else. Of course under normal circumstances, what you do during a sabbatical is dependent on if you are paid or not. Based on a quick internet search a paid sabbatical allows you to study or to pursue a new idea you can bring back to your job. Conversely an unpaid sabbatical allows you to volunteer or do something else and then (hopefully) get your job back afterwards. Early on I struggled with how not to waste my time while obeying the stay-at-home order. Now I realize that this is a great time to think and to plan changes I can make once the order is lifted. This is a great time to take a paid sabbatical, even if it is a forced sabbatical.

I've followed the same routine for decades. Having started straight out of college, I am one of those rare birds who has worked for the same company for a long time. I have gotten up at the same time, left the house at the same time and caught the same train every morning. While I have changed positions within the company, for the last several years my work routine has been the same. Now, like many of you, I find myself forced out of my routine. I also find myself wondering how I can do a better job once I go back. Is it time to further shake up my daily routine?

As I ponder changes to my day job work routine, I find that other parts of my life also need a shake up. I can be better: a better husband, father, homeowner and a better writer. There is a silver lining to my stay-at-home cloud. Through it I have the time to think and as a result I see my path in a different light. I see changes I can make that will lead to something different and better after this pandemic runs its course. I see that I needed this unplanned sabbatical because I needed time to think about change.

Remember to Call Upon the Lord, He Cares

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In my last post I described how God has blessed my family during the pandemic and how He is keeping both His general promise to provide as well as a more specific promise He has given to me. But the last month and a half has not been all peaches-n-cream. (Haven't heard that one in a while.) We lost a family member who contracted COVID-19 while living in a nursing home. Another family with whom we've been close also lost a person to COVID-19. With family and friends working in healthcare, we live with a constant threat of seeing others catch the disease and that's just the start of the stresses we have faced.

Some of those stresses have been both a bother and at the same time humorous. Before now I never had to try to plan when we would need to order paper towels or toilet paper. A miscalculation there could lead to days of...discomfort. But what I see on the news and in my region are no laughing matter. In both I see high unemployment. I see neighbors who are worried about paying for food. I hear and read reports of people who are afraid that they will not be able to pay their rent or their mortgage. I see people, real people, who are suffering as the coronavirus tries to destroy our land.

For the record I do not believe this pandemic is a punishment from God. Jesus bore our punishment on the cross, giving His life for the world (John 3:16). Based on these facts I believe this illness to be one of those unfortunate things that happens in a fallen world. I do believe that God is available to us all, ready to heal and to give hope. He is ready to join us in our struggles, to guide us forward in dealing with life. He empowers those who call upon Him, meeting needs both supernaturally and naturally through His church. We need only call upon His name.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.

1 Peter 5:6-7 (NKJV)

Christians are not immune to suffering and this pandemic has something for everyone. We can try to deal with our troubles on our own but this is the path to failure. This is a time when we need to call upon our Lord knowing that He cares. He cares about your finances. He cares that you feel alone and/or overwhelmed. He cares about your physical health. Whatever it is, He cares. Don't suffer alone. Reach out to God and to His church through whom He works.

Stay At Home Orders and God's Blessings

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It has been a strange and uncomfortable month and a half. I'm one who likes to plan and to know where my next several steps will go. But as any follower of Jesus can tell you, this is not how God works in our lives and the current pandemic amplifies how much I am not in control. As I write this there is no sign of when things will open up where I live. And then there are the real causes of stress. From dealing with the death of a family member who contracted COVID-19 to the stress of knowing a number of people who work in healthcare, there are plenty of things in my world right now trying to get me down. Where can I find peace and stability? I find it in my relationship with God.

"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:19 (NKJV)

We are fortunate in that both my wife and I are still receiving paychecks. My wife works in healthcare, essential to our current crisis. My employer is doing its best to keep staff members employed until we can get back into the building. We are blessed to still have jobs when so many have lost their livelihoods. Something like 30 million people have filed for unemployment in the United States. I suspect that number will go up and I pray for those who are struggling to make ends meet.

In my 30+ years of following Christ I have seen God keep the promise of Philippians 4:19. I've lived through times when we weren't sure how we would make it financially. In those times God has found a way. Sometimes He provided by sending unexpected money: a gift or a bonus that arrived just as we needed. We've also had times when the same amount of money seemed to cover more than it did the month before. I have seen God provide and it is a blessing to know that He will do so no matter what happens tomorrow.

Not only has He provided, He has blessed. Right as the stay at home order kicked in for our area the television in our family room broke. God provided for a new one with more features and a larger screen than the old. I guess we could debate if that's a need or a blessing. With two teenage boys, I say it's both. We were able to pay cash and still buy my wife what she wanted for her birthday, again paying cash. I thank God for both blessings as well as for the blessing that is my wife.

Philippians 4:19 is a promise and a blessing given to all believers. Alongside of it I have a more personal promise that is a blessing during this time. Years ago God promised that I will not lose my day job and will not leave until it is time to start my next career. Based on His promise I can relax knowing this pandemic will not cost me my job unless it is time for something new. Knowing that God has a plan is one of the greatest blessings anyone can have and a great comfort during this unusual time.

How has God blessed you as He guides us during this pandemic?