Kissed by the Spirit

“When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.”

Deuteronomy 24:19 (NIV)

The most ancient teaching of the Mosaic law, says that whoever helps strangers, foreigners, orphans and widows, will be blessed by God. This was taught from the earliest days and carried through to Jesus’ day, although the religious authorities seemed to forget those teachings, when Jesus reached out to foreigners, strangers, and gentiles. 

God has always been in the business of calling strangers and foreigners to Himself. God once selected Ruth, a Moabite woman, a gentile, to be a part of the ancestry of Jesus. Rahab, a gentile and a harlot, became a believer and changed her life. She was also part of the ancestry of Jesus. God always has and always will call foreigners and those outside the tribes of Israel, to join His kingdom. Any person, whose heart turns to Him, is welcomed.

God is still faithful to His chosen people, Israel, because of His promise to Abraham, but He has other children called into His flock as well. We are God’s children, called to labor in our Father’s family business. It’s a business that goes into the highways and byways, finding the alienated, the foreigners and the poor in spirit, who God wants to reveal His goodness to. As in any family business, those who work for their father, cherish family relationships more than monetary profit.

When Jesus came into the world, He worked in His Father’s business, inviting foreigners, the the meek, those who mourn and peacemakers. Jesus reached out to His own people first, but when religious leaders rejected Him, He turned His attention to those living on the margins of society, like the despised tax collectors, gentiles, harlots, and lepers. He simply followed Mosaic law, by reaching out to anyone estranged by society. 

Jesus started a revolution of dignity, targeting anyone treated as outcasts, by making them feel seen and loved. He gave them a sense of dignity that they never had before. He never formed opinions, based on someone’s political allegiance or ethnic background, but rather by looking in their heart. 

Visiting a Nursing home each week has taught me to appreciate people as they are, even if their words are unfiltered, or if they lack soundness of mind, and barely have a working memory. In one way or another, they are all poor in spirit, souls that God is seeking. 

Jesus came to bring dignity to people just as they are, which helps me to better appreciate Jon’s state of being-as he is. Instead of hoping he will return to how he used to be, I have learned  to enjoy who he currently is. Jesus bestows dignity to people, in whatever mental, emotional or spiritual state they exist in.

I remember a resident at the  Nursing home, named Tawana, who shared her faith in any conversation, always finding a way to express her gratitude to God. She survived brain surgery and the Nursing home was to be her temporary rehabilitation place. She was far from her home on the south side of Chicago, so visits by her family were rare. She was always cheerful, yet praying for the day she could leave and to go to an assisted living facility. 

One day, while she was talking about Jesus, she said He told us to take one day at a time, and not to worry about tomorrow. A female resident who was sitting next to her at the table, asked “Really, did Jesus said that?” 

Tawana assured her, always giving hope to the residents, despite knowing that living in a Medicaid facility was no vacation. 

Tawana was an example of laboring in her Father’s business, and letting her light shine on the outcasts and poor in spirit. Her day finally came to leave, and go to an assisted living facility, close to her children and grandchildren. She was blessed to leave the Nursing Home and we were all blessed to have known her during her time there. 

God uses us to labor in His family business, wherever we can be most fruitful. He places us where we are, for a reason and a season, because He knows what is best for His children and the family business of Heaven. 

Lord, help us to have gratitude even in the places we don’t want to be in. Open our hearts to see the heart of strangers among us and to share hope with them. Amen

“For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fulness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

Ephesians 1:9-10 (RSV)

Mary Margaret, my mother’s 112 year old doll and her wardrobe arrived in California at last, having journeyed full circle. Last week I wrote about my mother’s doll, that I sent to my niece and great niece, who used to play with the doll as children. The title of that meditation is “Heritage of love”, in case anyone didn’t read it and wants to know what I am referring to. 

I hope not to bore anyone by writing this sequel to the doll story, but I received two different text messages, that were mysteriously timed, surrounding the doll and her hand sewn wardrobe. 

Last Thursday, my niece, Lisa, who lives in California, texted me to say that she received the doll and enjoyed looking through all the hand made doll clothes, which were made by my friend’s grandmother, who passed away five years ago.

On that same day, I received a text message from Leigh, my friend and former coworker, whose grandmother made those clothes. The odd thing is, I seldom hear from Leigh since she moved to Houston,Texas eight years ago. 

On the same day that Lisa texted me about the doll clothes, Leigh texted me to say that she found an old picture I once drew for her to congratulate her on passing her board exam, going back 20 years, when we worked together. I told her about her grandma’s doll clothes being sent to my niece, with my mom’s doll, and she was happy to hear it. 

The timing of these two text messages was mysterious since I seldom hear from Leigh, who had no idea that her grandma’s doll clothes were sent to California. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the same day my niece texted me was also the same day that Leigh texted me about something else, as if I was meant to tell her about it.

It made me wonder if our loved ones in Heaven are more in tune than we realize, about the details of our lives here, or if they even intervene in those details, through their prayers, with the Lord’s permission. However the Lord works things out among our loved ones and friends, in heaven or on earth, He does it all for the sake of our love, unity and faith.

I don’t have all the answers to the mysterious timing of these events, but I am pretty sure that there are two grandmothers in Heaven today, who are very happy that Mary Margaret and her clothes have arrived where they will be well appreciated for many years to come. 

It’s just a small example of how the mystery of God’s will and His purpose is realized in the fulness of time, and will “unite all things in Him”, as today’s scripture says. The Lord unites family members, and old friends, even if they were only in our life for a season, and He does it all for a purpose, even through an old doll and her clothes. 

Lord, thank you for the mystery of your will and purpose, which, at the appointed time, will unite all friends and loved ones in you, whether here or in Heaven. Amen

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things which you have not known.”

Jeremiah 33:3 (RSV)

This was the scripture verse that led a Jewish atheist into Christian ministry. After Jonathan Cahn graduated college, he began to think that Jesus (Yeshua) might be the long awaited Messiah, but he kept vacillating between his previous atheistic position and moving forward to faith in Jesus. 

Then one day, while driving, he was hit by a train in his car. His life was spared by inches of where his car was hit. After recovering fully, he received it as a sign from God, and surrendered his life to Jesus.

His story reminds me of the story of Saul of Tarsus, who was on the road to Damascus, when he was thrown to the ground by a bright light and struck blind for three days. From that bright light came the voice of Jesus, calling him by name. Saul became a believer, changed his name to Paul, and wrote half of the New Testament. Two Jewish men, 2,000 years apart, and both had an epiphany that led them to faith in Jesus.

Jonathan knew that the Lord spared his life for a purpose, but he didn’t know what that purpose was. As a new college grad, he began searching for a job, but he never considered going into ministry. One day he prayed, “Lord, give me the kind of job that you would do.” Then he took a job teaching disabled children, knowing Jesus would have worked with the poor, disabled and the lowly.

He started attending a church and visited some “Jews for Jesus” events, but he still felt that he was missing something. As he delved deeper into scripture, the verse in Jeremiah, “Call to me and I will answer you,” rang repeatedly in his head, so he kept calling out to God to find out what his next step should be. 

In the meantime he needed a second job, so he took a night watchman position in a factory. Next door to that factory was a building which was a vacant factory. Little did he know, that God was about to answer him, by pointing him in the direction of that vacant factory. 

One day a man in his church told Jonathan about a Messianic ministry in the area, that was just starting with 30 Jewish believers. The group needed another bible study leader, so his church friend gave Jonathan the address of where the group was meeting. It turned out that they were renting the vacant factory next to his night watchman job. 

To make a long story short, forty  years later, Jonathan now pastors the largest Messianic Jewish congregation in the country, 

Beth Israel, consisting of 1,000 Jewish and gentile families in a New Jersey suburb. His call was answered in more ways than one. He is now married, with three children and besides being a pastor, he has authored several books.

Jonathan is just one example of how any person who calls on the Lord, will receive an answer. That answer may come through the simple words of another person, or through an inspiring scripture verse. God may even use previous tragic events to draw people closer to Him, like Jonathan’s train accident, or Saul’s three days of blindness. God’s word says that when we call, He will answer.

Lord, we believe that all who call upon you, will be answered, and we pray you will draw us and our loved ones closer to you, in whatever we go through. Amen 

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, this is your true and proper worship.”

Romans 12:1 (NIV)

When Jesus was nailed to a cross, He couldn’t move His arms or legs. While immobilized, the only motion available to Him was to look up, and in His heart, He offered Himself and his will to the will of His Father. 

Long before Jesus gave up His physical life, He surrendered his spirit, as an ascent of His will to the will of His Father. We have the same opportunity to surrender and ascend in our spirit, to the will God, saying,

“You Lord, know what is best for me, I ascend and submit to your will.”

Many things can happen, which leaves a person immobilized in some sense, by a situation, where all that is left to do is surrender themselves to God. It could apply to any situation that makes a person feel locked out and helpless.

It might be someone serving a prison term, though falsely accused and completely innocent, or a person who has lost their job or ministry as a result of a false accusation by a false witness. Jesus would understand, since He was falsely accused, and unjustly sentenced, yet He surrendered His spirit to the will of His Father. 

When a person is critically ill, lying in an intensive care unit, unable to move, walk or talk, connected to a ventilator, in some mystical way, they feel nailed to their ICU bed as Jesus was nailed to the cross. There may be no other option  except to offer their bodies as a living sacrifice, and ascend in spirit to the will of their Father.

I think of my son, Jon, whose traumatic brain injury has kept him from understanding others, or to speak and express what he is feeling, which probably leaves him feeling locked out of the world, in a sense, due to his brain injury. Until he makes more progress, his only choice is to ascend in his spirit and surrender to the will of God.

Unlike the spiritual ascent of the soul to the Father, which happens in death, ascending in spirit, is a journey of total surrender to God during life. In some situations, the only option a person has is to yield body, mind and spirit to God, in total reliance on His love and mercy, until He steps in and touches them.

Something like that seemed to happen yesterday, while visiting the NH. Jon was sitting with us at the table and I took his picture while he was smiling, and then showed it to him. In the past three years, Jon never responded to any photos that I showed him, but yesterday was completely different. 

He stared with intense fascination at the photo of himself. He took my phone in his hand, and kept smiling, looking at me, then looking at the photo, as if amused. So I showed him other photos, of his twin brother, his niece and nephew, his grandmother, and even his childhood photos. Each time, he took my phone in his hand and looked intensely at every photo, fascinated and smiling as if he recognized each person for the first time. Everyone could see Jon’s new response and I was totally amazed. 

It was as if a part of his brain was turned on and he just woke up. Then he began wiping tears from his eyes, becoming moved emotionally by his reawakened memories. 

Despite his many neurological disabilities and limitations, in some way, Jon ascended in his spirit to God, who woke up one small section of his memory, and rewired facial recognition in his brain, through the treasure of family photos. 

The Lord, who is our healer and the One who restores what was once lost, has opened up a small section of Jon’s memory, and only God knows what is next for him.

Lord, thank you for opportunities to surrender ourselves to you, and for the miracle of your healing in every heart, body and mind that ascends in spirit to you. Amen

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Galatians 2:20 (RSV)

I told this story a year ago, so I am sorry if it’s a repeat for anyone. When I was eight years old, my older brother, who was about twelve, got in trouble at school one day. He was misbehaving and the teacher called him out saying, “Young man, who do you think you are?” My brother, being the class smart alec, answered the teacher saying his full name, and the whole class burst into laughter. 

My parents didn’t find it amusing and neither did his teacher, but as a child, I thought my brother was hilarious. I never forgot that story and it makes me think about our identity as God sees us. 

Today’s scripture reminds us who we really are in Christ, as we walk by faith. Our identity in Christ can be under attack by the doubts that flood our minds or the guilt we feel after failing in some way. Even our previously confessed sins return to make us feel unforgiven and threaten our sense of well being, but we live by faith not feelings. 

The “accuser of the brethren” who targets every believer during their lives, will do so until Jesus returns, but the apostle John says that a day is coming when, “The accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.” 

(Revelation 12:10)

Revelation tells us how the story ends, and it’s a great ending. Whenever we question our own unique identity in Christ, by comparing ourselves to others, or dwelling only on our weaknesses, we are asking ourselves, “Who do you think you are?”

We know from the last page of Revelation, that we are on the winning side, and so we put our confidence and faith in the one who made us an original child of God, destined to win. Doubt, guilt and fear, can be crippling to our confidence of faith, so we must often remind ourselves of who we “are not.”

We are not the sum of our failures or weaknesses, and we are not defined by the tragedies of our past. We are not defined by our medical diagnosis, and we are never forsaken or forgotten by God, since He loved us long before we ever loved Him, and that love defines who we are.

The water of our baptism represents a death to our old nature, and a resurrection to our identity in Christ. The strategy of the enemy is to cripple our confidence and our identity, but remember what Jesus said to those who were crippled, 

“Rise up and walk!”

So when the question resurfaces from time to time, “Who do you think you are?” It’s not a question for mischievous children, it’s a question for all God’s children to rise up and walk, by answering; 

I am loved, chosen, forgiven, and living by faith in the One who first loved me and gave Himself for me.

Lord, help us to rise up and walk as beloved children, not defined by our failures, but by your amazing unending love, grace and mercy. Amen

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

In the gospel of Luke, Jesus talked about not hiding or burying our lamp, but to keep it shining. Paul’s advice to the Galatians, is to not let weariness prevent us from doing good. Jesus and Paul both gave us valuable advice. When we grow weary and give up doing good, our lamp gets buried, burnt out and stops shining. 

No one deliberately covers their lamp from shining, but we can get overwhelmed, especially when we are focused on getting things done. Sometimes we grow weary during the whole “doing good” process. A person or a situation becomes so fatiguing, that we lose patience, and before we know it, we lose our smile as well.

One day, I was in a hurry to run into a store and make a single, small but necessary purchase. While in the check out line, the whole computer system went down, and I had a longer than normal wait to complete my transaction. The cashier finally handed me my receipt, smiling warmly and thanking me for my patience. I said “thank you” to her out of habit, but I never smiled back and quickly left. 

After that, I felt horrible for the entire day. I kept seeing that clerk’s kind face in my mind and felt there was no excuse for my cold demeanor, and not smiling back at her. All day, I was aware that I had buried my lamp under a jar of impatience, weariness and frustration. 

I think most of us would define doing good or shining our light, by various acts of kindness, like helping a stranger, giving to charities, serving in a church ministry, or visiting the sick or needy. Those are all good deeds, that we can choose and plan to do, but it’s those unplanned, unexpected challenges that catch us off guard in the moment. 

How we respond and shine our light in unexpected situations, when tired, in a hurry, and already frustrated, are tests that teach us self control, something much needed in the moment. It’s part of what Paul referred to, by telling us not to grow weary in doing good.

He also warned believers, to be conscious of how we treat a stranger, saying, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for some have entertained angels unaware.”(Hebrews 13:2)

Wow, so besides the challenge of being caught off guard, a stranger could really be an angel, in order to see our reaction? I wondered what if that clerk in the store was an angel in disguise. Whether she was an angel or not, I failed to let my light shine, by showing a cold demeanor. Moments do matter, and although I looked for that particular store clerk after that, I never did see her again. 

In the parable of the foolish virgins, Jesus made it clear that it was up to each virgin to manage their own lamps. That means that we decide whether we will choose to shine our light or let it be buried under the frustrations of the day. That day I learned that I am here to manage my lamp, by choosing kindness and patience in order to keep my light shining. 

Managing our lamp in unexpected moments, means being alert to the people who are around us. 

When we fail, God forgives and by His grace, gives us of many more chances, until we get it right, before leaving this world. As we exercise the fruit of the Spirit, which is self control, we will get better at shining a light for Jesus, knowing a great cloud of witnesses is watching us both here and from Heaven. 

Lord, help us to never grow too weary to do good and to keep shining, since our smile could be the most important thing we wear in a special moment of the day. Amen

“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.”

Psalm 127:3 (NIV)

Whether we have children or not, we are all someone’s children, and the bible says that children are a heritage from the Lord, and a reward to their parents. Even after our parents are long gone, we carry on their heritage, just as our children and grandchildren will carry on ours. Everyone could share in some way, how they are carrying on the heritage of their own parents. It could be a faith tradition, recipes, a passion for a cause, a hobby, or heirlooms and artifacts that remain in the family. Recently, an antique doll in my home, was used to strengthen a bond in my own family.

I have been in possession of an antique porcelain doll for twenty years. Mary Margaret was my mother’s cherished childhood doll, who I first met when I was a little girl. Years later, when my mother was retired and living in California, her first granddaughter, Lisa, was introduced to Mary Margaret as well. Then Lisa grew up, got married and had Maria, my mother’s great granddaughter, who also became familiar with Mary Margaret. 

It occurred to me last week that my mother, niece, great niece and I, all shared a common bond, beyond our blood line. We know a 112 year old doll named Mary Margaret, who has been a part of our family heritage for four generations. It’s not the doll itself that is so special, but our common impression of love that my mom left on all three of us. 

The day arrived when my mother, at 91, could no longer live on her own, so we moved her from her California home to Glenview, Illinois, to live with my husband and I. Of course, Mary Margaret came with, and in the later stages of my mother’s dementia, that doll brought her even more joy. My friend’s grandmother who restores old dolls, offered to restore Mary Margaret’s eyes, hair and also made her many new outfits. 

Mary Margaret’s makeover made my mom so happy that it was all she talked about in those final days. A year later, in 2006, my mother passed away at the age of 92. Mary Margaret sat alone on a shelf in my spare bedroom, for twenty years, with no girls to play with, or talk to her, comb her hair, or change her outfit.

One part of this story that hasn’t been told, is that ever since my mother’s death, our family grew apart, since she was the glue that kept everyone together. Living in different states and busy with our own immediate families, we rarely communicated with each other, except for events like holidays, funerals or weddings. 

Since my son doesn’t value family heirlooms or antique dolls, I started wondering what would become of Mary Margaret when I’m gone. I wondered what my mother would want and after praying about it, I contacted my niece, Lisa, in California. 

She was the first grandchild and grew up close to my mom, but I  wasn’t sure if she would even remember or care about the doll after all those years, since Lisa is 47, with children of her own. I took a chance and asked if she would want her grandmother’s Mary Margaret doll.

Lisa told me that she definitely wanted the doll. She said she always wondered what happened to Mary Margaret and was so glad to learn that I still had her. I told her I would send the doll to her, along with the clothes made by my friend’s grandmother, and she was absolutely thrilled. 

Lisa then told her daughter, Maria, who is now a young adult, that Mary Margaret is coming back to California, and she was thrilled. My great niece told her mom, “Mary Margaret will be staying in my room.” I was amazed at how much joy the news of that doll, brought to my niece and great niece.

Lisa and I also shared our sentimental memories of my mother, especially in connection to Mary Margaret. We are a part of four generations of females who shared a family heritage of a doll, along with the blessing of having my mother in our lives. After our conversation, it seemed like Heaven had a plan to reunite all of us through a doll, who was destined to stay in the family for years to come. 

I looked at Mary Margaret for the last time at the UPS office, before shipping her, knowing she would be well cared for. It was a new chapter in a doll’s life, in mine and in my nieces’ lives, as I imagined my mother smiling down from Heaven, on all three of us girls. 

Lord, use whatever it takes in our lives to revive unity among our families, so that we may always appreciate one another as being a heritage from you. Amen

“And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”

John 12:32 (NAB)

Jesus’ words often contain more than one single meaning. When He referred to Himself as being lifted up, He was hinting about the type of impending death He was about to suffer, being lifted up on a cross. We also lift Him up in our lives, whenever we share His love with others. Jesus was also lifted up in another way, long after His crucifixion, many centuries ago.

I never thought much about how the cross was seen as a symbol of execution in the days of the first century Roman Empire, when Jesus lived. In those days, criminals were crucified on such a regular basis, that the Christian community would have never thought of wearing a cross around their neck as a symbol to honor Jesus. 

That all changed three centuries later when Emperor Constantine and his mother, Helen, became Christian converts. In her devotion to Christ, Helen traveled to the holy land, determined to search for the original wooden cross that Jesus died on. 

In 326 A.D., a Jewish disciple and Jerusalem resident, named Jude, told Helen that the original cross was buried beneath a pagan temple. Helen immediately ordered an excavation and the cross, nails and plaque were all found there. Helen brought the relics back to Constantinople, which is current day Istanbul, Turkey.  She had the cross splintered into multiple pieces and portions of it were shared with all Christian churches throughout the region. 

The cross of Christ was no longer seen as a symbol of execution, but a tangible reminder of His sacred offering for mankind. From that time on, crosses were made as symbols to hang on walls, on altars in churches and worn as jewelry to symbolize our salvation which took place on it. 

I would have expected to learn these historical facts from a Catholic or Greek Orthodox speaker, but I actually learned it from T.D. Jakes, a Baptist preacher, who shared it in a recent TV sermon. He explained that the Greek Orthodox and Catholic cathedrals and basilicas, in that area, still keep these wooden splinters as relics of the original cross to this day. 

The point of his sermon, other than historical facts, was to point out that how we see things can affect everything. What was once seen as a symbol of execution is now viewed by Christians as a symbol of salvation, all because of a 4th century recovery of the cross, through Helen’s pilgrimage.

TD Jakes’ main point was that everything that happens in our lives, depends on how we view it. Just as the cross was once seen in early centuries as a negative symbol, it is now seen as a symbol of salvation. If we keep our eyes on Jesus and lift Him up, we will find that God is working all things together for our good, since Jesus is the victor of our faith. 

Lifting Jesus up, took on new meaning in the fourth century as the world saw Him in a new way. There was a major change in attitude towards Christianity after Emperor Constantine and his mother, Helen, became Christians. 

Constantine had his flaws, but God used him to legitimize the Christian faith, and put an end to state sponsored persecution of Christians which went on for years under the Roman Empire. 

Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D. which granted religious tolerance of Christianity and the Christian community no longer needed to gather in secret. Jesus was lifted up in a new way, like never before, so that His people could openly practice their faith without fear or intimidation. 

It opened the door to Christian education and theologians clarifying the doctrines of the faith. It was a time that pointed to Jesus on the cross again, and opened the eyes of the public to the gospel. Having the actual relics of the cross, showed the world that the crucifixion was a true event in history, not a legend. 

Jesus has been lifted up in different ways throughout history, but in the fourth century, He was lifted up by officially legalizing the Christian faith. There are places in the world today where Christianity is still repressed and suffering, but in God’s timing, He will lift His son up again, drawing all people to Himself. Jesus promised that the gates of Hell will never prevail against His holy church. 

Lord, we lift you up in our hearts and pray that you will be lifted up throughout the world, and draw all people to yourself. Amen

“And now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them.”

Exodus 3:9 (NASB)

The story of Exodus teaches us that God sees all suffering and hears the cries of all people, whatever their race or national origin is. He heard the cries of Israelite slaves 1400 years BC,  just as He heard the cries of African slaves in the early days of America. He hears the cries of all people in every country today, who suffer injustice and cry out to Him. This is a brief story of the Kurdish people, and their years of crying out to God, especially one man in particular. 

The Kurds are a people who originally lived in Kurdistan, an area spread across Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria. They have migrated from place to place, seeking independence and self rule. Their faith tradition is Sunni Moslem, who are a peace loving people, although they have  suffered under many oppressive, militant regimes in predominantly Muslim regions. 

Nihad is a Kurdish man from Syria who was once imprisoned and charged with political crimes, for protesting the Syrian regime of Assad, who ruled that country for over half a century. The Kurds also suffered under Sadam Hussein in Iraq as well as other regions and dictatorships.  

While Nihad was lying in pain from a beating, in a tiny prison cell in Syria, he wished to die, but then he remembered a book once given to him by someone from a Billy Graham ministry.

In his pain and desperation, Nihad prayed. “Jesus, if you are real, please help me.” That day, he had a clear vision in that cramped, dirty prison cell. In the vision, he saw a man dressed in pure white, walking into his cell, and carrying a bowl of olive oil. The man in white poured olive oil over Nihad’s wounds and his pain immediately left. The man in his vision said something he never forgot. He said, “You are my beloved and I love you”, and then disappeared. Nihad knew in his heart that the man was Jesus. 

Six months later, Nihad was freed from prison, but those words have energized him ever since. He is now a Christian pastor, discipling other Kurds who have also found faith in Jesus, and migrated to South Korea for refuge. 

Thousands of Kurds have been turning to Christianity through a dream or a vision of Jesus, and traveled to South Korea, where a growing community of Kurdish Christians, like Nihad, are living in safety and freedom. 

Jesus is calling disciples from all races, religions and nations, but in the Mideast, He seems to be doing it through dreams and visions. The Lord said that those who seek for Him with all their heart, will find Him, and many are.

(Jeremiah 29:13) 

God seems to be extending a special grace to people in these oppressive, war torn countries, where citizens suffer torture, imprisonment and murder, just for seeking freedom. God hears their cries and He is responding, by revealing His beloved Son to them. God is making disciples in the faith, giving them comfort, hope and peace. 

I heard an interesting explanation of the difference between a religious person and a disciple:

Religious people like to tell others what they’ve done for God, but a disciple loves to tell others what God has done for him. May God keep making disciples throughout the world.

Jesus said that the pure in heart shall see God, and many are seeing Him for the first time. No matter how bad a situation appears to be, with large scale violence or injustice, God is still on His throne and He responds to all who cry out to Him. 

Lord, we praise you for hearing the cries of all people. We pray for those who suffer, and ask you to give them a place of refuge and hope in you. Amen

“Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Luke 9:23 (NAB)

We are all called to be disciples of Jesus, who told us to follow Him, but then He added that in order to follow Him, we must deny ourselves and carry our cross. If we are being honest, it doesn’t sound like a fun way to live life. I don’t think I’m the only one who’s felt some discomfort in reading those words telling us to “deny ourselves and carry our cross.” 

I used to interpret it to mean that some big sacrifice is about to be required of me, which is going to make my life uncomfortable. 

I realize now that there is a deeper way to understand Jesus’ words telling us to “deny ourselves,” since Jesus also said, in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” 

Denying ourselves simply means asking for God’s will to be done first, according to His plan, before asking for our own requests. After all, there is no better place to be, than in the center of God’s will, just as there is no worse place to be than in the center of our own will. 

We all know the Sinatra hit song, “I did it my way.” I heard of a priest whose parishioner requested that this Sinatra song be played at a loved one’s funeral. The priest politely declined their request. Not intending to offend any Sinatra fans, but the phrase, “I did it my way” is really not the mantra of Christian living, but opposite of what Jesus taught. Even if we fail many times over, God honors our intent to do things His way, not our way. 

Everyone didn’t always adore and follow Jesus. Although crowds followed Him, He also watched multitudes walk away from Him, when He taught something they didn’t accept. People of every generation still want to do things their way. One day Jesus turned to His closest twelve friends and asked, “ Are you all going to leave Me too?  “Peter answered, “How can we leave ? You have the words of eternal life.”

The disciples didn’t always fully understand what Jesus was talking about, but they were following Him because of who He is, with the intent to do His will. We also follow the person of Jesus, not just a set of rules or values. Like the disciples, we may fail, but following Jesus is a kind of commitment, that keeps us coming back. We trust Him even when we don’t understand what He is teaching us. It’s in those times that we realize, this is what carrying our cross is all about. 

There’s a true story of a Japanese Buddhist soldier, during WWII, who became a traitor to Japan, was captured and thrown into the same prison camp along with other American soldiers. The prison camp guards routinely tortured that Japanese prisoner of war more than others. 

One American soldier who was imprisoned with him, felt compassion for the man and would care for his wounds and share his food with him, each time he was thrown back into the prison cell, after being beaten and tortured. 

One day, he was beaten so bad, the American soldier thought, “I’ve shared everything with this poor man except my faith, so he knelt over the man and said to him,” You might not make it through the night, but I want you to know that if you give your life to Jesus, He will take you to Heaven to live with Him forever.” 

The Japanese soldier looked at him and said, “If Jesus is anything like you, then I can’t wait to meet Him.” That story really touched my heart. It shows that we are not here to teach or preach morals and values, we are here to be Christ to this world. It’s the essence of what discipleship was meant to be, Christ shining His light through each of us. 

I’m sure that the American soldier was praying every day to survive that horrific prison camp, and to get back home to his family. He did survive and made it home, but God’s will for him was to show the love of Christ to someone else while he was there. God has a purpose in our pain, and desires to shine His light through us, even in the most horrific circumstances.

We follow Jesus in spite of our heartbreaks, tragedies, illness, pain and loss, by asking for God’s will to be done, because we believe that He is a good and loving God, in the bad times as well as the good. 

Lord, make us better disciples as we follow you, seeking that your will be done, so that your light can shine through in all that we say and do. Amen