I saw a Facebook post tonight and it reminded me of something I’d been pondering lately. The post spoke about this series, “The Chosen,” and how they portrayed the Bible story of the woman who’d been bleeding for 12 years. Not only has she been physically ill, but because of the bleeding, she would have been considered unclean under the law. Since she was unclean, that would’ve put actual physical barriers between her and other people. No one could touch her or anything she had touched because that would make them unclean too. Over the years she had gone to many doctors and none had made her any better, only worse. By the time her path crosses Jesus’, she’s been sick for years, she’s broke and desperate. She’s at the end of her rope and thinks, believes, knows that Jesus is her only answer for healing. She goes to touch the hem of his robe and miraculously is healed! This is one of my favorite stories as the details paint a beautiful picture of how Jesus relates to the woman.
It was a tweet though that gave me a different perspective. Someone had wondered about this woman and who would have been the first people after Jesus to speak to her? Could it be the women who followed along with Jesus? We have details of multiple women traveling with Him and the disciples during this time. How would these women have responded to a woman, who because of her sickness, was considered unclean? I imagined they watched with the rest of the crowd, transfixed as Jesus asked “who touched me?” They saw as a woman came before Jesus, seeing fear in her face as she told her story. They then saw Him gently call her daughter, and proclaim her whole!
As sisters in Christ, we should be walking with each other, ready to come along side and hold out a hand to lift up and encourage. As daughters, we should be ready to do that with anyone that God brings our way. In this story it was a woman who was unclean, for us it may be a woman who’s just made the wrong choices for too long a season. The mercy shown in an outstretched hand may just be what she needs to finally leave that season, and seek something good. I watched “The Chosen” and could barely wait for the story line to reach this scene. I quietly sobbed as I watched the show portray the story. While I might have tweaked it a bit, I was so touched by how it was portrayed. It confirmed something to me that I had been feeling since the tweet I’d read weeks earlier. That’s the kind of woman I want to be! Ready and willing to listen, love and be of service to the women God brings along my path!
As women, they probably heard and sympathized as they knew what their own monthly bleeding meant and how it affected their lives. I wonder though, did they pause before approaching her as she was technically unclean? Was there a barrier in their minds, knowing what the law stated? They may have paused in their actions, but I like to think that the care Jesus showed this woman, gave them the freedom to know what to do next! That in the next moment when Jesus was called off to heal a young girl, they stepped forward and kneeled down next to this new sister in faith. I can imagine they would have been making plans to get her fresh clothes, asking who her family was, and talking excitedly about her restoration to the community and home. I was struck by the scene as I imagined it, and knew this is how it should be!
So yesterday I joined my small group for a Fat Tuesday menu of gumbo, rice and king cake. It was delicious, and since my friend Paige cooked, it was quite authentic. I love traditions! And since Fat Tuesday is over, that means it’s Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. I love this season and try to use it as a time of focus. Each year it’s had a little different look, but this year I’m really trying to get back in that writing habit. I’ve had a hard time writing in the past few years for many reasons, but to tell you the truth, the biggest problem has been me! So I am going back to the beginning, and that strange recipe that God has given me to make communication easier. Strangely enough, it just comes down to three little words, wrestling, writing and encourage!
The WWE acronym had me cracking up this morning since wrestling is the first step in the process. Typically it’s something that comes to my attention, and I then wrestle with God to process, learn and maybe find some wisdom for my life. I then write about the process in the hopes it would encourage someone else like it’s encouraged me. I am not a bible scholar, and I am not here to tell you how to live. I just hope what I say might make you think and start your own wrestling with God.
So today, I felt like I had a directional adjustment! Priorities were put back in place and how to use the time of Lent became a little clearer. I was reminded of who I am and Whose I am in this world. And while I was thankful for the clarity, I was even more thankful for the extremely funny way it was communicated!
I had a question I needed to ask, but I was a bit scared. I know…. scared might be a bit overblown, but that’s me! I think it really came down to the possibility of being disappointed or maybe even hating the answer!
And lets face it, that’s why most of us don’t ask…. We want our answer, not really the one we may be given. I eventually knew I had to let go of the outcome and let God handle that, I just had to ask the question.
And it’s in that word “eventually” where I am amazed. The wealth of meaning in that little word is huge. The time I spent in “eventually” was longer than it needed to be. It was full of realization, wrestling, uncertainty, prayer, irritation and eventually a clear message of “get moving”. Even when I try to ignore God, He steps in and inserts Himself where I can’t ignore Him.
So Fridays are such a mellow day, that even in the morning I just want to chill a bit. So I decided instead of reading my bible, I’d watch HGTV. And that isn’t holy ghost TV.
So I start watching some random show that’s doing a remodel of an old home. The original structure was built in the 1700’s, and through the years a kitchen and carriage house had been added. The first thing they were doing was opening up walls and flooring. The structure just didn’t look right, so to figure out how to fix it, they needed to see how it had been built. He said “There were no building codes. So it doesn’t mean they didn’t build it right, it’s just that we don’t know how they built it”.
They didn’t know how they built it? That statement just stuck with me, because it really played in to the question God had put on my heart. And with that message I knew that I had to leave the land of “eventually,” and ask my question. I did… and it was a good conversation. For me though, it was an even better lesson. When God gives me a question, task or way to serve Him, He will also give me a way to make whatever I need to do happen. There is a goal for the rest of the year…. Don’t spend time in “eventually”. I need to take the advice of the GOAT and JUST DO IT! And Michael Jordan notwithstanding, I need to rest in the confidence of who God is, and what I know He has already done in my life.
I told someone today that we are in the middle. And if you ask most people, the middle is the hardest part. It’s at that point where you feel like you can’t go back to where you started, but still can’t see the finish line. It can be a place of frustration, fear and sadness. The waiting during this period can be so hard, and it doesn’t even matter what you’re waiting for! At this point in the pandemic, even waiting in line at that new Dutch Bros can bring about a slight depression!
Years ago, we went hiking once at the Pinnacles. It’s a very interesting national park in California. I say interesting because it’s not the spectacular landscape of say a Yosemite, but the beauty is there just the same. It’s claim to fame are talus caves that you can hike through, which are pretty fun, unless of course you like to see your hand in front of your face! And yes…that’s not my type of hiking. I could choose not to do it, but the only problem is that I wasn’t alone. So what do you do when your partner is much more adventurous than you? Well that’s how I wound up in the middle of a cave, with no light and very little courage. That’s the scary part of the middle…sometimes you aren’t even sure you’re there yet. At what point can we differentiate between the walking in, and the point when we’re finally making our way out.
When we were far enough into the cave where no natural light reached, I was scared. It was an unnatural fear that’s beyond what is normal. Crazy as it sounds, the rocks themselves gave me peace. “…You are my rock,” says part of Psalm 31. That portion of verse gave me hope. I kept repeating that to myself as I carefully found my way through the rocks. Once I got through the cave to the other side, I really didn’t fear it any more. I was still a bit uncomfortable with the darkness, but since I now knew about where the middle was, I was able to enjoy the cave instead of being so anxious to get out.
We’re in the middle, but are we still headed in or on our way out? That’s the question! As we continue to live through this painful time in our history, I think back to that cave and the God who is my Rock. Remembering gives me hope, and isn’t that what this time of the year’s all about? Redemption, light in the darkness, joy, peace…..The HOPE of Christ!
So it’s Christmas Eve and I am fighting my feelings.I’m sitting here with my hubby on a quiet evening.No family…. Not that normal excitement that usually comes with the season.In some ways it seems kind of sad, but it’s just because things have changed.Most of the boys are now with significant others and living out of town.So we spent our “Christmas” together on Saturday, so that they would be with their ladies families on Christmas day.It was wonderful to be together, but the new normal is taking some getting used to.It was kind of getting me down having such a quiet Christmas Eve and anticipating the same on Christmas Day.It didn’t help that I was going to the doctor because I wasn’t feeling well.Really?Is this how the holiday is supposed to be? Continue reading “Advent: Rejoice!”→
Advent.It is a new tradition for me, so the first Sunday of Advent almost passed me by.Yikes!It is not my fault!I don’t come from a background where Advent is celebrated, so it just kind of snuck up on me.I was barely over the turkey and it just appeared!
So just like anything in my life, I take what is celebrated by many and use it for my own nefarious purposes.Ok…. Maybe not nefarious, but I definitely do make it my own.I need to have help in keeping focused, and writing helps.I tend to be shall we say….. wordy.So if I have to post something, like for Advent, it helps me to focus and get the writing done. Continue reading “Advent: Focus”→
I want to remember that in my actions, I sow seeds. They can be seeds that lift a person up, encourage and give strength. Or they can be discouraging, defeating and used to tear down.
I may never see the fruit of those seeds, but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be a result or even a price that’s paid.
I think of those days and the men who lived here, planned and executed evil. The seeds sown in their lives were ones that exploded in death.
It’s so funny how God speaks to me. Or maybe what’s really funny is how I listen? I told my husband the other day that I had never dreamed about being a writer. Like, that is what I want to do when I grow up! Nope….never felt that way. Writing for me is more about submission and therapy? I write to submit my thoughts and feelings to God, and ask Him to help me sort through them. To move from knowledge to wisdom. Well…hopefully.
So it’s Christmas Eve and I am fighting my feelings.
Advent.
I want to remember that in my actions, I sow seeds. They can be seeds that lift a person up, encourage and give strength. Or they can be discouraging, defeating and used to tear down.
It’s so funny how God speaks to me. Or maybe what’s really funny is how I listen? I told my husband the other day that I had never dreamed about being a writer. Like, that is what I want to do when I grow up! Nope….never felt that way. Writing for me is more about submission and therapy? I write to submit my thoughts and feelings to God, and ask Him to help me sort through them. To move from knowledge to wisdom. Well…hopefully.
Cheryl Mendoza 