What Everyone Can Do...

This morning, Karie shared a paragraph with me that she'd read in Ministry of Healing. We both really liked this story because it takes the gospel commission and makes it something that anyone who knows Jesus can do. Many times, I think I don't know very much. What can I do? But Jesus has done something for me, this is enough! This in itself is the qualification. All I'm called to do is to share what He's already done.

(The context for the story is in Matthew 8 & Mark 5.)
Two helpless men, so controlled by Satan that no one could stand to be around them, the disciples fled them in terror, and when their Savior appeared they charged at Him to kill him.

This situation didn't alarm Jesus. He'd just stilled a storm on the sea, and He knew the longing deep within the stormy hearts of those demoniacs, and He knew that He was able to still this storm too. (Oh, for that kind of peace in the face of such a storm... I know it's only possible if I stand next to this Jesus, and let Him brave the storm for me.)

Soon there were two healed men, two transformed me, two men who were lost but now found. They sat there at Jesus' feet. They wanted to never be separated from Him who had showed them such mercy, love and blessing. But in His wisdom, Jesus had another plan. Go, go back home.

"The two restored demoniacs were the first missionaries whom Christ sent to teach the gospel in the region of Decapolis. For a short time only, these men had listened to His words. Not one sermon from His lips had ever fallen upon their ears. They could not instruct the people as the disciples who had been daily with Christ were able to do. But they could tell what they knew; what they themselves had seen, and heard, and felt of the Savior's power. This is what everyone can do whose heart has been touched by the grace of God. This is the witness for which our Lord calls, and for want of which the world is perishing." ~Ministry of Healing, page 99

This story is like a mini picture of the Great Controversy.

Jesus came to their town. The people there begged Him to leave, so He did. (Love won't force itself where it isn't waned. It can't stay when asked to leave.) But Jesus didn't give up on the town. He sent the healed men back to their hometown area. Maybe they'd get who He was if some of their own people went and told them. (Sometimes God in all His power is too much for we humans to take.)

Jesus came to our world. We rejected and crucified our Savior. He died and later went back to heaven. But this doesn't mean He's not intensely interested in what's going on here or about people's misconceptions of His love. He doesn't give up! When Jesus went back to heaven, He sent His disciples out as His representatives.

Later in Jesus' ministry, He returned to the Decapolis area, and this time the people received him gladly. What does this say to me regarding my role and position in the Great Controversy today? He's coming back!

Upon Every Flower

"God is love," is written upon every opening bud, upon every spire of springing grass. The lovely birds making the air vocal with their happy songs, the delicately tinted flowers in their perfection perfuming the air, the lofty trees of the forest with their rich foliage of living green--all testify to the tender, fatherly care of our God, and to His desire to make His children happy.
~Keys to Happiness, pg. 2

God gave me a special blessing the other day! About a week and a half ago, Karie graduated from high school...after the program was done, there were a lot of flowers left over...it's a rather long story, but one of the ladies who was taking them home asked if I wanted a few flowers, then before I knew it, she was offering me the entire boquet. I left the place with an armload of flowers almost too big to hold! To me, it was a special gift from my heavenly Father who knows how powerfully each blossom speaks to me of His love.

Backpacking Lesson

Sitting on a rock in the middle of the South Fork of the Smith River

Surrounded by mountains reaching the sky

Trees pointing ever upward towards their creator

The sound of the water rushing over some rocks and pounding into others,

A deafening roar.

I'm keenly aware that to slip off this rock would likely mean great injury

or death, The water is so strong.

And yet, to be out like this, miles from any telephones, cities, cars...

It's so wonderful.

My Father's voice is so much more distinct.
His power is so evident. Life's purpose seems so clear.
And yet, as I realize how big He is,
I realize how much I don't know, don't understand His limitlessness...

As I pray,
I ask, God is there more you want to tell me?

The next morning, I open my little Bible. He guides my hands to Psalm 147, and whispers,

"[I] delighteth not in the strength of the horse: [I] taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. [I] taketh pleasure in them that fear [me], in those that hope in [My] mercy." (vs. 10 & 11)

Just think--the God of the universe isn't impressed with the greatness of His mountains, the strength of horses or bears that He's made, or in the abilities of man...I love to climp to the top of a mountain and look down. Sometimes I stop and think, wow, my legs brought me all the way up here! But this is nothing to God. He cares, but only because He cares about me, not because He's so impressed at my strength, which isn't much anyway.

What He takes pleasure in is my awe of Him. What brings Him joy is when I believe in and hope in His mercy! Mercy--is that not what we all want, what we all need, what He freely offers? He says stop trying to do it all in your own strength. Trust me, hope in my mercy. Let me be your Savior.

I sit in thoughful silence for awhile... wow, God. Thanks. Thanks for reminding me what you really want from me--not my strength but my need of and faith in your mercy.

To Make a Difference

This morning, I got an email from friends with AFM in Ireland. The end of their letter had a thought that I found simple but profound and far reaching... Something for all to consider as we try to share His love. They wrote,

"The longer we’re here, the more we’re convinced that the single biggest thing we can do to create the influence we need and want to create is to retain a physical presence. There is no amount of stuff we do, literature we send out [or] things we build that can communicate the same message as a personal commitment to the people by giving of our life by being a member of their community. This is at the heart of how God does it, and it cost Him everything. Any day He could have decided [He'd] had enough dust, disease and sleeping on the ground and gone back to His throne [in] heaven; but He stayed until His work was done—and it made a difference, all the difference."

The Best White Uniform Ever

“There’s sure a lot of nurses here today…” one father commented as he walked his two small sons into school that morning.
“Why are all the doctors here?” curious and nervous children questioned.

“I guess I’ll have to go on the loudspeaker and announce that there are no shots today,” the school principal told me with a smile, “they’ve seen you all walking around and want to know why the doctors are here and they’re worried they have to get shots.”…

I laughed a little at her comment. Apparently, our white lab coats were creating a bit of a stir amongst the elementary school children that morning. My fellow nursing classamates and I were only there to help out with the health screening going on that day, but to the small sets of eyes looking up at us, our appearances threatened more than that.

It’s not the first time my white nursing lab coat has had people thinking I’m a doctor… my first day of clinicals in the hospital I remember walking into a patient’s room and the elderly man and his wife asking me if I was the doctor. “Oh, no,” I was a little surprised and amused. “I’m just a student nurse!”

A uniform. It’s something that you wear on the outside that really says very little about who you are inside. And yet, I’ve found that the uniform I wear does influence the way I act… When I go to the grocery store after clinicals, I’m keenly aware of my very-white, obvious appearance and the many admonishings from nursing faculty (about properly "representing the medical profession") roll about in my mind… As I interact with my patients, these thoughts go beyond just what people will think of the medical profession… my school’s name is on my uniform too. Even when I take my nametag off, there is still the large “Southern Adventist University School of Nursing” badge sewn on my front coat pocket. People see it and ask about the school. Really though, it goes beyond just representing Southern Adventist University… SAU is a Christian school, so I’m representing Christ when I wear that name around…

Sometimes I don’t feel like a nurse; I feel like a very out-of-place person in such a bright white uniform. People have high expectations of Southern’s nursing program. The school of nursing has high expectations of their students. And though I love nursing, I often feel very unqualified to bear the title I soon will bear … (RN--Registered Nurse, someone who has gone through at least two years of nursing school, graduated, survived nursing boards, and is someone who you can walk up to at church or home, ask any medical question you wish to, and expect they'll have the answer ;) )

When you put on a uniform, sometimes your behavior has to change. Some behaviors just don’t go with wearing that uniform. For example, I like climbing trees, but I would never climb them in my white uniform...

Christ has covered me with a white uniform too. His perfect robe of righteousness. It makes me look better than I really am. It's a whole new identity. Sometimes people think I’m someone I’m really not, cause they see Him, not my inadequacies. It influences the way I act. Sometimes I don’t feel righteous, but I’m still covered by Him. Sometimes I don’t feel very qualified to bear the title I bear—Christian, a follower of Jesus. Sometimes there’s behaviors in my life that must change. Sometimes even apparently “good” things just don’t belong in a Christian life… When I say I’m a Christian, people have high expectations. Do they find Who they're looking for?

See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you...
~Zech. 3:4

Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes.
They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy...

Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad
and give Him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and His bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)

~Rev. 3:4 & 19:8