Category: Spiritual Reflections

The Badlands

Last evening, I stayed up late to watch a movie called The Soloist.  I’m not one to stay up late for too many things but this movie caught my attention even though I didn’t start watching it from the beginning.

The movie is about a journalist, Steve, who is looking for something newsworthy to write about.  He goes out into the streets of Los Angeles and finds a homeless man, Nathaniel Ayers, who has extraordinary music abilities playing the cello.

He writes about Nathaniel and does everything he can to help him.  But Nathaniel has a mental illness.  In one scene, Steve had set up an appointment for Nathaniel to meet with the philharmonic orchestra and Nathaniel could not leave his “things” behind.  “Things” such as a broom, an old pillow, cardboard that he slept on — important to Nathaniel although Steve was trying to move him in a “better” direction.

At one point in the story, Nathaniel beats Steve up because he believes that Steve is trying to have him committed (Steve does try to get Nathaniel psychiatric help but it has to be voluntary).

The movie ends with Steve making this statement:

“A year ago, I met a man who was down on his luck and thought I might be able to help him.  I don’t know that I have.  Yes, my friend Mr Ayers now sleeps inside.  He has a key.  He has a bed.  But his mental state, and his well-being, are as precarious now as they were the day we met.  There are people who tell me I’ve helped him.  Mental health experts say that the simple act of being someone’s friend can change his brain chemistry, improve his functioning in the world.  I can’t speak for Mr. Ayers in that regard.  Maybe our friendship has helped him.  But maybe not.  I can, however, speak for myself.  I can tell you that by witnessing Mr. Ayers courage, his humility, his faith in the power of his art, I’ve learned the dignity of being loyal to something you believe in.  Of holding onto it, above all else.  Of believing, without question, that it will carry you home.”

The movie was based on a real person.

It was only this morning that I realized why the movie stirred my heart.

I too have tried on many occasions to “help” only to find myself beaten in the end.  And I have believed, as the statement above quotes, “that the simple act of being someone’s friend can change his brain chemistry.”

Sometimes I just have to be and let life play itself out.  The results may not be what I want or expect but I still have to be “loyal to something you believe in.”

That’s the message God taught me from this movie.

1 Corinthians 13:7  Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

My first visit to the Seventh-day Adventist Church was when they were having communion.  Not being a member, I didn’t realize that they have the practice of washing each other’s feet before communion (the eating of the bread and drinking of grape juice).

Feet

The men went to one room and the women to another.  Pails of water, a large ladle and towels were set on a table.  Chairs were arranged so that one person could sit while another person washed the other person’s feet.  Having my feet washed by a stranger was odd.

Doing a little studying in the Bible, I read in Scripture about Jesus washing His disciples feet and it made sense to me. Some people think it’s awkward.  I have found it to be humbling.

A couple weeks back, I attended a Seventh-day Adventist church in Hudson, Wisconsin.  Again, they were having communion and they asked those who wanted to partake in the communion service to separate to wash one another’s feet. When I arrived upstairs, everything was ready although I didn’t have a partner.  A young woman came up to me and asked me if she could be my partner and I agreed.

The young woman went to get the pail of water and a towel.  While she was gone, I took my socks off and when she returned, she washed my feet.  The “washing” is not with soap and water but plain warm water.  She carefully wiped my feet dry and then I took the pail with the used water back to the table, added fresh water to the pail and went back and washed her feet.

Afterwards, we prayed.  I prayed for her family, her health and her spiritual condition.  I am always reminded of the Scripture where Jesus washed His disciples feet.

“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power and that He had come from God and was returning to God; so He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing and wrapped a towel around His waist.  After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.  John 13:3-5

Serving each other.  Some would think it’s stooping too low but in reality it’s lifting us up towards God and humanity.  Our world would be so much different if our leaders would follow this example.

Surely if the Son of God can humble Himself to be a servant to us, we can humble ourselves to be a servant to others.

A fine example you are Jesus.  A mighty fine example.

The Desire of Ages: A Classic on the Life of Christ

Her name was Mary and I have to assume she had long hair.  Her sister’s name was Martha.  They, along with their brother Lazarus, received Jesus in their home for dinner.  Martha served the meal while Lazarus was reclining at the dinner table.

Mary gets up, takes .5 liters of perfume and goes to Jesus and pours it on His feet.  Then she wipes His feet with her hair.

That’s unusual in and of itself.  Imagine any woman going to a man’s feet and pouring perfume on them and then wiping the perfume with her hair.  Whoa!  Most of us would raise our eyebrows and gossip about it.  After all, Mary was not married to Jesus.  They were friends.

One of the people in the group, Judas, spoke up about this to Jesus.

John 12:4-5  But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray Him, objected, Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor?  It was worth a year’s wages.”

Judas — his concern was about the money that could have been had by selling the perfume.  No concern about the unusual act of perfume being poured on Jesus feet.  We’re not told that anyone else spoke up about this, uh, act of love.  The Bible tells us that Judas was a thief and he used to take money from the money bag that they had.

I don’t understand why no one said anything.  Embarrassment?  Minding one’s own business? I wonder what the people there were thinking.  I would think that there had to be an intimate relationship between the two.  A very friendly bond. Some have alluded to Jesus having an affair with Mary but the Bible doesn’t state He ever had a relationship with a woman.

What did Jesus say about this act?  John 12:7-8  “Leave her alone, Jesus replied.  It was intended that she should save this perfume for my burial.  You will always have the poor among you but you will not always have me.”

Although Jesus could read people’s hearts, He did not condemn Judas as a thief but instead He directed His attention to what Judas said about the poor.

How often we think that God condemns us harshly.  It reminds me of the verse found in the book of John 3:17  “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved.”

No condemnation for Judas even though He was the one who was going to betray Jesus.  Does God really have to condemn us?  Don’t our acts condemn us by themselves?

Sabbath … thank you Jesus!

Enjoy the video by clicking on it below.

Be Still And Know

Imagine being born blind.  Everything is dark.

Those of us with eyes that can see can’t really fathom what blindness is like.  Even on a dark night when I can’t sleep and I open my eyes, it is not totally dark.  My eyes adjust to the darkness and I can make out little things.  But that is not true of someone who is blind.

I remember as a child pretending to be blind by putting a scarf over my eyes.  One of the differences is that I could take my scarf off and see.

So when I read the story of a man who was blind from birth, it is not easy for me to fully understand.

Long Beach, Washington

John 9:1 As He went along, He saw a man blind from birth.

The disciples who were with Jesus wanted to know who was responsible for the blindness.  Was it because of the man’s sin or the parents sin?  It seems odd to ask the question because if the man was born blind what sin would he have committed?

Jesus affirms that neither the man nor his parents sinned.  Sometimes things happen and it’s nobody’s fault.  They just happen.  Especially in this sinful world we live in.

But Jesus didn’t let it go at that.

John 9:6 After saying this, He spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva and put it on the man’s eyes.

What happens next is nothing short of a miracle.  John 9:7  Go, He told him, wash in the Pool of Siloam.  So the man went and washed and came home seeing.

The man is blind.  Jesus uses His saliva and dirt from the ground to make mud and put it on the man’s eyes.  Then, the man sees.

There are many different analogies one can make from this story.  My initial inclination is to see how Jesus can take something as common as spit and use it to change a man’s life.  He was blind but not he sees.  And he is able to see because he did what Jesus asked him to do — go and wash.  Get the dirt out of your eyes.

Nothing would have happened had the man chosen not to do as Jesus asks.  He would have remained blind with mud in his eyes.

And later He sees Jesus — His healer — and he worships Him.

I too was blind, but now I see.  So I can only worship Him.

A friend of mine, William, has a Christian blog that I read frequently.  This last post was on resilience and I thought it was superb.

Click this link so you can enjoy it also.

Sometimes it takes us a long time to “pop” back into our lives from things that bring us down.  But, there is always hope with God’s grace.

The history of Valentine’s day reminds me that it has nothing to do with flowers, chocolate or cards.  It was martyrdom, sacrifice — at it’s best.

And so it’s quite fitting today to speak about my two true loves.  They’re alike and different in so many ways.  But every day they make sacrifices for me.  Giving pieces of themselves so that I might live life more fully.

graur razvan ionut

He doesn’t flaunt himself but instead prefers to remain humble.
He is patient even when I provoke him.
He is kind even when I am angry.
He is tender when I am rough around the edges.
He is respectful and won’t disrespect me.
He loves me when I am unlovely.
He speaks gently when I’m having a temper tantrum.

He’s my husband, the one who my heart desires.

How blessed I am to have two of them.

One on earth and one in heaven.

For your Maker is your husband – the Lord Almighty is His name – the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth.  Isaiah 54:5

Thank you both!  You have made my life complete.

I recently heard “Small Enough” by Nicole Nordeman — a song about someone struggling and wondering if God could make Himself small enough to hear her prayers.

We always hear about how great God is.  And He is great!  But God stoops down to take us in His arms of love.

He’s not too big, nor too busy, nor too great to hear my cry, my prayers or my ramblings.

Oh, great God, be small enough to hear me now
There were times when I was crying
from the dark of Daniel’s den
and I have asked You once or twice
If You would part the sea again
But tonight I do not need a fiery pillar in the sky
Just wanna know You’re gonna hold me if i start to cry 

Oh, great God, be small enough to hear me now
Oh, great God, be close enough to feel you now
There have been moments when I could not
Face Goliath on my own
And how could I forget we’ve marched around
our share of Jerichos
But I will not be setting out a fleece for you tonight
just wanna know that everything will be alright 

Oh great God, be close enough to feel you now
All praise and all the honor be
to the God of ancient mysteries
Whose every sign and wonder turn the pages of our history
But tonight my heart is heavy
and I cannot keep from whispering this prayer
“Are You there?”


And I know You could leave writing on the wall
that’s just for me
Or send wisdom while I’m sleeping,
like in Solomon’s sweet dreams
But I don’t need the strength of Samson
or a chariot in the end
Just want to know that You still know how many hairs
are on my head
Oh great God, be small enough to hear me now

Ever have one of those days when nothing seems to go right and you feel like your head is stuck in the sand, uh, snow?

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No matter which way you turn, your head stays stuck and takes the rest of your body with it.  These are days that strengthen me internally.

Head in the snow