Jesus Sighed

By Tawna Wilkinson

                                                                                                 

                                                                         JESUS SIGHED

 “And He took him aside from the multitude, put His finger in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, He sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” (Mark 7:33, 34 NKJV)

Prior to this verse, Jesus had gone to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Having arrived there, He goes into a private home wanting “no one to know.” But, it says, “He could not be hidden.” For a Gentile woman, having a demon-possessed daughter, found out where He was and persistently begged Him to heal her; cutting short His privacy. (Mark 7:24, 25 NKJV)

Now He’s traveled back through the region of Decapolis, where previously His fame exploded where in the midst of seeking solitude and rest, the multitude pursued Him and He wound up spending the entire day healing and feeding 5000 plus people.

Now, while looking for space again, He has yet another multitude hot on His heels begging for healing. He heals. But in the midst of it, when they bring a deaf/mute to Him, He curiously “took him aside.”

Why? 

According to Matthew’s account this wasn’t the only person with a similar issue. What was different? Why the unusual treatment?

And why does Mark’s record add that after Jesus spits and puts His fingers in the man’s ears, He looks up to heaven, and sighs?

The word sigh in this passage means: to make, or be in straits; to murmur; to pray inaudibly, with the connotation of grieving or groaning. It’s the same word used when it speaks of the Spirit’s groanings in Romans 8:26:

“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

Here’s what I think.

Jesus is tapped.

He’s dog-tired and doesn’t know how to pray for this one, even though He’s been healing many to this point. Once again, rest and the need for quiet have eluded Him.

He’s had to deal with power going out of Him during ministry; and He’s weak and speechless. And in that place, Jesus looked up to heaven, and breathed a groaning prayer: He sighed, and the man was healed.

What an encouragement!

Although I haven’t been in the place of administering healing to thousands, I have given of myself, been past tired, and in need of solitude, just to have it interrupted, time and again.

And my Jesus, being 100% human when He walked this earth doing all He did, says to me in this passage, “I completely understand weakness and the need for solitude. Keep following Me. And when you are worn out, and have no words, look to heaven, breathe a sigh, and watch what I will do.” 

I Prayed (Part 2)

By Tawna Wilkinson

                                                                 

A few weeks ago, I wrote a very short piece entitled “I Prayed.” It was in regards to the manner in which Jesus operated during His earthly ministry. The way He began, and the way He continued:

“I prayed.

Heaven opened.

He descended.

I heard Him speak.

He filled and led Me.

Then I returned in His power. Amen.”

Since writing it, and sitting with this truth, another realization has emerged. This wasn’t just the way Jesus operated on earth. This was a poetic and relational dance He had with Father and Holy Spirit.

And while admiring the ease and rhythm of it, He showed me the two most important elements that book-ended their dance:

“I knew and believed the love.

And…I glorified His name.”

Check it out.

Jesus’ motivation to “dance,” with Father and Holy Spirit, came from the love they shared. Their beautiful, uncomplicated movements were fueled only from Him knowing and believing the love.

With love intact, it was then that Jesus prayed, communing with Father and Spirit. It was then that heaven opened; that Holy Spirit descended on Him marking and sealing Him; that His ears were opened to hear Father speak. And it was then that He received Holy Spirit’s filling, leading and power to “dance.”

All their poetry and rhythmic relationship was released only because Jesus knew and believed the love. And because of that, the remarkable automatically took place: Father, Spirit and Son were glorified.

“I knew and believed the love.

I prayed.

Heaven opened.

He descended.

I heard Him speak.

He filled and led Me.

Then, I returned in His power.

And…I glorified His name. Amen.”

And because Jesus was the Son of Man…fully human, He not only led the way, but gifted us with this same poetic, relational dance. However, the “steps” remain the same: 

We also, are only to know and believe the love. Then the “dance” will follow. But more importantly, the remarkable will automatically occur: All…Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and we, sons and daughters called by the name of the Most High God, will be glorified. Amen.

I Prayed

By Tawna Wilkinson                               

I prayed.

Heaven opened.

He descended.

I heard Him speak.

He filled and led Me.

Then I returned in His power. Amen.

Love,

Jesus

Only Jesus

By Esther Belin

O how I do enjoy the mountain high

To restfully ponder in God’s good grace,

God’s wondrous covering, sweet by and by,

How the years fold away, a lost embrace.

No turning back to hold regret, or shame

No longer tangled in a spiraled snare

Only peace when my Savior calls my name!

Like fluffy clouds, a brilliant glow, He cares.

I know God’s love, His perfect plan for me

Yet gnawing disdain feeds my unbelief

Covered and protected, where none can see

The growing painful lies, becoming grief.

To whom I run, to whom upon I call

Only Jesus – carries me when I fall.

There is Power in Vulnerability

By Jen Kline

I am writing today about this word because I believe it is about to change my life. Let me explain.

Growing up it has always been very hard for me to be vulnerable. At some point in my childhood I made a decision that the world around me was not safe and that I needed to protect myself. Protecting myself meant I could not be vulnerable, especially around people. So for years I found ways to avoid being in a place of vulnerability.

I would ignore conflict. I would suppress feelings. I would avoid certain relationships. I would distract myself with being busy and producing and being very involved in anything I could get my hands on. I worked hard and often. I filled my social schedule with anything I could put in it. I did everything big. I even filled the air with my own voice, talking so much in the hopes I could drown out anything that would tell me it was OK to slow down enough to be in a vulnerable place. Sounds exhausting doesn’t it? Well, it was, but let me tell you that what I did as a child and the things I did to protect myself were healthy for me. It was a natural way for me to process all that was happening around me and I’m thankful for it. But 43 years later, it’s exhausting. I’m done. Cashed in. I can’t do it anymore.

This is a new season of facing the vulnerable parts of who I am and this life I have and it’s time to move forward in a way that is good for me. In a way that is real to the people around me and in a way that is honest about my journey with God.

With this journey I am on The Lord is revealing so much to me as I’ve slowed down. He’s spoken beautiful things, brought back precious memories and allowed me to feel a wide range of feelings I was avoiding for all of these years. Often when I am in this place I look to Jesus to see His response to the very human things we deal with, the very hard things on this earth. And I had this thought; When I watched my husband play Jesus in The River Church’s production of The Passion Play, the hardest part of that story for me was when Jesus the Creator of heaven and earth is standing before Pilate and every one is yelling at Him and there is this question as to whether or not they should pick Barabas or Jesus.

My heart aches at this moment every single time. I’m thinking to myself, JESUS! You are GOD! Stand UP! Fight! Do some kind of amazing miracle to save You from this awful fate. Stop them. Change their minds… yell at them! Hit them, run away, and tell them why they are wrong. Tell them who you ARE! Do whatever you have to do to defend Yourself! But He doesn’t. He actually never does. He’s vulnerable. One thing I know about Jesus is His absolute confidence and connectedness to the Father. And I realize the two ingredients Jesus had to always be in a place of vulnerability.

The first is that He was never ashamed of Who He was or what He was there to do. He was present in every moment on earth. He wasn’t distracted or confused. He knew exactly why He was healing, speaking against the Pharisees, challenging the law, and doing things on Sabbath days. He had no shame.

The second is that He knew He was not alone. Even when He begged God to take this cup from Him I believe He knew that God was with Him. He was fully aware of God's presence with Him each and every moment.

If there is power in vulnerability, imagine what that would look like in our families, in our friendships, in our relationships with friends. What if our language and our conversations with our kids were more compassionate and vulnerable? What if we could actually tell our kids that we were having a hard time feeling some emotions, or even cried in front of them? What if we told our husbands the parts of our hearts we’ve been hiding? What if we could tell our friends that we are having a hard time with our finances or that the thing they said to us the other day hurt us? How would we impact each other? How could we impact our community? We wouldn’t have to win all the time; we wouldn’t desire so much control over other people. We could “name” what we were struggling with and let people know what we are about to say to them is very hard and difficult to our hearts. We could listen and we could love people despite their inability to know how to love us well.

It would change our lives.

It wouldn’t make life easier, but I believe that as we really pay attention to the sadness and the difficulties, we would also experience a richer, more vibrant joy in powerful vulnerability.

He's God! My Choice!

God is either the God of all creation....or He isn't.

He's either the God Who promised a future greater than the stars and a land of promise...or He isn't.

He's either the God who changes the mind of Pharaoh and sets His people free...or He isn't.

He's either the God who provides everything His people need daily...or He isn't.
 
He's either the God who raises up prophets and kings and deliverers...or He isn't.

He's either the God who defeats the enemy and is victorious...or He isn't.

He's either the God who shuts the mouths of lions, walks through fire, raises the dead, heals the sick, makes the blind see, sets the captives free...or He isn't.

He's either the God of Redemption...or He isn't.

He's either the God who sent His Son to take our place...or He isn't.

He's either the God who conquered death and rose again...or He isn't.

He's either the God that forgives those who betrayed Him, beat Him, and killed Him...or He isn't.

He's either the God who changes even the darkest hearts...or He isn't.

He's either the God who loves deeper, wider, longer and stronger...or He isn't.

He's either the God of mercy, grace, forgiveness, compassion...or He isn't.

He's either the God of truth, justice and holiness...or He isn't.

He's either the God who's coming back for His bride...or He isn't.

Choose this day who you will serve.  As for me and my house we will serve the God Who Was, Who Is and Who Is to Come.  The Great I Am!

Throwback Thursday - Simply Christmas

(originally published in 2011)

I recently read an article that said that even religious people aren't going to church on Christmas or including any religious celebration during the Christmas season. That they are just too busy with parties, dinners, shopping etc...It made me really sad.

Really sad that Jesus is being pushed out of His own birthday party. I can't imagine putting together a party with all the decorations, sending out the invitations, making tons of food, decorating a cake, buying and wrapping gifts and spending weeks in anticipation of the blessed event only to not invite the celebrant. Doesn't that seem odd? I'm pretty sure my children would have none of that (I'm just imagining Kale preparing for his birthday party only to find out he's not invited). Yet that's what happens at Christmas. We can get so distracted with the party that we forget about the Guest of Honor. Jesus. I am guilty of this many times throughout the Christmas season. I get so into all of the fluff that I have to literally stop and think again of my reasons. Could I "do" Christmas without all of the fluff? I sure hope so. The fluff is traditions, memories, fellowship and fun. There's nothing wrong with that. But my hope is that even without the extra stuff...Christmas is still Christmas to me.

At the very heart of Christmas is simply a baby in a manger. Born to bring us peace and joy and hope and love.
Born to live a sinless life.
Born to teach us how to love God and love others.
Born to heal the broken, the sick, the blind.
Born to give us a new life.
Born to die on a cross and then 3 days later rise from the grave to conquer death. Born to reconcile God and man.
Born to show us amazing, endless, unconditional love.

If I miss that....I miss Christmas. I pray that your Christmas is filled with family, friends, joy, laughter and lots of love. But I pray more than anything that your Christmas is centered around, and filled with, the love of Christ.

Simply Christmas