Called by Name

Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying.  As she wept, she bent over to look in the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"
"They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him."  At this she turned around and saw Jesus standing there,but she did not realise that it was Jesus.
"Woman," he said, "why are you crying?  Who is it you are looking for?"
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him and I will get him."
Jesus said to her, "Mary".
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).
Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to my Father.  Go instead to my brothers and tell them, "I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.".
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!"  And she told them that he had said these things to her.  (John 20:10-11).

Mary Magdalene, a woman who knew deep unmerited forgiveness and grace from Jesus, now stands, full of grief, reeling from watching her Lord crucified, to now discovering that his tomb is emtpy!  What more could she take.  As she is processing what is happening Jesus appears and speaks to her.  For whatever reason, Mary does not recognise him, until Jesus calls her by name.  How moving is that!  The risen Lord calls this woman who's  a crying mess, and speaks her name. This gets Mary's attention.  This small sentence takes my breath away because it reveals how Jesus relates to us.  The resurrected Christ, conquerer of sin, Prince of Peace, Lamb of God, perfect redeemer calls us by name and speaks to us by name.

 "That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far from all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the age to come. " (Ephesians 1:19b-21). 

The God of all power comes down to our level, to ultimately endure the humility of the cross.  And for what?  Love. Love for you, for me, for everyone.  How personal, how intimate, how real.

But how does Mary recognize Jesus?   Mary knew Jesus's voice and she followed him.  Having been forgiven of adultery, spent hours traveling with Jesus, listening to his teaching, watching him perform miracles, Mary devoted in her love, knew her Lord and followed him with all her life.  Therefore, when " The watchmen opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.  He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his own sheep follow him because they know his voice.  " (John 10:3-4).

So in a world that has many idols of God and even as Christians we construct "God-fantasies" to help fulfill what we want, and when we want it, will you recognize Jesus's voice when he calls your name?  Does the God you profess align with the historical account of Jesus in the Bible?  How do you know your God?

By being like Mary, deep, devoted and daring in her love for Christ which is rooted in his unconditional love for her, his teaching, his witness, we too can know Jesus within a real, personal and honest relationship.  When we remember that it's all about Jesus and less about us,  we will hear his quiet voice in our lives.  Are   you ready to hear and follow Jesus?

" In the middle of the race" - Part 2

Last week I discussed some steps to help us to keep going when we feel like we're struggling "in the middle of the race" of faith.  Today I wanted to discuss spiritual muscle and stamina.

The author of Hebrews uses the image of the Christian life like being a long distance race.  Marathon runners require a strict regime of training over a long period of time to produce the stamina, strength and a endurance needed to run a marathon.  To achieve this, one must learn discipline and accept discipline from their trainer who understands what needs to happen in order for their athlete to win the race.  God disciplines us to help us run the "race marked out for us".  How does God train us?  One way is that He uses hardships and tough times as part of his methods.  "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons" (Hebrews 12:7).   Why does his discipline us?  So "we may share in his holiness".   God wants us to look like his son Jesus and that requires him to do some hard stuff on our hearts in order to transform our inner being to be like Christ.  "No discipline is pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:11).  When received submissively, God's discipline is good and beneficial for us.

I know the pain of God chiseling away on my life and I know that there is alot more work for him to do.  Is God chiseling away in your life at the moment?  Don't despair but be encouraged "because the Lord disciplines those he loves" (Hebrews 12:6).

God also tells us to  live lives that don't hinder us  or others spiritually, ""Make level paths for your feet", so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed." (Hebrews 12:13).  We are called to be characterised by upright conduct so as to help and not hinder the spiritual and moral welfare of others.  Our conduct is shaped by our habits, our habits are molded by our thoughts, and our thoughts are driven by our heart's desires.  When sin motivates our hearts the effect is played out in our actions.  But when we allow Christ to work on our hearts, the evidence is also there "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law. " (Galations 6:22-23).   The spiritual disciplines of prayer, study, meditation, fasting, submission, confession, worship, solitude, simplicity and celebration (see Richard Foster's book Celebration of  Discipline) are the ways we can put ourselves before God during those times of hardship so that his Spirit can transform our hearts.  This is how our spiritual muscle grows.  These disciplines are not taskmasters or an end to themselves but exercises that build endurance and strength for the road of growth. The more we practise them, the closer we grow to  God and the more we understand that it is only by relying on God and not ourselves that we truly live.  So persevere and focus on Christ.  Through Christ we are changed, strengthened,  renewed and able to weather life's storms.


Question:  Is your spiritual muscle weak and dying  or  healthy and growing?  What is the next step for you?

"In the middle of the race" - Part 1

I went to read my Bible this week and just sat there numb.  No great prayers of praise and joy, no eloquent phrases of thanksgiving, no deep and honest prayers of humble confession - just NOTHING.  Zip, silence.  My head and heart felt alot like the day outside my window, damp, cold and foggy.  Times with God are sluggish and the words just don't come to me so well when I'm praying these days.  I am weary.  You know that weariness when you've feel overwhelmed but don't know how to respond because it's all too much now.  Motivation is scarce.  At the start of my Christian life, enthusiasm abounded but now that I'm "in the middle of the race" it's hard to see where I'm going some days.


So what do we do when we feel this way?  How do you get through these times?   God tells us what we need to do in Hebrews chapter 12.  Take a look at these steps :


* Remember the great faith heroes of the past.  We're not alone in this journey of faith.  Good role models can spur us on and inspire us to not give up.  The bible is full of amazing people of faith who bear witness to the power of faith and God's faithfulness. Go back to your bible and read over some of those stories.
 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a cloud of witnesses, (Hebrews 12:1a).


* Ask the Lord to reveal the sin in your life, confess it and turn away from it.  Sin trips us up and interferes with the work we are to do for Christ and our relationship with God.  It is vital that we take sin seriously and confess it.  Resisting this step leads you away from God.
 let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles (Hebrews 12:1b).


*Understand that the Christian life is not a sprint but a long distance race requiring perseverance.  Our culture is all about instant gratification but believers in Christ are called to persevere, to wait even to the point where you won't receive your end goal now but when Christ returns.  We need spiritual muscle and stamina to run this race called faith.
and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. (Hebrews 12:1b).


*Concentrate on Jesus.  Life's stresses, pressures and busyness can shift our gaze from Jesus onto ourselves so subtly and quickly.  It is a conscious action to readjust our eyesight back onto Christ.
 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning it's shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2).


*Be encouraged for you have a Saviour who understands.  Take heart that Jesus knows weariness and endured constant opposition yet was victorious.  Jesus is therefore your hope and he gave us the Holy Spirit to be our encourager and helper in spiritual maturity.
 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow easy and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:3).


We are not left to fend for ourselves as we navigate life's  storms. We have been given God's revealed truth in the Bible and the gift of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us to help us.   Above all, we have Christ, the foundation of our hope and the object of our faith.  In him we are secured and assured of our eternal life.


Next week I'll continue with Hebrews 12 and talk about growing spiritual muscle that gives you stamina in tough times.


Question:   When things get tough what is your tendency, to give up or persevere?  What step above do you struggle with the most?