Saturday, December 18, 2010

 

Window of Opportunity

The story is familiar to most of us. God causes a Jewish virgin by the name of Mary to become pregnant and angels declare that she will give birth to the Son of God. About the time of delivery Mary and her husband Joseph travel to Bethlehem, in compliance with a new tax code. Because they are poor and the town is overwhelmed with guests, Jesus’ parents-to-be are forced to spend the night in a stable. All of these events set the stage for history’s most amazing miracle – the incarnation. God was becoming flesh and only a select few people have the privilege of participating in the drama. Besides Mary and Joseph, there are only a handful of people given an amazing window of opportunity. Among them are shepherds who are watching their flocks by night, wise men from the East, and Herod the Great.
The shepherds are just poor, simple folks with nothing to lose. When angels appear in the heavens and tell them about the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, they embrace the opportunity and head for the stable. It is a night to remember. These shepherds, no doubt, retell the story of this magical night until their dying days.
The wise men are likely learned and wealthy “kings” from Persia or Arabia. They are men of power and status, yet they have enough sense to honor and obey the God who could control the stars. They follow the star to Judea and then inquire as to the baby king’s whereabouts. They are given an audience with King Herod, who feigns a desire to worship the king. These men go to considerable lengths to find the Christ child and lavish on him gifts that will later be invaluable to Jesus’ family as they flee to Egypt. The magi take their window of opportunity and in so doing have the privilege of meeting Jesus. They are also given a place of honor in the greatest history book ever written.
But then there is Herod the Great. This man is a Jew who has been given the title “King of Judea” by the Roman Senate. He is a self-preserving, ruthless killer who does not hesitate to have his own family members murdered. When the wise men tell him of a star in the heavens that indicates the birth of a king, his selfishness immediately springs into action. He lies to the wise men, asking them to return with news of the baby’s whereabouts so he, too, can worship the king. When God warns the wise men to return home another route, Herod realizes he has been outwitted and flies into a rage, ordering all male boys under two to be slaughtered.
Ironically, the well-funded king who has nothing to fear from Jesus and who has more to be secure about than any of the other characters in this story, blows his chance to be truly great; instead his name is forever a byword. He missed the same window of opportunity that the wise men and the shepherds utilized.
While it is easy to cluck our tongues and take Herod to task, we should take care that we don’t make the same mistake. Often times a window of opportunity comes in the form of a setback, a tragedy, or a situation that puts us out of our comfort zone. If we live cynical or guarded lives, we can tend to pass by the very opportunity that could bring our greatest joy. Often God will flag of us of our opportunity by sending wise men our way – people who are seeking God rather than seeking their own well-being. Wise men still seek him. Take inventory, maybe God is giving you a window of opportunity.

Friday, December 03, 2010

 

Faith Healers

Believe me, I know there are charlatans in every field, but it seems obvious to me that ministers who focus on faith and healing get an especially bad rap. Why is that? I’ve heard hundreds of stories about doctors who have made mistakes, misdiagnosed patients or even broke the law, but that doesn’t keep most of us from seeking out one of the many good doctors who are in practice, at the first sign of sickness. Lawyers are often accused of being crooked and they are the butt of many jokes, yet thousands of people hire lawyers each day. But then there’s those faith healers – how is it that a few bad apples can categorically disqualify the whole bunch in the court of public opinion?

The answer to that question probably lies more in the realm of spirit world than in the realm of logic. According to the Bible, disease and sickness are the result of man’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden. Satan talked Adam and Eve into following their own judgment rather than the directions given to them by God. Satan wanted them to live a shallow life rather than enjoy an abundant life centered around their relationship with God. That is still Satan’s modus operandi today. But Jesus came to save and to heal – to undo the damage caused by disobedience. Today He still uses people to spread the good news and offer healing to the general public, just like the twelve disciples did in the first century. It is still Satan’s job to convince mankind not to accept the life God intended for all of us to live.
The reason I know that faith healers are unfairly and inaccurately portrayed is because the greatest healer ever to walk the earth was routinely discredited by the skeptics of his day. John records that “ There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some argued, ‘He’s a good man,’ but others said, ‘He’s nothing but a fraud who deceives the people.’ (John 7:12 NLT)

Keep in mind that this man who was being called a fraud had been traveling throughout the country doing miraculous things before massive crowds. He had turned water into wine, multiplied loaves and fishes, healed the blind, caused the lame to walk, opened deaf ears, restored a withered hand, delivered people from mental illness, and even raised several from the dead. Yet, somehow, his detractors were able to stare at all the evidence and living witnesses and brazenly declare Him to be a fraud – proving that some people just make up their minds that they are not going to believe in the miraculous, no matter who many times it is demonstrated and documented.

Kudos to the men and women of faith who continue in the tradition of Christ and go about praying for the sick and sharing the Gospel with those who will listen. Jesus predicted that such people would be treated unfairly, just as He was. But He also told them that their reward would be great in heaven. Sure, there are times when people pray and God does not seem to answer. Our thinking is so limited that we can’t begin to understand why some prayers seem to get answered and others don’t. But I can assure you that faith still works and thousands of believers are still healed every year. I’ve personally seen people healed on many occasions. Truth be known, there are not as many fraudulent faith healers as you might think, they just get a bad rap -- just like Jesus did.

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