July 2007 - Posts
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The earth is full of
his glory.Isaiah 6:3
While working in southern Sudan, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the
desperate needs of the people and the starkness of the surrounding desert
environment. I was seeing the stark barren landscape and not seeing the glory of
God which was all around. But God opened my eyes - I saw the beauty in the
sunrises and sunsets. I gazed at His beautiful birds and wonderfully strange
insects. I stood in awe as I looked at the expanse of the stars during the
nights and pondered the words of the hymn, "How Great Thou Art". One night as we
ran the generator to provide lights for our compound, thousands of fireflies
came in and we literally had a wall of living, flashing lights. What an awesome
display! Then I pondered over Paul's words in Romans 1:20, "For since the
creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being
understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so
that they are without excuse," Lord, your creation does display your glory and
the truth that there had to be a creator for all of this. There is no way this
could have happened randomly. Those who believe in the primordial soup are
believing in a fairytale that requires more blind faith to believe, than to
believe in you, our creator.
Mike McMahon
"Nature is the art of God." - Dante
Prayer Power
Lord, open my eyes, remove the scales from my eyes and let me see your glory
all around me. Lord, please do not let me take for granted the many miraculous
displays of your glory. Do not let these miracles become ordinary to me. In
Christ's name, amen.
That same day, Jesus went out of the house and sat by the
lake, such large crowds gathered around him, that he got into a boat and sat in
it while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in
parables.Matthew 13:1-3
We learn many of God's deep truths through stories or parables. For me, God
has used two primary methods to help teach me the deep truths of his word. I
love studying God's word, taking classes, listening to lectures and all of this
has helped me to increase my understanding of his word. But the great truths
that have pierced me to the core of my soul, I have learned through stories or
parables both in the Bible and through contemporary stories that God has put in
my path. The other times of great learning have come through times of suffering
or adversity. The brain is able to process information much faster and remembers
much more vividly when it has a picture or image to work with. We all have those
images permanently seared on our memory of past experiences, stories and events
that are as fresh now in our memory as they were the day that they happened. We
think in images, not in words and Jesus of course knew that. I think that is one
of the reasons why he used parables to teach his points and not extensive
theological lectures. Somehow the truth revealed through stories, adversities or
suffering penetrate through our superficial intellectual mind and bore straight
through into our soul.
Mike McMahon
"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls. The most
massive characters are seared with scars." - E. H. Chapman
Prayer Power
Lord Jesus, thank your for your stories that help me know you more deeply and
clearly. In Christ's name, Amen.
Jesus, reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am
willing, he said, be clean." Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.Matthew 8:3
In Africa, I have often had the opportunity to work with patients with
leprosy. They are pretty much ostracized by culture now, just as they were in
biblical times. I often get to see other patients with "untouchable" conditions
- chronic ulcers and various other visible ailments which make them pariahs or
outcasts of society. Jesus frequently touched the untouchables in his society -
the lepers, the prostitutes, the tax collectors. As I have reached out and
physically touched these patient's, you can see the relief and amazement in
their eyes as someone shows compassion and love to them by physically touching
them. We live in a very high tech society and underestimate the power of a
simple touch or hug. There have been many times back home that I have been at
the bedside of patients who were dying or at other times of crisis. I did not
have any great words of wisdom but I could sit and hold a hand or give a hug or
cry with them. We need to realize that the simplest act of compassion is
frequently that of just being with somebody and providing touch. Jesus did and
so should we.
Mike McMahon
"I see Jesus in every human being. I say to myself this is hungry
Jesus, I must feed him. This is sick Jesus, this one has leprosy or gangrene, I
must wash him and tend to him. I serve because I love Jesus." - Mother
Teresa
Prayer Power
Lord Jesus, help us to remember that you frequently reach and touch those who
are considered untouchable. Help me to reach out and touch those who are the
untouchables in my society and share with them the love of Christ In Christ's
name, amen.