Healing

Una Canción Nueva: Mark 10:46-52

/ Robert D / Leave a comment

46Jesus and his followers came into Jericho. As Jesus was leaving Jericho, together with his disciples and a sizable crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, Timaeus’ son, was sitting beside the road. 47When he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was there, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, show me mercy!”48Many scolded him, telling him to be quiet, but he shouted even louder, “Son of David, show me mercy!” 49Jesus stopped and said, “Call him forward.” They called the blind man, “Be encouraged! Get up! He’s calling you.” 50Throwing his coat to the side, he jumped up and came to Jesus. 51Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said, “Teacher, I want to see.” 52Jesus said, “Go, your faith has healed you.” At once he was able to see, and he began to follow Jesus on the way.

Mark 10:46-52, Common English Bible

In October we remember Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I am reading and reflecting on both my experiences and the thoughts of others about domestic violence during this month. This action is important to me as a survivor of domestic violence.

The above scripture is from the Revised Common Lectionary for next Sunday. In this passage, Bartimaeus was asking Jesus for help. Bartimaeus was a blind beggar who needed Jesus’ help. Bartimaeus focused on Jesus because he could help him when no one else could. Jesus had power and Jesus wanted to help him.

Jesus wanted to help and believed in Bartimaeus when others wanted to silence him. Bartimaeus was irritating and frustrating to many people who came to see Jesus. Jesus loved Bartimaeus and healed him with compassion.

In this life, it’s easy to believe that the church and Jesus are the same thing. Not true! Jesus is better than the church. The church wants us to imitate Jesus Christ because we are not perfect. When we assume that Jesus doesn’t love us or care about us, we may be assuming too much.

Jesus loves you and wants to help you when this life hurts you. Jesus didn’t speak directly about domestic violence, but He loved Bartimaeus and many others who were unloved by people who judged them. You can ask Jesus for help and understand that Jesus doesn’t judge you when you ask for help.

46Después llegaron a Jericó. Más tarde, salió Jesús de la ciudad acompañado de sus discípulos y de una gran multitud. Un mendigo ciego llamado Bartimeo (el hijo de Timeo) estaba sentado junto al camino. 47Al oír que el que venía era Jesús de Nazaret, se puso a gritar: —¡Jesús, Hijo de David, ten compasión de mí! 48Muchos lo reprendían para que se callara, pero él se puso a gritar aun más: —¡Hijo de David, ten compasión de mí! 49Jesús se detuvo y dijo: —Llámenlo. Así que llamaron al ciego. —¡Ánimo! —le dijeron—. ¡Levántate! Te llama. 50Él, arrojando la capa, dio un salto y se acercó a Jesús. 51—¿Qué quieres que haga por ti? —le preguntó. —Rabí, quiero ver —respondió el ciego. 52—Puedes irte —le dijo Jesús—; tu fe te ha sanado. Al momento recobró la vista y empezó a seguir a Jesús por el camino.

Marcos 10:46-52, Nueva Versión Internacional

En Octubre recordamos el mes de concientización sobre la violencia doméstica. Estoy leyendo y reflexionando sobre ambas mis experiencias y los pensamientos de otra sobre violencia doméstica durante este mes. Esta acción es importante para mi como un sobreviviente de violencia doméstica.

La escritura de arriba es del Leccionario Común Revisado para el próximo domingo. En este pasaje, Bartimeo le pedía ayuda a Jesús. Bartimeo era un mendigo ciego que necesitaba la ayuda de Jesús. Bartimeo se centró en Jesús porque podía ayudarlo cuando nadie más podía hacerlo. Jesús tenía poder y Jesús quería ayudarlo.

Jesús quiso ayudar y creyó en Bartimeo cuando otros querían silenciarlo. Bartimeo era irritante y frustrante para muchas personas que venían a ver a Jesús. Jesús amaba a Bartimeo y lo sanó con compasión.

En esta vida es fácil creer que la iglesia y Jesús son lo mismo. ¡No es verdad! Jesús es mejor que la iglesia. La iglesia quiere que imitemos a Jesucristo porque no somos perfectos. Cuando asumimos que Jesús no nos ama o que no se preocupa por nosotros, es posible que asumimos demasiado.

Jesús te ama y quiere ayudarte cuando esta vida te duele. Jesús no habló directamente sobre la violencia doméstica, pero amaba a Bartimeo y a muchos otros que no eran amados por personas que los juzgaban. Puedes pedirle ayuda a Jesús y entender que Jesús no te juzga cuando pides ayuda.

Una Canción Nueva: Wedding Day

/ Robert D / Leave a comment

In October we remember Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I am reading and reflecting on both my experiences and the thoughts of others about domestic violence during this month. This action is important to me as a survivor of domestic violence.

Today is not a day for bad things in my life. Today I start a new song with a new wife. I understand her life is a consensual gift from the Lord. My life is the same gift for her. I may already understand what Job feels when the story in the Bible is complete except my life continues.

I don’t want this blog entry to hurt people who see no hope for a new song. Sometimes this life is unfair and I wish all people to heal in their hearts and souls. Healing is possible.

Dear Lord, You are my God and my Savior. I love it when I see your love. Bless my marriage and all the people who long for the same blessing. All honor, power, and glory be Yours, our God who loves people with broken hearts. Amen

En Octubre recordamos el mes de concientización sobre la violencia doméstica. Estoy leyendo y reflexionando sobre ambas mis experiencias y los pensamientos de otra sobre violencia doméstica durante este mes. Esta acción es importante para mi como un sobreviviente de violencia doméstica.

Hoy no es un dia para malas cosas en mi vida. Hoy empiezo a cantar una nueva canción con una esposa nueva. Le comprendo la vida de ella es un regalo consensuado del Señor. Mi vida es el mismo regalo para ella. Es posible ya entiendo que sentir de Job cuando el cuento en la biblia es completo excepto mi vida continúa.

No quiero esta entrada de mi blog a dolor de las personas que no ven esperanza para una nueva canción. A veces esta vida es injusta y deseo a todas las personas sanar en el corazón y en el alma. Es posible sanar.

Querio Señor, tú eres mi Dios y mi Salvador. Me encanta cuando veo tu amor. Bendice mi matrimonio y a todas las personas que anhelan la misma bendicióon. Todo el hono, el poder, y la gloria sean tuyos, nuestro Dios que amas las personas que tienen corazones rotos. Amén.

Peaceful night

/ Robert D / Leave a comment 
The wind shifts the leaves
The moon dimly glows this night
as peace covers all

No rude words out there
No deeds to fear in this home
Peace swaddles with hope

October has been Domestic Violence Awareness month since it was first introduced by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence in 1981. Regardless of the month, domestic violence is never okay, no matter the circumstances. If you or someone you know is in desperate need of help, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233 or TTY 1−800−787−3224.

Under the Weather

/ Robert D / Leave a comment

I received my booster shot yesterday. I’m trying my best to take it easy after feeling unwell while walking my dog last night. Today my arm aches and I feel more tired than usual.

When I was married I saw our vows as promising that I would care for her when she was unwell and she would care for me when I was unwell. I was naïve to think that we both understood that commitment to each other when we were twenty five.

Today I’m alone. My attorney called to give me an update about working towards finalizing my divorce yesterday. I’m grieving that loss today while remembering how it felt to believe I could rely on someone.

Nobody is here to help me feel better today, but nobody is here tearing me down either.

If I were to give someone advice in similar circumstances i would relay to them the truth that there are lonely days when seeking peace and safety. It is possible to get through them and even to thrive because of them. I would tell them to have patience with the process.

October has been Domestic Violence Awareness month since it was first introduced by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence in 1981. Regardless of the month, domestic violence is never okay, no matter the circumstances. If you or someone you know is in desperate need of help, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233 or TTY 1−800−787−3224.

The “Jesus problem” is noticed…

/ Robert D / Leave a comment

As a church we’re working through a devotional that I personally prepared called “The Path of the Beatitudes: A Lenten Journey.” The devotional is available off Amazon as both a Kindle book and in large print on paper.

Today we are looking at Luke 6:6-11, which contains the story of Jesus healing a person with a withered hand. The story is an interesting one and certainly lends into the story of Lent. The last verse of our reading indicates that the religious scholars and Pharisees left the synagogue on that day looking for ways to do something about their “Jesus problem.”

The Lenten journey is one which ends in the events of Holy Week. There is no Lent where Jesus ends the season without suffering on the behalf of the people God loves. The desire of individuals to take care of this Jesus problem increases as the season progresses.

What’s interesting to me about this approach to Lent with the Beatitudes is that we see how a portion of Jesus’ teaching affects both Jesus’ life and potential the lives of the people who hear his teachings. Jesus offers healing to a person with a withered hand and the people walk away with sinister thoughts in their hearts.

I wonder how the person felt whose hand was healed upon that day. If it were me, I am doubtful I would have walked away grumbling about what Jesus had done. I would likely celebrate the unexpected blessing that came into my life.

This Lent, God may have something for us. God may give a blessing into our lives which we may not be expecting. God may give a blessing to us that we do not believe we deserve. God may bring a piece of radical healing into our lives, especially if we find ourselves struggling to find our place in this world.

I pray that God is with us all tonight and into tomorrow as we prepare to enter into worship. May God add blessing to our lives and may we celebrate it together in worship tomorrow.

Let us be Grateful: “God’s Unconditional Love”

/ Robert D / Leave a comment

Today I finished the first book of four that I need to read before the first session of the Academy for Spiritual Formation. I am grateful that I have finished reading the book as it was a very deep book. At times it felt as if the book was so densely packed that I would collapse under the weight of the ideas.

I was reading through “God’s Unconditional Love: Healing Our Shame.” Authors Wilkie Au and Noreen Cannon Au presented a book which looked at shame from a lot of different directions. They wrote at length about the internal and external sources of shame. They provided exercises to enter deeply the ideas they were sharing and provided examples of what some of those exercises might look like when put into practices.

This book was a great book. I am grateful that I had a chance to read through the book and am equally pleased that one of the author’s will be one of my instructors at the upcoming session of the Academy. I look forward to going into the concepts explored in the book with the author.

I would invite you to pick up a good book if you have not taken the time to read something that challenged you to go deeper into your passion in a while. A lot of people I know find a million and one excuses to not read including the bane of free time known as the internet. I invite you to slow down and find a good book. I invite you to try this book out for size. If you aren’t into that subject, I will tell you the next book on my hitlist is “Abide: Keeping Vigil with the Word of God” by Macrina Wiederkehr.