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| On Higher Ground |
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I read through a blog by gone roaming called Mountaintops and Valleys Pt2 and the one thing that didn't strike me as odd was the reference to John 5. I fully believe that people believe that they are being obedient to proclaim "get up and walk" because they think that that is the best possible thing that can happen for that person. The blog points out how simple that thinking really is.
To use an analogy - Jesus said that if we had the faith of a mustard seed we could say to that mountain go and be cast into the sea! - and it would be done. Assuming that is true and I have no reason to doubt scripture, I still have a problem with that verse in that many people would simply try it without thinking of the consequences. If the mountain was moved into the sea, what would that do to the people who's fields were on the mountainside? What would happen to the shipping lanes in the sea? What would be the effect of changing weather patterns because the mountain is no longer there. OK, that last one is a bit of a stretch but you get my idea.
I told my kids as they were growing up, "you don't always have to do what I tell you; but, you always have to live with the consequences." In a few cases, I was shown just how much smarter my five year old was than me. But generally, I needed to be directing and they needed to be listening. We are the same way. We want what we want - and we want it now. But we typically don't think about what that means in sufficient detail. If God wants to bring about a healing, I would think that the person has already been asking for that so its not new. My faith isn't the issue and the person's faith isn't going to be changed because its me who's praying with them.
It isn't about John 5 but John 9. Jesus healed the blind man. He was blind not because of any sin but that his healing might be for the glory of God. Any healing should be on that basis. And so, getting back to Jesus question in John 5, "which is greater? to say your sins are forgiven or to say get up and walk?" - clearly it is the one that brings glory to God. Any spiritual healing, blessing to those affected or salvation acceptance is by far superior to any physical effects. God is primarily concerned with our souls.
Paul asked that his "thorn" be removed - but it was not. There are times when the answer is "no" - not because God doesn't care but because it isn't what is needed the most. To belittle a person by proclaiming their faith to be too small is ignorant and childish. Paul tells us that miracles are for the unsaved primarily as a show of wonder. The show of wonder He does in us is the change in who we become. And that is far greater and more important.
Valleys and mountaintops are a part of life. We walk those paths alone and in groups. Often a simple word is enough to lift us up and set our feet on higher ground. We are spiritual beings and that is our greatest healing.
I put these words to Steve's blog but it seems that I should not just let them sit there but make them stand on their own. To get the full effect go to his blog and read what he has to say about Mountaintops and Valleys. I found it to be quite enlightening. I think you will too. |
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Cheryl |
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March 14, 2008 at 5:41pm |
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| thanks and Steve's blog is awesome. |
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Dana |
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March 14, 2008 at 6:30pm |
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I haven't read the other blog yet, but will throw in a few thoughts of my own that I've been pondering lately.
In Daniel we are told that Rack, Shak and Benny went THROUGH the fire.
Some escape the fire
Some walk through the fire
Some die by the fire and are delivered into the hands of the Father.
Regardless of which one you go through...the Father is with you.
What we ask for must line up with the plan of the Father. We can not manipulate God. Saying that, I do believe that there are time he gives in...and then there are consequences.
My question would be...Do we want to bypass the wilderness and miss something deeper that God wants to teach us? |
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Gene |
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March 14, 2008 at 6:39pm |
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Thanks, Cheryl.
Dana, excellent point! What are we missing? And what does it do to our character. I'm reminded of the question about preferring to be an egg, a carrot or a coffee bean. It matters in the environment we are placed. We need to learn those lessons so we know what we should be. |
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Dana |
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March 14, 2008 at 6:47pm |
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It would be easy to move a mountain, but the mountain is the high place. Sometimes the tough places...like climbing a mountain are where we meet with God. Just because it's a hard place to be in doesn't mean we should move it for out own comfort.
OK, just another random thought. |
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Gene |
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March 14, 2008 at 6:51pm |
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| Ah, but a great one. . . |
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| Gene, great thoughts and I totally agree. I think that our lives are to bring glory to God, and healing is to do the same. |
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Kathy |
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March 14, 2008 at 7:59pm |
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| Great blog, Gene! |
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| Gene, can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading this! You have a real head on your shoulders! |
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Gene |
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March 14, 2008 at 8:18pm |
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PT, thanks for your support.
Aw shucks, Kathy. Thanks.
Mike, I really appreciate that; especially after hearing where it is that a lot of folks tell me my head has been.
lol |
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I agree with everything that has been said.
As far as "mountains" go in our lives, I think Jesus used a physical mountain as an illustration to the real moutains people face in life. The one they think they can't get over, the one they think cannot be conquered. But with a little effort, a little determination (faith as small as a mustard seed) you can say to that mountain - MOVE! And I know at least two people that wake up every day still moving and still breathing, but yesterday felt as if the life was being sucked right out of them! The mountains they face is getting up every day, because every day something is telling them to stay down both physically, spiritually and emotionally. I choose "spiritually" to get up, because believe me Gene - everything is telling me to stay down, and sometimes its neck-and-neck because I have to give myself a jump-start because me battery is flat. |
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Lastly. And may be people won't understand this when I write it. If I had the choice between physical healing or emotional healing, I know which one I'd choose. God hones in on the thing that matters the most, because He knows which one is more important.
I'd love to be physically healed, but as the apostle Paul wrote about having a thorn in his side, God didn't remove it. Its like God saying "its an irritant, but you can live with it."
I have an "irritant" but I can live with it (and you know what that is Gene). Its floored me, its ground me, its buffeted me, its harassed me and its caused me a lot of pain in the past, and in some instances - still does, but I'm still here.
I know people that have nothing wrong with them but act as if everything is wrong with them, and I know of people where everything is wrong with them but act as if nothing is wrong with them. Emotional healing is the trigger-point in which determines which way a person thinks, feels and behaves. Paraphrasing something in the bible it says: as a man thinks in his heart, so does he become.
Physical pain and emotional pain - although working together hand-in-hand, emotional pain is the bigger obstacle. Its the mountaintop verse the valley. Some people look at people and class them as disabled. I look at people as them with a disability (and there's a BIG difference). Anyone classes me in the first, I'll show them what I can do in no uncertain terms. Anyway, nuff said. Good blog Gene. |
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Gene |
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March 15, 2008 at 12:19pm |
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Thanks, Dave.
"I know people that have nothing wrong with them but act as if everything is wrong with them, and I know of people where everything is wrong with them but act as if nothing is wrong with them."
That is so true, Steve. I'm reminded of the story of Sisyphus who had to push a boulder up a hill every day. As soon as he got to the top he'd wind up again at the bottom. Sisyphus' reason for his plight was that he stole fire from the gods and gave it to man. It is a visual analogy to humankind's fall from Grace but directly includes the mountain. I imagine each day you having to get up and push that virtual boulder up the hill due to humankind's fall. I pray that your burden is lightened, brother.
Oh, and my blog is only as good as its inspiration; your blog, my friend. |
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Deb |
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March 16, 2008 at 11:03am |
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| Sometimes when we are in the midst of a trial, all we can do is cry out to God for help...and when He doesn't help us in the way we think that we should, we lose faith, perhaps get angry at God, or stop praying. I doubt there is anyone who hasn't experienced this. I know that as I grow and travel through my faith, it grows stronger with each new trial. I can now look back over my life and see that God did answer prayers, He was always there, even though at the time it seemed like He wasn't listening and didn't care. I know in the trials I have come through, He got me through them in His time, not mine. And I know that any trials I face now or in the future will be the same. I just have to remember the times past to help me get through the current trials. |
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Gene |
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March 17, 2008 at 7:23am |
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Deb, you are so right. Thanks for sharing a bit of your life here. Yes, God answers prayers.
And on a lighter side, given that today is St Patrick's Day, an Irish story:
Paddy was driving down the street in a sweat because he had an important meeting and couldn't find a parking place. Looking up to heaven he said, "Lord take pity on me. If you find me a parking place I will go to Mass every Sunday for the rest of me life and give up me Irish Whiskey!"
Miraculously, a parking place appeared.
Paddy looked up again and said, "Never mind, I found one."
Isn't that how we treat God's answers sometimes?
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Ed |
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March 17, 2008 at 7:25am |
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A lot of thoughful comments here, I don't know if what I say is more or less enlightening, but it gives me an opportunity to ask: Why is it that when people are on the mountaintop and everything in their lives is good, they are proud to tell others about this amazing God of theirs. Then when they are in the valley (depressed, oppressed or repressed), they can't get out of their own hole?
Here's another question: If God is a good God, then why are there valleys at all? Why are God's disciples always seem to be suffering. For other words, why do bad things happen to good people?
Who were the early "Christian" sects (and they exist today) that answers the above questions by saying that God created the heavens and the earth and then He left it to its own devices?
Faith, discipline, obedience, study, meditation, listening, prayer...all of these are essentials to learning and growing in Christ. Will it be enough to overcome when the opportunity rears its ugly head? Jesus said that He has come into the world so that we may overcome. Do we? Will we when we need to? How can we lead people to Christ, if we can't explain these tough questions they have?
I'm just playing devil's advocate here. |
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Gene |
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March 17, 2008 at 7:40am |
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Ed,
I'll offer a simple answer to those questions and I hope you'll chime in with your thoughts.
If all we had were mountaintops and no valleys, it would be a plateau instead. And if that were the case, how'd we know what a mountaintop was or that there is a valley. Because God has allowed us a choice in our lives there must be choices other than a walk on the plateau. The nature of the valley is that we are there and the walls are so steep that we don't think we can move up the sides. I think I recall an ancient King of the Israelites writing something about this. . . Psalm 23 comes to mind as one.
Oh, the simple answer: If everything was yellow, how'd we ever know what blue was? We need to know what is not right in order to be able to judge what is right.
I pray that we will have the strength to overcome when things come against us. I'm glad that there are more people out there than me to help when those times come.
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Can I chime in with my thoughts?
I agree with your comment to Ed. Or put it another way, if it wasn't for the valleys - we wouldn't appreciate the mountaintops. Thank God I don't live on a plateau cos it'd be pretty boring. Same this year as it was last year - and the year before that, AND the year before that. Reminds me of church and the Orangutans of church life that can drive you into a spiritual coma in ten seconds flat! "Sing to the Lord a new song" cos the old one's got a crack in it! Oh sorry, just chiming out loud. |
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| amen to the valleys, it is nice to come down to a shaded valley and rest, before the climb up the next mountain side, with all of its pitfalls, rock slides and vertical cliffs that must be climbed. The valleys are at times bogs, and full of alligators, but at least your hands and feet get a rest from all of the scratches and bruises from having to hang on for dear life. But that mountain top is just SO wonderful, but the air is thin, and the weather is unpredictable, the Son shines right on to you. so as nice as it is on the top, our creator knows we need a break. |
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Gene |
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March 17, 2008 at 11:27am |
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Steve,
You can chime in any time! Well said.
Gary,
I just hope you stay clear of those aligators! |
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| lol, The Lord gave my very fast spiritual tennis shoes..... |
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Gene |
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March 17, 2008 at 12:43pm |
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| Marcella, you have had more than your share of valley travels lately. I pray that you are "restored" to your prior helath and spiritual energy. We're parying for you to be lifted up and have you feet placed on higher ground. |
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Gene |
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March 17, 2008 at 7:08pm |
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Gene, I understand the problem you have with that verse. I have the same problem. It's part of the sound-bite theology that too many latch onto. And some of those sound-bites result in us viewing God as our butler instead of our Creator who has an intense desire to have a meaningful relationship with us.
The stronger both sides of that relationship are, the stronger the faith will be, and so the stronger our prayers become.
It's not faith from an academic understanding that really matters; it's faith rooted in a relationship.
And the stronger the faith, the more we desire to follow Him (ie: do as we feel called). It is from the desire the faithful have to follow God that the smallest of faith can lead to unimaginable events through prayer.
The Other Gene |
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Gene |
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March 17, 2008 at 7:14pm |
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Gene,
You are so right. You cannot decide what to do until you know what your master wants and needs. And you cannot figure that out unless you spend time with Him and get to know Him.
The other, other Gene |
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Joey |
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March 17, 2008 at 8:22pm |
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Amen to your last comment Gene!
You cannot decide what to do until you know what your master wants and needs. And you cannot figure that out unless you spend time with Him and get to know Him.
And it is after you know Him and He has your heart... that you are on higher ground and there is no other place you want to go except higher and higher! |
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Gene |
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March 17, 2008 at 8:35pm |
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Joey, you are such a wise hound!
(I still love the hat, girl!) |
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Ed |
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March 18, 2008 at 8:32am |
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Wow! All great and stimulating comments! Let me offer one other anecdote. I was traveling on the L.I.E. (world's longest parking lot--from NYC to L.I.) several years ago and my friend and I were having a conversation about why God allows bad things to happen. He asked, is it a test? My response was something like this:
Cliff, I'm no expert...maybe you're right. But I would rather think that if the world was always a rosy place to be, what would be our level of faith if it was the only choice? Surely everyone would jump on that band wagon without even thinking. God wants faithful people, and who can be faithful if there is no choice?
When things turn bad, where do you turn? When there's a choice between the world and God, which would you choose? When there is a reliance on a system, or faith in the Lord, which is best? I could be wrong, but it makes sense to me. |
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Gene |
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March 18, 2008 at 10:17am |
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| It makes sense to me too, Ed. |
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Gene |
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March 19, 2008 at 1:26pm |
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Steve, that's exactly right. I know people who are of the name-it claim-it mentality that all you need to do is "ask and it will be given." While God promises to answer our prayer, that sort of thinking reduces God to a vending machine. I strongly suspect that "His ways are above my ways" and that I don't always get what I want because it may not be in my best interest or there may be another reason for which I am not aware. If we're acting like greedy little self-absorbed children, what makes people think that God is obligated to provide hand-outs?
Even when the disciples could not drive out the demons and they went to Jesus for help, He didn't tell them their faith was too small. He told them that "this type only comes out with prayer and fasting." There was more needed - but not a lack of faith or belief. The way its done today it questions our faith - not in intensity but in substance itself. As if, because what you ask for hasn't happened, you must not be a "real" Christian. |
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