The St. Mary type of praying

And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. - John 2:2-5 (KJV)

On the way home from work, today, I was experiencing comfort from Jesus and the incident of Jesus turning water into wine came back to mind.

I was thinking, again, why Jesus' mother, during a wedding where Jesus was only a guest, would tell Jesus about the wedding's lack of wine. I am not convinced she knew what Jesus would do, or even what she wanted him to do.

It seems her first response for any perceived need was to just tell Jesus; not tell him what to do about it, but just tell him. This could have been because Jesus, as the firstborn son and with Joseph gone, was the man of the house. It could, also have been a gentle nudge for him to begin his ministry, she certainly knew who he was destined to be and do.

But an additional thought struck me, today. It is comforting just to tell Jesus about the things we see and the need. Jesus was, after all, her savior too. This may be where our female equals in Christ (1st Peter 3:7 Message Bible) have some natural insight. It is sometimes comforting not to press for a solution but just to express the heart and mind. It is comforting to realize something Mary discovered about her son, our savior, and that is it is enough to tell him a problem without trying to figure out what he should do about it.

I have some issues that I don't know what to do with, I don't know what I want Jesus to do about it because the results, any way it goes, are far more reaching than I realize and I want what is best for all concerned.

That's when I offer up a St. Mary type prayer: "Jesus, this has happened", and leave it at that knowing Jesus is the same today as he was then - perhaps a little reluctant, but full of compassion, love and wisdom.

- Fritz.

Faith Killer #2

How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? - John 5:44-47 (KJV)

I've been to school, I've been in the "higher education" classroom studying the Pentateuch and Wellhousen, the "Synoptic Gospels" and Tillich, and higher textual criticism all pushing the students NOT to believe Moses wrote what he did and NOT to believe what was written, either. I could regurgitate it like any other student.

To them there was no Adam and Eve. To them there was no crossing the Red Sea, no serpent image on a pole bringing healing to those bitten, no water from the rock, no cloud by day and no fire by night - all stories and myths to have their layers peeled back like an onion until the truth could be discovered. And after the peeling, where is the onion, how much should be peeled?

They do the same with the stories of Jesus, trying to determine who really wrote the gospels and letters, and what really happend with the feeding of the 5,000, the raising from the dead, the virgin birth - continually doing more and more peeling.

Jesus said from the start, "If you don't believe Moses, you won't believe me".

There are a lot of books documenting the evidence for biblical authenticity - the issue is NOT one of evidence, but of desire.

As Samuel Clements (Mark Twain) said, "It is not the parts of the Bible I don't understand that bother me, it is the parts I do understand"

- Fritz.

Just a nudge

And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. - John 2:2-5 (KJV)

My attention was caught this morning in a seminarian's sermon. He moved on in his message, but I did not; he made other good points, but I was struck with the kind of mothering Mary did and the kind of sonship Jesus had with her.

How often do mothers (and fathers) not only let their children know what needs to be done, but tell them how to do it, and keep reminding them until its finished. How often as parents do we try to talk (argue?) our children into doing something; not Mary.

She had always known Jesus' calling and I think she noticed the change in Jesus after his baptism. Like most mothers, I think she had a sense it was time for Jesus to act. She gently nudged him, nothing more, not even asking Jesus to do anything. She only said four (4) little words, "They have no wine"; only a nudge. Even with his initial resistance she did not argue, nor retract.

And Jesus? He had such love and respect for his mother nothing more than a nudge was needed. Though reluctant, he acted. I think Mary knew this about him; that's why she told the servants to do what he would tell them.

How often I have told my wife, and others, "If you want me to do something then ask me!" But that was not Jesus' way, nor should it be mine. I should not have to be formally asked, the act of making the need known IS the asking.

Today, in that small part of the message, I heard God tell me I need to be more like Mary and more like Jesus at the same time - like Mary in only giving nudges to my love ones, letting them respond in their own way, and like Jesus I should respond to the needs of my wife, family, and friends without having to be formerly asked.

Jesus, help me be better at both of these.

- Fritz.

Not all the dead are in the graves.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. - John 5:25-29 (KJV)

Jesus introduced metaphors into middle eastern faith. To the woman at the well (another of the "hour is coming and now is" scriptures) he talks about "Living" water - meaning a refreshment to the Soul, like water to the body, and indicated he is the one who gives it.

Here, in this scripture, Jesus tells the Jews there is a judgment coming for those who are in the graves (physically dead), when all shall be physically raised and actually stand before God, Almighty,and receive the results of what they did in life. This held no controversy for them, all but the Sadducees already believed in the physical resurrection of the body and judgment for actions; they had read the prophet Daniel (Daniel 12:l-3) and the Psalms.

What he told them they did not know was that 1) It would be the voice of the Son of God that would awaken them; 2) There is a different kind of death - an unresponsiveness to God's and His ways, like the unresponsiveness of the physically dead to their own surroundings! (Not all the dead are in the graves, yet); and 3) It was his voice that, if they would only listen, could raise them, now, to a wonderful, glorious life!

- Fritz

Want to be made whole?

In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk...waiting for the moving of the water - John 5:3 (KJV)

When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? - John 5:6 (KJV)

Jesus asks us, too, "Do you want to be made whole, or are you satisfied with just playing church?"

Enough of this waiting around until something happens; let's cut to the chase, let Jesus make our legs work, and let's start walking.

-Fritz

Set your sights higher

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. - John 4:14-15 (KJV)

The famous "woman at the well" incident reveals a problem we have in common with her! We keep our focus based on the tasks we have to do, not the gifts he offers.

Jesus tells her of a different kind of water to satisfy a different kind of thirst. He says his "Living" water will satisfy her real thirst and is received for the asking! She can't stop thinking in terms of doing and asks so she doesn't have to come to that well any more. A totally different focus.

It is like the Norman Rockwell painting, "Lift Up Thine Eyes". The Church is proclaiming the Gospel and saying, "Look up!", but all the people are walking right by looking down.

We, like the people in that painting, are looking down at our next step instead of looking up to the one who makes all steps meaningful.

Jesus, in all my journey let me never be so focused on the path details and absorbed in other mundane thoughts that I loose sight of the Glory of You and the wonders of the trip!

-Fritz

"Lets Make A Deal" Faith

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. - John 3:18 (KJV)

There was a TV program called, "Lets Make A Deal", where contestants were shown numbered doors and told to pick one. Behind one door would be a great prize, behind another a donkey or some silly thing. Of course, the contestant had neither before the choice and would often hesitate, afraid of picking the wrong door.

Many, look at faith that way. They think they have choices, as in more than one. Choosing to believe in Christ would bring one result and choosing not to believe in Christ would bring another, and they wait, thinking that hesitation insulates them from bad (or unpleasant) consequences - Not so!

Jesus' admonition in John 3:18, is that there is really only one choice because not believing leaves one in the current condemned and fallen state, and that "condemnation" is a life lived in "Darkness" which just never ends.

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.. - John 3:19-20 (KJV)

Being in the dark is a lonely place, even in the midst of a crowd; it puts one in proximity of a lot of unsavory creatures, who also live in the dark; and it places one under the "authority" of darkness (Colossians 1:13).