As I sit here watching the snow storm out my window in March during the season of Lent I am reminded of the beauty Christmas brings to our lives. Some people would talk about the Christmas lights and the glamorous decorations around a home. What I am remembering is the beauty that once again we are reminded of the birth of Jesus. A gift that will never lose its value.
I am also remembering all the images I experienced: the presents and expressions on people faces, the decorations, the endless commercials about sales and we can’t forget the all important lawn inflatables. But the one image that always seems to grab me the most is the creche. Why? Because for me it allows me to once again to be engaged with the story of Jesus. His story has become so important for me and my life. Maybe it is for you as well. This is my hope for you and all who might read my blog.
My faith journey certainly has been a rollercoaster ride. In my early years it seemed like there was no end to the descent. But there finally came a transition, more like a transformation, that moved the coaster into an accent. That climb still has small decents but with much longer accents. For the longest time the roller coaster was more a recognition of God. I knew of God and for the most part I believed in God. But I was not really engaged with Him. Not until someone challenged my awareness of that baby Jesus.
We all have a story, right?! I bet you could sit down right now and write page after page about your life. Where you were born, where you grew up, different types of relationships and many other circumstances that have defined who you are. Jesus has a life story as well. Within his story you can gain a deeper awareness of Him and also of who you are. By understanding his life I have come to understand my own life story. His story talks about all the joys and challenges I have encountered in my life. His life story has helped me through the challenges and appreciate the joys. One of the things that I appreciate about Jesus and his life is that he desires to be part of my life. Gosh, sometimes I just need that in my life.
Jesus in many ways ‘enters’ into people’s lives. Most of the time when he does enter it has a transformative affect. I will be sharing in my blog posts many of his encounters with people that I see a relationship to my own encounters in life. I think I will start with one of my favorite, the blind man Bartimaeus. There are many reasons I can relate to this story but I will share just a few. First and foremost I can relate to the blindness. Though I have never been physically blind I have been blind in many areas of my life but emotionally and spirituality. Have you ever know someone who has had a physical challenge or limitation and they struggled with acknowledging it? You see their temperment and presence is effected by this unwillingness to accept. This is how I can relate to blindness; the unwillingness to see the challenges in my life. I was that way for a very long time with addiction. Twenty four years ago alcohol and drugs was my biggest blindness, accompanied with loneliness, fear, insecurity and many other character flaws. But I was blind.
Then one day, in the turmoil of my pain, someone reached out to me and offered their help. Looking back on the moment in my life it was like Jesus saying to me, “What do you want me to do for you?” The question that Jesus asked Bartimaeus. Look it up Gospel of Mark 10:51. As much as I didn’t want to admit it I did need help in fact I really did desire to be different but I didn’t know how or where to begin. I believe we all desire but may not know how to fulfill the truth of the desire. Even in my pain I searched but I was pursing I false truth. Isn’t it true that there are so many ‘false truths’ people seek only to find emptiness. So you might be wondering what happened to Bartimaeus? Well of course he told Jesus he wanted to receive his sight. Is that what you are seeking, sight? Are you seeking to understand some blindness in your life but having a hard time? “Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your faith has made you well.’ And immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.”
I can imagine what you are thinking. Well first I don’t think I have the kind of faith that the blind man had. Well if you read the scripture passage you will see that there wasn’t any qualification to the ‘type’ of faith needed for Jesus to restore his sight. For all we know the faith that the blind man had was smaller than what you have. Jesus’ restoration of my life is determined by my desire to be encountered by him, just like the blind man. The blind man cried out using a title that he could have learned from another person. The restoration I have experienced in my life has been an ongoing journey on ‘the way’ with Jesus just like the blind man. Over this journey my faith has strengthened because of all the other encounters I have had with Jesus. These I will continue to share with you so you can be on the journey with Jesus as well.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.