Desperate Measures

This week, I've been reading the Gospel of Mark. In particular one story really struck me as powerful. In the second chapter of Mark, some men bring their friend to where Jesus is healing and speaking with people. Jesus is surrounded, and these men cannot find a way in. So they literally put a hole in the roof above Jesus' head and lower their friend down. Let me just say that again. They punched a hole through a roof to get to Jesus. A roof. With a paralyzed man on a mat that they were also responsible for.

And Jesus, upon meeting them and seeing their faith healed and forgave this man. Just like that. He didn't say, "Get to the back of the line." He didn't chastise them because they didn't wait their turn, or get angry because the paralyzed man had no faith of his own. He said, I forgive you. Pick up your mat and walk (I am paraphrasing here).

For some reason, it totally blows my mind that a person could be so desperate to get to Jesus that they would literally claw their way through a roof to reach Him. And it makes me think that maybe, just maybe, I am being called to do the same. I realize that there isn't an actual roof I need to destroy, but maybe God expects us to be so desperate to reach him, that we would do anything we had to, overcome any obstacle, just to be with him.

Have I mentioned they destroyed a roof?

Have a fantastic week!

Lent: Why Now?

I love television. Recently, I have discovered great shows both classics and new, and I have a Netflix queue that just won't quit. As a result, I spend a vast majority of my free time (and some time I should probably use to write papers) watching television.

As a result, I don't spend a ton of time with God. This is an ongoing problem. It would appear that much like any relationship, you really have to invest the time with God. Lately I've longed to rediscover that relationship, so I thought Lent would be the perfect time to do so. In order to that, I am ditching the TV for the next 40 days. And the Netflix queue. And Hulu. Today is my "Fat TV Tuesday," so to speak.

I actually grew up Catholic, although I never participated in Lent during that time. I know that for a lot of people, Lent means fasting when I comes to food. As weird as it may be, not only has television proved to be a giant distraction that gets in the way, it also is something that has a LOT of value in my life. Jesus himself spent time fasting. My "sacrifice" is a ridiculous comparison, but in the end it will have the result I want: a better, stronger, relationship with God.

I've spent the last several weeks searching for the perfect devotional. I've asked friends, neighbors, strangers, and you, our listener, for advice No matter how many I checked out, it felt as though none were quite right. I need a devotional that will allow me to know God. In a way that makes me feel as though God knows me.

Enter the Bible. And well...God. It took a while, but I think, at least for now, the best way for me to get to know God is to read about Him. While I've definitely read the Bible before, I need to be honest and tell you that despite having been a Christian for just over four years, I have never read the entire Bible. I like to skip around to my favorite parts. In doing so, I have missed some really cool stuff.

So these next several weeks (or 40 days, if you don't count Sundays, or whatever the rules of Lent actually are) are going to kick-start my actual reading of the Bible. I won't be skipping around, although I will be starting with the Gospels. I just can't help it--that Jesus guy is sooo awesome! I did end up finding a short devotional as well, that will help me spend more time actually talking to God too. :)

I've decided to blog the experience. I'm not blogging because I think you actually care to know how I'm doing with the TV thing, but because I think we all struggle with distractions on a daily basis that keep us from spending time with our Father. Hopefully, these next 40 days will inspire you or even help you to spend some more time with God as well.

As always, please feel free to leave any comments or questions! And pray for me, because as silly as it may be, I think I might miss "How I Met Your Mother." :) :)

“Hold fast to the break of daylight. The shadow proves the sunshine.”*

This week, we talked a lot about fear. My five year old son had some recent fears over sleeping at night in his room (in the dark). We got some great advice from many of you, and one of you even asked whether or not is was a new problem and suggested that finding the cause of the fear would make it easier to find a solution (excellent advice, by the way).

As Christians we know that God has told us we don’t need to fear anything. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” We certainly aren’t theologians here at Fuse FM, but this verse (at least for me) reminds us that anything we’re fearing--that enabling, crippling fear that causes us to doubt, question, or worry, does not come from God. That fear is painful. God does not cause the pain.

I once had someone suggest that perhaps I had fear or doubt because I didn’t have a strong faith. I don’t believe that to be true. There is a difference between feeling the fear and indulging in it. Psalms 56:3-4 says, “When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? “ The word that sticks out for me today is when. There is an acknowledgment that those moments are going to happen. Despite our best intentions, we will be afraid. It’s what we choose to do after that’s important. It is then that we need to cling even harder to the One who brings His light.

Speaking of light, we did manage to determine the source of my son’s fear. His room at night is very dark(the result of a burned out bulb), and he can’t see beyond his bed. He is afraid because he doesn’t know what lies beyond his Lightning McQueen pillow. It’s always the simplest solution, right? We only need to shine a little light into the darkness to make him feel safe. One tiny light, and my son can see enough to know that he has nothing to fear.

The light we find in Jesus Christ is much bigger than a night light. It exposes that fear--and destroys it. If you find yourself in a situation that has the fear winning out, I pray that you will pray the words of Psalm 56--- “...In God, whose word I praise, In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?”

Have a fearless weekend,

Colette


* “The Shadow Proves The Sunshine,” Switchfoot