I know this is no new revelation or anything. But I, for the first time, began to read the Gospels from start to finish. It strikes me as odd that I've never done that before- maybe that makes me a poor Christian, I don't know, but when it comes to reading the Bible I either attack the Psalms or the Paulian letters. You see, when I sit down to read the Bible it is usually because I am sad and melancholy and I looking for some divine comfort. Psalms and Paul are chocked full of comfort and hope, thus I peruse their pages often.
Well, as I was sitting looking out at the Sawtooth mountains last week, I was indeed melancholy and quite blue so I dove into a Study Bible I found up in the councilor's lounge from the camp at which I was staying. For some reason, rather than going for the Psalms, and after going over Romans 8 (I always start w/ Romans 8), I started with the begats of Matthew. The genealogy alone is breathtaking and worthy of at least 10 blog posts, but what moved me that day in God's splendor was a question of Jesus found in Matthew 9.
Jesus was healing and changing lives left and right when 2 blind guys called out to Him and asked for healing. Then, in verse 28 Jesus asked the men, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" they said yes and because of their faith, they were healed. I don't know why that stuck me to hard, but it really did. I read that same passage at least a dozen times over again...Do you believe that I am able to do this?
God is so good. He is our creator and sustainer. Our daddy in Heaven and was once our brother in the flesh. He knows our weakness, our failures, and our faults and yet He still loves us more than we can ever fathom. And I know that He takes away pain and I know He heals broken hearts and I know that He gives the peace that passes understanding and fills voids in our lives left by those who have gone home before us, but knowing He can do those things and believing that He will do it for me are two different things. Even as I pray for wholeness, peace, and healing, do I really believe He'll provide? Its the idea of if I pray for rain, I need to bring an umbrella, right? Seek and find, ask and it will be given... "Do you believe I am able to do this?"
God hears me and loves me and knows what I need. So, almighty, merciful God, heal my heart, provide me peace, and fill the void, according to your will. I, through the power of the Holy Spirit, do indeed believe that you are able to do immeasurably more than I can ever ask or imagine, and I know that you are my faithful, loving, compassionate Savior- Emmanuel, God with us. As you healed the sick, gave the blind sight, and brought the dead to life, so too heal my sick, blind, and downtrodden heart. Give me a new vitality, vision, and vibrancy to love your Word and a renewed desire to share it with the people you have put into my life. Give my faith legs, Lord. I believe you are able to do this because you are the Most High God ruler of Heaven and Earth. These things I ask in the name of your Son who lives within me; in the name of Jesus, I pray.
Lord come quickly!
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