Thursday, June 12, 2008

Jesus Makes Me Feel Safe....Reflecting Back

It is not often that I find myself repeating a post, however God has been drawing me to a post that I first placed in our family blog back in July of 2006, and later to this one.

I'm sure He has led me to my own thoughts and words as we face new adventures, moments of uncertainty in our new chapter of our journey with Him together as a family and individually.

As He moves in my own heart this week, I pray He shows you something unique in your walk with Him, your life with Him. And that in the midst of it all, you lavish in the warmth of His presence in your life.


JESUS MAKES ME FEEL SAFE
Taken from: Chronicles of Judah The Chronicles of Judah are about the Thompson happenings as we live in the AUTISM World and more.

My son never ceases to amaze me…or rather, how he views God and how God points me to HIM through this precious little boy standing before me, who says the most profound things.

I am always in a study of prayer and recently it has led to a small study of the tassels of the prayer shawl. In the book of Numbers, God told Moses…rather commanded that they make tzitzit (seet-see), tassels on their cloaks. Tassels on all four corners with a blue cord on each. This was to remind them of God’s commands so they would not stray. Jewish men still wear them today, and I have come to know some Jewish women who do the same.
As I continued to study this I became fascinated as I read about the prophecy in Malachi and the tzitzit and how this brought a puzzle piece together for me in the New Testament. Rather, it added more to the event that took place.

The woman heard that Jesus was coming to town. She had heard of Him and the stories of those delivered by his touch. She knew she had to make her way to see Him. She had been suffering for years with a medical condition that left her bleeding. In some translations they say she had an “issue of blood”. I had a friend who had a very similar disorder and it left her weak and in pain most of her days.
So here was this lady, making her way to Jesus…in pain, weak. The crowd was thick, so many people. I can imagine a lot of dust everywhere coupled with immense heat. She sat down and waited. After a while she looks up and sees Jesus coming, but now she lacks the strength. Do you know what her thought was? Of course you do. She thought that if she could but touch the hem of his garment, his cloak, his tzitzit she would be healed. Do you see the power in her thought and then in her action? She remembered Malachi’s prophecy.

Malachi 4:2“But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in it’s wings…”

She then acted on it. The wings represented his cloak. She was healed immediately. She found healing and peace in Jesus. Why do I say peace? Well, another thing I have begun to discover as I study, the word “Shalom”, which is what He said, “Go in peace”, means more than what we “think” it does. What do you think of when you hear the word, peace? No strife. No conflict. Harmony. Yet the Hebraic meaning goes deeper. To quote Rob Bell, “Shalom is the presence of the goodness of God. It’s the presence of wholeness, completeness…Jesus blessed her with God’s presence on her entire being.”

Now, how does my son figure into all of this? How have I been challenged by his “profound” statement and actions? The cross is his tzitzit. Every time he sees one, and it could be how the branches are on a tree, he is reminded of Jesus and immediately says, “Jesus is off the cross, thanks.” Tonight he saw a cross and he started talking about Jesus. Then he said something that I honestly will never forget…. “Jesus makes me feel safe.” Completeness.

You may not have a “prayer cloak”, yet my question is, what is your “tzitzit”? What reminds you to keep your eyes fix on Christ? If you are His child, His desire is to bring you complete wholeness…even in the midst of what we walk through we can have completeness. Our son still has autism, I still have Thyroid disease, fibromyalgia…but I have wholeness in Him because of Christ.

Much love
Angel

God our Father, Walk through my house and take away all my worries and illnesses; in Jesus' name Amen
(Just 19 Words)

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