Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 70; Jeremiah 10:11-16, 23-25; Matthew 9:10-17; Galatians 4:1-7; Psalm 72
Two and a half weeks ago, we started a new ministry at our church. The new ministry is a group called the healing circle, and its purpose is to serve as a resource for folks who are on a journey toward healing and wholeness. I have already learned much from the group about healing. One of my biggest learnings so far is that in order to truly be healed you have to be willing to open up with God and get real. You see in a lot of people’s efforts to deal with pain they try to suck it up and put on a good face around God. They learn, for instance, to lift up praise and petition; they never, however, allow themselves to articulate the anger or frustration they feel. They do this because they’ve learned over the years there is a right way and wrong way to act around God. What they don’t realize is their efforts to put on a good face for God (and the godly around them) is a huge part of what’s actually keeping them from healing. Once folks get in touch with what they are really feeling – and start expressing those feelings toward God – then healing really begins. Today’s passage from Galatians goes hand in hand with this realization. For in constructing the case for why our relationship with God has been transformed, Paul wrote: “You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as God’s own children because God sent the Spirit of God’s Son in our lives crying out, ‘Papa! Father!’ Doesn’t that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child?” (Galatians 4:5-6 – The Message). This passage got me to thinking: how do you approach your relationship with God? Do you act the part of a fearful slave who is constantly afraid of acting or expressing your real feelings, or do you take on the part of a child who loves and trusts your parent enough to get real? Til next time…
Two and a half weeks ago, we started a new ministry at our church. The new ministry is a group called the healing circle, and its purpose is to serve as a resource for folks who are on a journey toward healing and wholeness. I have already learned much from the group about healing. One of my biggest learnings so far is that in order to truly be healed you have to be willing to open up with God and get real. You see in a lot of people’s efforts to deal with pain they try to suck it up and put on a good face around God. They learn, for instance, to lift up praise and petition; they never, however, allow themselves to articulate the anger or frustration they feel. They do this because they’ve learned over the years there is a right way and wrong way to act around God. What they don’t realize is their efforts to put on a good face for God (and the godly around them) is a huge part of what’s actually keeping them from healing. Once folks get in touch with what they are really feeling – and start expressing those feelings toward God – then healing really begins. Today’s passage from Galatians goes hand in hand with this realization. For in constructing the case for why our relationship with God has been transformed, Paul wrote: “You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as God’s own children because God sent the Spirit of God’s Son in our lives crying out, ‘Papa! Father!’ Doesn’t that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child?” (Galatians 4:5-6 – The Message). This passage got me to thinking: how do you approach your relationship with God? Do you act the part of a fearful slave who is constantly afraid of acting or expressing your real feelings, or do you take on the part of a child who loves and trusts your parent enough to get real? Til next time…
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