This was taken from my devotions this morning and is based of Philippians 2:4-11,
One of the places I worked at before coming here to the V.A. was a home for the mentally handicapped in St. Paul called Our House. During my time there I wrote the following journal entry:
In my ministry to the handicapped through my work at Our House, I am doing an incarnational work. You see, when Christ came down to be with us He retained all of His divine qualities, but He also knew that if He tapped into His full potential even once, His whole mission on earth would be canceled. He could have called down legions of angels in the Garden of Gethsemane , yet He knew He needed to go to the Cross (Matt. 26:53-54). There were many times throughout His time on earth when using His divine powers seemingly would have been to His advantage. Yet He resisted this temptation because He had a higher purpose in mind: The fulfillment of His mission, that of saving His People and fulfilling the scriptures. In the same way, I too have a mission in my work with the handicapped that restricts some of my capabilities. For example, part of my work there is to help the residents go through certain programs designed to help them become more independent. Now, it is fully within my power to do these tasks for them or even physically lead them through each time, and believe me there have been many times I have been tempted to do this. However, I know that if I do, my whole purpose of promoting that resident’s independence would be thwarted. If anything, I would be increasing their dependence on me as a care attendant, and while that may feed my ego and make me feel all good inside, it does little to forward the action on their independence.
This same concept also works here. As a chaplain, I am explicitly doing incarnational work. Yet I’m not the only one. The doctors and nurses here are doing it as well. So are the Food Service people, the cleaning people, and all the rest of the employees. We can all choose to be Christ to each other. Let us do so graciously.
Friday, January 28, 2005
Sunday, January 09, 2005
Baptism: Christ's & Ours
This Sunday is the Baptism of the Lord in liturgical calendars, so the the passages assigned were Isaiah 42:1-9, Psalm 29, Acts 10:34-43, and Matthew 3:13-17. Here's the sermon I just finished preaching,
In the Baptism of Jesus Christ our Lord, I see three things going on. As John the Baptist takes his cousin in his arms, lowers Jesus into the waters of the River Jordan and raises Him up out of the waters, God, the Father, sends down His Holy Spirit in the form of a dove and calls Jesus His beloved Son. In so doing, God the Father is recognizing Jesus as His beloved Son, anointing Him with His Holy Spirit and sending Him into the world to preach His good news.
A similar thing happens when we are baptized. As God, the Father, recognized Jesus as His Son, so He recognizes and adopts us as His Children. God loves each of us as His own sons and daughters. We were each made in His image and He longs for us to come and know Him. To come and know just how much we are loved!
God, the Father, also anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit. Likewise, He anoints each of us with that same Holy Spirit. In this anointing we are both sealed in salvation and empowered to walk in His love. For as God loves us just as we are, He calls and enables us to be all He longs for us to be in and through Him.
Finally, God, the Father, sent Jesus out to preach His good news. So He also sends us. In preaching God's good news, we are called not just to say it in word, but to let our actions speak it as well. So, when we hear of the terrible suffering brought forth by the tsunami and earthquake in South Eastern Asia, let us be moved in compassion to show forth God's love and grace towards those victims. Let us, like Christ, be poured out to those less fortunate than ourselves.
So, just as Christ was baptized and sent into a world that desperately needed His light, love and compassion, so we are as well. Through our baptism in Him, our old lives have been crucified with Him on the cross and with Him we have been raised to new life. Through this baptism, we have also been adopted in to His family and service. We are His representatives on earth. When we see all the devastation around us, let us have the same heart as our heavenly Father, Who when He looked down and saw our plight, sent His only Son that all might have life in His name. As His children, you are recipients of His love, may you share that with all those around you who need it so much.
In the Baptism of Jesus Christ our Lord, I see three things going on. As John the Baptist takes his cousin in his arms, lowers Jesus into the waters of the River Jordan and raises Him up out of the waters, God, the Father, sends down His Holy Spirit in the form of a dove and calls Jesus His beloved Son. In so doing, God the Father is recognizing Jesus as His beloved Son, anointing Him with His Holy Spirit and sending Him into the world to preach His good news.
A similar thing happens when we are baptized. As God, the Father, recognized Jesus as His Son, so He recognizes and adopts us as His Children. God loves each of us as His own sons and daughters. We were each made in His image and He longs for us to come and know Him. To come and know just how much we are loved!
God, the Father, also anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit. Likewise, He anoints each of us with that same Holy Spirit. In this anointing we are both sealed in salvation and empowered to walk in His love. For as God loves us just as we are, He calls and enables us to be all He longs for us to be in and through Him.
Finally, God, the Father, sent Jesus out to preach His good news. So He also sends us. In preaching God's good news, we are called not just to say it in word, but to let our actions speak it as well. So, when we hear of the terrible suffering brought forth by the tsunami and earthquake in South Eastern Asia, let us be moved in compassion to show forth God's love and grace towards those victims. Let us, like Christ, be poured out to those less fortunate than ourselves.
So, just as Christ was baptized and sent into a world that desperately needed His light, love and compassion, so we are as well. Through our baptism in Him, our old lives have been crucified with Him on the cross and with Him we have been raised to new life. Through this baptism, we have also been adopted in to His family and service. We are His representatives on earth. When we see all the devastation around us, let us have the same heart as our heavenly Father, Who when He looked down and saw our plight, sent His only Son that all might have life in His name. As His children, you are recipients of His love, may you share that with all those around you who need it so much.
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Jesus & Healing, version 2
As I mentioned previously, this is a changed and shortened version of the prior devotional meditation. I ended up basing this one off Matthew 8:1-4,
When Jesus healed this man, he not only healed his body, he healed his spirit as well and so enabled him to regain his status in the community. In those days, leapers were outcasts from society. They lived in separate communities with other leapers and whenever they came into town, they had to constantly yell, "Unclean" and ring a bell so all would know to stay clear of them.
When Jesus healed him, He could have just said the word, but He chose to reach out His hand and touch him. This man probably had not been touched for a long time. So even just the touch was healing. Still, Jesus wasn't finished. Once the physical healing was accomplished, Jesus asked him to go and show himself at the temple. In doing this, Jesus was also making it possible for the man to come back into society.
As you work with the veterans today, may you enable healing on all levels possible. As you veterans receive their services, may you be aware of all the healing happening in and though you as you stay here. It may just be happening in more ways than you realize!
When Jesus healed this man, he not only healed his body, he healed his spirit as well and so enabled him to regain his status in the community. In those days, leapers were outcasts from society. They lived in separate communities with other leapers and whenever they came into town, they had to constantly yell, "Unclean" and ring a bell so all would know to stay clear of them.
When Jesus healed him, He could have just said the word, but He chose to reach out His hand and touch him. This man probably had not been touched for a long time. So even just the touch was healing. Still, Jesus wasn't finished. Once the physical healing was accomplished, Jesus asked him to go and show himself at the temple. In doing this, Jesus was also making it possible for the man to come back into society.
As you work with the veterans today, may you enable healing on all levels possible. As you veterans receive their services, may you be aware of all the healing happening in and though you as you stay here. It may just be happening in more ways than you realize!
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Jesus & Healing, version 1
I originally intended to share this for Devotions at the V.A. this morning, but it got too long. So I changed and shortened it once I got there. This was the original version. It was based off Mark 5:24-33,
What does this passage about Jesus healing a woman with bleeding have to say to us here at the Saint Cloud V.A. today? Just this, Jesus healed not only her body, He healed her spirit as well. He restored her to the community. How is this? Do you have any idea what it would be like to be bleeding for twelve years straight? And not just any bleeding, most commentators tell us that this was an extended period of menstrual bleeding. In that day and age, that kind of deep wound was an emotional and societal one as well. She was ceremonially unclean. No one wanted to go near her. Her own family had probably disowned her long ago. And this day she here’s that a healer is in town. Not just any healer, for she had gone to many of those over the years and found no hope. Yet this man had healed many others, surely he could heal her as well. So off she went. Then she encountered the crowd. She was too ashamed to even approach Jesus up front, but instead crept up behind Him and touched just the edge of his cloak. How scared and astonished she must have been as He turned looking around and asking who touched him. Scared to say that she had made Him unclean and astonished to feel cleanliness coming back into her own body. She was healed! Then, if that wasn’t enough, when she threw herself at the feet of Jesus, I can just picture Him reaching down and bringing her up by the hand and then saying, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” He had called her “daughter” and had restored her ceremonial cleanliness. As Daniel Fountain said in his book God, Medicine & Miracles,
“Even after her internal organs had been healed, this woman was still ill psychologically, socially, and spiritually, because all her relationships remained broken. What Jesus said to this woman spoke to the depths of her heart and healed those broken relationships. With her ears she heard Jesus say, “My daughter.” In her spirit she heard him say, “I love you. I accept you. You are worthy to live in my family you are now healed and made whole.” This word restored her relationship to herself. She knew that somehow, in the eyes of this marvelous man named Jesus, she was worthy. Her dignity was restored and immediately the fear, rejection, and despair that had destroyed her life were removed.”
This is the kind of healing we each can offer as well. Not just physical well-being, but that of the mind, heart and spirit as well. Let us go share that kind of healing with all who are ready to receive it.
What does this passage about Jesus healing a woman with bleeding have to say to us here at the Saint Cloud V.A. today? Just this, Jesus healed not only her body, He healed her spirit as well. He restored her to the community. How is this? Do you have any idea what it would be like to be bleeding for twelve years straight? And not just any bleeding, most commentators tell us that this was an extended period of menstrual bleeding. In that day and age, that kind of deep wound was an emotional and societal one as well. She was ceremonially unclean. No one wanted to go near her. Her own family had probably disowned her long ago. And this day she here’s that a healer is in town. Not just any healer, for she had gone to many of those over the years and found no hope. Yet this man had healed many others, surely he could heal her as well. So off she went. Then she encountered the crowd. She was too ashamed to even approach Jesus up front, but instead crept up behind Him and touched just the edge of his cloak. How scared and astonished she must have been as He turned looking around and asking who touched him. Scared to say that she had made Him unclean and astonished to feel cleanliness coming back into her own body. She was healed! Then, if that wasn’t enough, when she threw herself at the feet of Jesus, I can just picture Him reaching down and bringing her up by the hand and then saying, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” He had called her “daughter” and had restored her ceremonial cleanliness. As Daniel Fountain said in his book God, Medicine & Miracles,
“Even after her internal organs had been healed, this woman was still ill psychologically, socially, and spiritually, because all her relationships remained broken. What Jesus said to this woman spoke to the depths of her heart and healed those broken relationships. With her ears she heard Jesus say, “My daughter.” In her spirit she heard him say, “I love you. I accept you. You are worthy to live in my family you are now healed and made whole.” This word restored her relationship to herself. She knew that somehow, in the eyes of this marvelous man named Jesus, she was worthy. Her dignity was restored and immediately the fear, rejection, and despair that had destroyed her life were removed.”
This is the kind of healing we each can offer as well. Not just physical well-being, but that of the mind, heart and spirit as well. Let us go share that kind of healing with all who are ready to receive it.
Sunday, January 02, 2005
Mike's Musings (1/2/05)
Dear family & friends,
• Life Update
A belated Merry Christmas and timely Happy New Year to all you wonderful people you! I just got back a few days ago from spending Christmas with my folks in down in Florida. The weather there was warmer than here, though not by much ;-( The highlight of the trip was going to see Phantom of the Opera (the movie) with my folks and my aunt. Great movie! I highly recommended it. And this is coming from a guy who has seen the musical live a few times. They did a really good job of working the transition. I also spent a large part of the break discussing a book my Dad and I were reading together, Brian McLauren’s A New Kind of Christian. I think we would commend it highly to any Christian who wants to grow in knowing God and is ready to let Him out of some of the boxes you may have tried to stuff Him in. Though I wouldn’t suggest it for those who are comfortable with their faith as it is now. Brain addresses a number of differences between modern Christians and post-modern ones and some of them have the potential to make people squirm a bit.
• Sharing My Journey: The Discomfort of Growing in God
For a while now it feels like I have been going through a difficult transition in my relationship with God. During my first year at Bethel Seminary, I read The Critical Journey by Janet Hagburg and Robert A. Guelich. In it, the authors shared a 6-stage spiritual growth pattern that they have found in the lives of many Christians. The path begins with growing in Awe of God, then being Discipled by your church, and Producing more disciples like yourselves. According to my professor at the time, most Christians, including seminary graduates and pastors, stopped after those three. Why, you might ask? Because the fourth stage involves coming to a point in our faith walk where everything we have learned thus far, no longer works. And most people I know, including myself, at times, really don’t want to admit this is truly the case. That fourth stage is called the Inward Journey because it requires a re-focusing and a realization that there is nothing we can do on our own to grow beyond this point. The crisis that brings this on is referred to as The Wall and the only way through that wall is to realize our utter need for God and to totally depend on Him. As our dependence and trust grows, as He pours more and more of His Love into us, we will begin to be able to reach Outwardly in that love walking with Him and others in His Life of Love with us.
During this part of my life I feel like I have been the Inward and Outward Journeys for a long time. To make matters harder, I find most of the people around me still being Discipled or Producing and seemingly content to stay there. I fear sharing my struggles with them, not just because they may not understand them, but because I may be judged as a result or they may hear me as judging them. Yet I still feel God’s invitation to share with them. To share with you. I still feel His invitation to continue to grow in my dependence upon and trust in Him, no matter how painful it gets at times. In my case, the Wall has not been a single event, but a series of them, each bringing their own share of new lessons to learn and wrestle through. At times I feel like Neo wanting to throw open that car door and run back to the life I knew before, yet I still hear the Holy Spirit’s voice echoing Trinity’s, saying, “You’ve been down that road before, Mike, and I know that’s not where you want to be.”
The feelings and invitations would best be summed up in these two poems and song lyrics.
By the way, the first two were my own and the third was from Mindy Smith’s album, One Moment More. Thanks again, so much for letting me share my life and ministry with you in this way. I pray you are blessed and drawn closer to our Loving Father through its reading. Certainly, I know I was in its writing. This month, I’ll be leading the Protestant service at the V.A. on January 9th. The service starts at 9:30 am and all are welcome to come. That also means I’ll get the following Friday off (the 14th and I would love to spend that weekend with some of you down in St. Paul or wherever. Just let me know what works best for you and I’ll see what I can do. I hope you are all doing well and enjoying this holiday season. May God’s presence tangibly touch each of your lives during this New Year.
• Life Update
A belated Merry Christmas and timely Happy New Year to all you wonderful people you! I just got back a few days ago from spending Christmas with my folks in down in Florida. The weather there was warmer than here, though not by much ;-( The highlight of the trip was going to see Phantom of the Opera (the movie) with my folks and my aunt. Great movie! I highly recommended it. And this is coming from a guy who has seen the musical live a few times. They did a really good job of working the transition. I also spent a large part of the break discussing a book my Dad and I were reading together, Brian McLauren’s A New Kind of Christian. I think we would commend it highly to any Christian who wants to grow in knowing God and is ready to let Him out of some of the boxes you may have tried to stuff Him in. Though I wouldn’t suggest it for those who are comfortable with their faith as it is now. Brain addresses a number of differences between modern Christians and post-modern ones and some of them have the potential to make people squirm a bit.
• Sharing My Journey: The Discomfort of Growing in God
For a while now it feels like I have been going through a difficult transition in my relationship with God. During my first year at Bethel Seminary, I read The Critical Journey by Janet Hagburg and Robert A. Guelich. In it, the authors shared a 6-stage spiritual growth pattern that they have found in the lives of many Christians. The path begins with growing in Awe of God, then being Discipled by your church, and Producing more disciples like yourselves. According to my professor at the time, most Christians, including seminary graduates and pastors, stopped after those three. Why, you might ask? Because the fourth stage involves coming to a point in our faith walk where everything we have learned thus far, no longer works. And most people I know, including myself, at times, really don’t want to admit this is truly the case. That fourth stage is called the Inward Journey because it requires a re-focusing and a realization that there is nothing we can do on our own to grow beyond this point. The crisis that brings this on is referred to as The Wall and the only way through that wall is to realize our utter need for God and to totally depend on Him. As our dependence and trust grows, as He pours more and more of His Love into us, we will begin to be able to reach Outwardly in that love walking with Him and others in His Life of Love with us.
During this part of my life I feel like I have been the Inward and Outward Journeys for a long time. To make matters harder, I find most of the people around me still being Discipled or Producing and seemingly content to stay there. I fear sharing my struggles with them, not just because they may not understand them, but because I may be judged as a result or they may hear me as judging them. Yet I still feel God’s invitation to share with them. To share with you. I still feel His invitation to continue to grow in my dependence upon and trust in Him, no matter how painful it gets at times. In my case, the Wall has not been a single event, but a series of them, each bringing their own share of new lessons to learn and wrestle through. At times I feel like Neo wanting to throw open that car door and run back to the life I knew before, yet I still hear the Holy Spirit’s voice echoing Trinity’s, saying, “You’ve been down that road before, Mike, and I know that’s not where you want to be.”
The feelings and invitations would best be summed up in these two poems and song lyrics.
Be Still
“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
-Psalm 46:10
Be still, My child and know that you are loved.
Endless, limitless, eternal love is yours.
My Son paid the price and you are free to come.
Come and know Me
Come and know that you are loved.
Come with no expectations, for they will all be blown away.
Come with no preparations, the price has already been paid
Come with no restrictions for they are only self-imposed
Come desiring nothing, knowing you will receive all that is of true worth.
I am the One Who has love you since before time began
As you were formed within your mother’s womb
I knew you and called you My chosen one
You are My child and I love you.
Let Go
The Father:
I invite you, My child, to let go.
Let go of your need to worry for it really does you no good.
Let go of your need to control for you really have none.
Let go of your need for a plan for I am all you really ever need!
I invite you, My child, to let Me in.
Let Me into your concerns for I can bear your load.
Let Me into your life for I do know what I am doing.
Let Me into your heart for I am the One you were created for.
I invite you, My child, to know the truth.
Know that I care for you and I will see to your needs.
Know that I am taking care of them even now.
Know that I am Your Faithful Father.
His Child:
Lord, help me to trust when I don’t want to trust
Lord, help me to love when I don’t want to love
Lord, help to give, when I don’t want to give
To give my life to You.
For You, O Lord, are the Lover of my soul
And You, O Lord, are faithful
Yes, You O Lord, will watch over me
And care for me better than I ever could.
Come to Jesus
Oh, my baby, when you're older
Maybe then you'll understand
You have angels that stands around you shoulders
'Cause at times in life you need a loving hand
Oh, my baby, when you're prayin'
Leave your burden by my door
You have Jesus standing by your bedside
To keep you calm, keep you safe,
Away from harm
Worry not my daughters,
Worry not my sons
Child, when life don't seem worth livin'
Come to Jesus and let Him hold you in His arms
Oh, my baby, when you're cryin'
Never hide your face from me
I've conquered hell and driven out the demons
I have come with a life to set you free
Worry not my daughters,
Worry not my sons
Child, when life don't seem worth livin'
Come to Jesus and let Him hold you in His arms
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh, my baby, when you're dying
Believe the healing of His hand
Here in Heaven we will wait for your arrival
Here in Heaven you will finally understand
Here in Heaven we will wait for your arrival
Here in Heaven you will finally understand
Worry not my daughters,
Worry not my sons
Child, when life don't seem worth livin'
Come to Jesus and let Him hold you in His arms
“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
-Psalm 46:10
Be still, My child and know that you are loved.
Endless, limitless, eternal love is yours.
My Son paid the price and you are free to come.
Come and know Me
Come and know that you are loved.
Come with no expectations, for they will all be blown away.
Come with no preparations, the price has already been paid
Come with no restrictions for they are only self-imposed
Come desiring nothing, knowing you will receive all that is of true worth.
I am the One Who has love you since before time began
As you were formed within your mother’s womb
I knew you and called you My chosen one
You are My child and I love you.
Let Go
The Father:
I invite you, My child, to let go.
Let go of your need to worry for it really does you no good.
Let go of your need to control for you really have none.
Let go of your need for a plan for I am all you really ever need!
I invite you, My child, to let Me in.
Let Me into your concerns for I can bear your load.
Let Me into your life for I do know what I am doing.
Let Me into your heart for I am the One you were created for.
I invite you, My child, to know the truth.
Know that I care for you and I will see to your needs.
Know that I am taking care of them even now.
Know that I am Your Faithful Father.
His Child:
Lord, help me to trust when I don’t want to trust
Lord, help me to love when I don’t want to love
Lord, help to give, when I don’t want to give
To give my life to You.
For You, O Lord, are the Lover of my soul
And You, O Lord, are faithful
Yes, You O Lord, will watch over me
And care for me better than I ever could.
Come to Jesus
Oh, my baby, when you're older
Maybe then you'll understand
You have angels that stands around you shoulders
'Cause at times in life you need a loving hand
Oh, my baby, when you're prayin'
Leave your burden by my door
You have Jesus standing by your bedside
To keep you calm, keep you safe,
Away from harm
Worry not my daughters,
Worry not my sons
Child, when life don't seem worth livin'
Come to Jesus and let Him hold you in His arms
Oh, my baby, when you're cryin'
Never hide your face from me
I've conquered hell and driven out the demons
I have come with a life to set you free
Worry not my daughters,
Worry not my sons
Child, when life don't seem worth livin'
Come to Jesus and let Him hold you in His arms
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh, my baby, when you're dying
Believe the healing of His hand
Here in Heaven we will wait for your arrival
Here in Heaven you will finally understand
Here in Heaven we will wait for your arrival
Here in Heaven you will finally understand
Worry not my daughters,
Worry not my sons
Child, when life don't seem worth livin'
Come to Jesus and let Him hold you in His arms
By the way, the first two were my own and the third was from Mindy Smith’s album, One Moment More. Thanks again, so much for letting me share my life and ministry with you in this way. I pray you are blessed and drawn closer to our Loving Father through its reading. Certainly, I know I was in its writing. This month, I’ll be leading the Protestant service at the V.A. on January 9th. The service starts at 9:30 am and all are welcome to come. That also means I’ll get the following Friday off (the 14th and I would love to spend that weekend with some of you down in St. Paul or wherever. Just let me know what works best for you and I’ll see what I can do. I hope you are all doing well and enjoying this holiday season. May God’s presence tangibly touch each of your lives during this New Year.
In His Grip,
Michel Jon Willard
Michel Jon Willard
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