Why Are You Amazed?

"Why are you amazed at this?"  Acts 3:12

The man who had been crippled from birth clings to Peter and John.  Those who saw Peter heal the man exclaim it to the gathering crowd.  Whispers.  Shouts.  People straining to see for themselves.  It's true, it's amazing!  He walks!

"Why are you amazed?" Peter asks.  All their lives these people have been proclaiming that God is a healer and deliverer.   So why, indeed, are they amazed to actually see God heal someone through the prayers of a group of believers?  Through someone like themselves?

As I think about this reading, I find that I am not so different.  There is often a gap between what I proclaim and what I actually count on in my life.  Sure, I pray for friends and family members.  I fervently ask for healing and restoration.  I know about God's healing power, his transforming love.  I think I am praying in faith.  Yet, when God sometimes intercedes and brings about a remarkable healing, I am surprised. Why, indeed, should I be amazed?   Isn't this what I asked for?

In his infinite wisdom and grace, God gives us so much more than we ask for...so much more than we even know to ask for.  God's healing goes much deeper than the physical.   He wants to restore us on a spiritual level.   He wants to unite us to himself and to each other.  There are many blessings beyond physical healing that God wants to give us.

So, how should we pray?   

• We start, as Jesus did, with the people right in front of us.  Right here and now.  We pray for their needs, both physical and spiritual.  
• We continue praying for them daily, until we see results.  We picture ourselves bringing these people to Jesus.  We are not merely making a wish; we are praying!  Through our faith we intercede.  But that is not all there is to it.   God hears our every prayer.   He responds.
• We thank Jesus, even before we see anything happening.  We thank him for his work in their lives, and in ours.   
• We say Amen!  Because we believe.   We trust in his power to act.

Help us, Lord, to open ourselves fully to your healing power.  Make us intercessors for those who need your healing, physically and spiritually.  Amaze us, Lord, with the grace of your love. 

Be blessed,

     lynda

Tangles used in this Zentangle tile are Meringue, Mooka, and Tipple.

Be Extravagant!

"Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment and anointed the feet of
                               Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair.  The house was filled with
 the fragrance of the perfume."   John 12:3

     My daughter is one of those people who goes all-out when it comes to making the people she cares about feel special.  For one of my birthdays she treated me to an afternoon at her salon, coloring, cutting, styling, and pampering me.  She had my granddaughters busy at home decorating the house for my birthday party, and making my birthday cards.  She created a special lovely dinner for us, her amazing chicken piccata, followed by a lavish cake.   Her gifts were extravagant and way too expensive.  To top it all off, she and I shared a special evening at the theater, just the two of us.  I truly felt honored, and very, very loved.  

     When I protested about the expense and attention, she retaliated by telling me that I deserve it.  She did it out of love for me, and gratitude.  I graciously accepted her gift of love.  I let her lavish me with the kindness of her heart.  Not only was I blessed by her loving attention, the true blessing was realizing and accepting the love and care that went into all she did for me.

     In the Gospel reading today, Mary, the sister of Lazarus and friend of Jesus, did something which can only come from love.  She took oil and perfume, the most precious thing she had, and anointed Jesus.  This perfume was expensive, almost a year’s wages.  She stooped and humbly anointed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.  The real price she paid, however, was facing the scorn and rejection of the self-righteous Pharisees and others at the meal.  Yet, she persisted.  She thought only about pleasing her Lord.  

     How do we anoint the Lord’s feet?  How do we show him our love and gratitude?

     Mary’s humble and loving actions show the extravagance of love.  Our Lord showed us the extravagance of his love by giving the best he had.  He suffered a humiliating and painful death for our sake.  He anointed us with his Holy Spirit.  

     Do we allow the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts and intentions?  Do we honor Christ in our words and deeds?

     Jesus praised Mary’s loving, extravagant deed. Let us perform a loving deed today. Let us be extravagant!

Bless us, Lord, with a heart for extravagance.  Make us generous in charity.  Keep us mindful of those who need our time, our kindness.   May your extravagant love, grace and tender compassion be the model we use to serve those whom we meet today.   

Be blessed,
     lynda

I used the tangle Lazy Eights (by Denielle Noe) in my tile today.  It looks like little flowers, so I thought it appropriate with this post.