Friday 16 August 2013

God's butterfly touch

Came across this beautiful poem today in this daily prayer book.....

The man whispered, ‘God speak to me’
and a meadowlark sang.
But the man did not hear.
So the man yelled, ‘God, speak to me’
and the thunder rolled across the sky.
But the man did not listen.
The man looked around and said,
‘God, show me a miracle!’
and new life was born.
But the man did not know.

So the man cried out in despair,
‘Touch me, God,
and let me know you are here!’
whereupon God reached down
and touched the man.
But the man brushed the butterfly away,

and walked on.


Wednesday 14 August 2013

Talitha Koum! Get up, little girl!

Today's reading was the story of Jairus' daughter, in Mark 5:35-43. Jairus, the leader of the synagogue, an important man, is desperately worried about his daughter who is dying. He turns to Jesus for help. On the way there he is told it is too late, she has died. Jesus carries on regardless, turfs out all the weeping mourners, and chooses just 3 disciples and the child's parents to witness the miracle. 

What struck me today was all the little details included - the girl's age, the actual words Jesus uses, that He held her hand, and that he told the parents to give her something to eat. This is surely the memory of one who was present. I wonder who passed the story on - Peter? James? John? Or maybe the girl's parents? Can you picture them retelling it, from person to person, till it got written down?

I dwelt on the words Jesus used -Talitha Koum! - which means "Little girl, get up!" Can you hear the love in those words?

Get up, Little One!
God's got a job for you.
By your very living
you will proclaim God's healing power,
His loving care for his children.

Get up, Little One!
Show the world there is hope
when all seems lost.

Get up, Little One!
Show everyone that Death is not final,
that Love triumphs over all.

Get up, Little One!
And be my witness
to the world.

And, one day,
when you are old
and Death comes for you again,
I shall take your hand once more
and say "Get up, Little One!"
as your spirit joins mine for ever.




Monday 12 August 2013

Lectio Divina - Legion, the Gerasene

Lectio Divina - reading the Bible in a meditative way, imagining yourself there in that situation, looking for meaning.

The reading for this morning's daily prayers was the story of the man from Gerasa who is so filled with demons he calls himself 'Legion'. As I read it, tears filled my eyes. I understood some of his pain as I have had depression myself and witnessed my husband captive to his own fears. I needed to write what I felt, so I share it with you now....

That poor man;
A legion of conflicting voices
waging war in his head,
tearing him apart,
tossing his battered mind from one to another
like a precious object
thrown by malicious bullies,
while he stood by
helpless and weeping.
The pain he must have felt!
The agony of helplessness
that made him roar and rage,
beyond any man's help - 
how could they see
the war inside him?
How could they know how it felt,
when even cutting your body
to try to release the demons
seems your only help.

And then Jesus came-
Jesus!
Compassion shining in His eyes,
Hope radiating from His healing hands.

And at first the man was afraid.
How would it be to be free?
This terror was so awful,
but it was his terror,
familiar to him.
What - who -  would he be without it?
It had been so long now,
he couldn't remember 
what sanity was like.

And Jesus looked,
and He touched,
and He healed.
And suddenly the fear was gone.
Gone!
The weight was lifted!
The dark, rumbling clouds
replaced with blue sky and sunshine.
He could see again - 
truly see!
The distorted, haunted,
ghost-screaming world
replaced with beauty and love,
and hope!

Then he remembered who he was - 
a beloved Child of God,
wanted, 
protected, 
safe.

And as he wept at Jesus' feet, 
all the angels of heaven
wept and rejoiced with him.
He was Home at last.

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