HEALTH AND HEALING FOR BODY AND SOUL.1

"Those that are healthy do not need a doctor; 
but those that are ill are in need of one." 

-- Jesus

A Tribute to my friend Pat.

William Patrick Grisdale passed away during his 60th trip around the sun. I first met Pat and his wife Diane through some mutual friends. They needed a handyman, I needed new friends! Pat's outer body was frail due to an unfortunate accident while serving in the Navy out of high school. Much of his time was spent reminiscing those days; and much of his time was spent drowning his sorrows and pain in the only reliable source of pain-killing he knew...alcohol.

The fix-it projects they found for me provided many hours to spend in their company. As a former pastor I am often tempted to believe that I am here to “fix” people. That mindset creates barriers and obstacles to drinking deeply from the well of sincere love & friendship. 

God fixed me of that mindset through my time spent with Pat & Diane by teaching me to love the things that are lovely in the man and not love the things that I proscribed for his “salvation”. For if love was dependent on his compliance to my wonder-filled "counsel" then it is held captive by disappointment at his failure to heed my advice!

It was said of Jesus that "a bruised reed he would not break off, nor a dying ember extinguish." I have in my mind's eye a picture of Jesus the man tenderly helping the weakest take trembling steps to strengthen their resolve to walk and in their trying filling them with new found strength to keep on walking! 

Pat struggled with not merely physical pain, but the frustration of living an unproductive life; of being less than a man to provide for his wife, fix his own house, take long drives, to conquer the beasts within and without. But he made progress...and progress gives hope for change. 

Change comes because we have a Father who is perfect! Perfect in His devotion to us, perfect in his ability to complete us...he only asks that we repent of trust in any other will then His Perfecting Will and make whatever efforts we can to hold his hand and try.

I rejoiced in Pat's trying...God rejoices in His completing!

The Blessings.1

Blessed are you who hear the word of God and follow it where it leads. Doing so, you will be like the servant who, when the master comes, is found doing right.

--Jesus

I was thinking today about the miracles of Jesus' healings. What I think often gets lost in the stories is the actual person who received a healing. You've more than likely seen reenactments of Jesus' life and ministry on movies and tv. Two of my favorites are the Matthew story starring Bruce Marchiano, and The Passion of the Christ with James Caveziel playing Jesus. In the Matthew video, the thing that stands out is the actor's portrayal of a Jesus with real joy and zest for life. When he bent over to touch a wounded soul there was always a twinkle in his eye as if he were saying, "Wait till you see what me & my Father have in store for you!"


But my favorite is when Caveziel's Jesus takes a moment in the mayhem of the Garden to restore the temple guard's ear after being swiped off by Peter's clumsy sword blow. The guard just stays on his knees long after they've taken Jesus away; captured by an eternal presence that has shaken him to the core of his being!

Humankind is in nature easily distracted, fickle, hard to persuade and harder still to heal due in large part to self-will and pride. But with great patience and tender hands he kept on his mission, for to Him "obedient love in the heart of the poorest he healed or persuaded, was his kingdom come."

Not all who were healed by Jesus gave themselves back to Him in obedient love and allegiance. Remember the ten lepers and only one returned to thank Him?

May we be the kind who respond to His word in obedient love, going where He leads, doing what is right!