Jesus, Miracles, and Amazing Leaves

Happy October, Friends!

 

Wow. It's so wonderful-- Fall is officially here at last!! This my favorite month of the year, next to the Spring months, March, April and May. And now that the trees are beginning to blaze with extravagant colors, I couldn't resist giving the blog a new Fall face-lift! Hope you are getting outside to enjoy the colors!

This morning God "tapped my shoulder". I crawled out of bed, starting my daily tasks of cleaning and making phone calls, plus planning a camping trip I and my family are going on this weekend, without even a "Good morning!" directed heavenward. Hmmm. 
But in mid step, He wrapped me in a hug and said, "Leah, come sit down with me. Let's talk. Be still." (Psalm 46:10) Once again He showed me that His Word is relevant to my life, no matter what I'm going through, because I did not expect to be directed to Mark 6:45-52, the account of Jesus walking out on the Sea to His disciples: 

Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were troubled. 

But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

The disciples, even after seeing Jesus feed a massive crowd, still were amazed when they saw Him walking on water! What crowd? Well, previous to this miracle, Jesus fed 5,000 people (that number was just counting the men, so it must have been far greater!) with just five loaves of bread and two fish (Mark 6:30-44). 

I'm glad I'm not Jesus. Being selfish, I would have waved the crowd aside when they were hungry. "It's been a long day, I'm tired, thirsty, I need to rest! Go home and make your own dinner, honestly!"
But He is God. He had compassion on them, not sending them away to walk the distance to their homes when they were hungry. Even though His body got tired, He regarded their spiritual and physical needs important enough to put His own needs aside. He loved them. These ordinary people, who crowded, complained, were sick, crying, blind, lame, deaf, and sometimes hardhearted. Who, much like us, kept missing the point.
He fed, healed, touched, held, and took time for them. 
He chose to dwell among us.  

This causes me to ask: What miracles has God performed lately in our lives, yours and mine, that we have taken for granted? Do we ignore others who may need prayer? Prayer for God to work a miracle in their hearts, in their lives?

If you feel lost in the noisy crowd, in need of healing, in need of Jesus love, this is for you:

Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”

Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”

So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 

They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him. (Matthew 20:29-34)

 If you are calling, listen. Jesus is answering. (Psalm 91:15)

Love, Leah
Psalm 139