Presence & Word

The last few months have certainly looked different. Instead of gathering together with family and friends, we are spread across town, separated into different places. There has been a mix of celebrating newfound margins and feeling the weight of adjusting to different rhythms while responding to social injustices. The stories of the last few months will continue to fill our daily news feed and will one day make it into the pages of our history books.

But stories of disease and oppression are not new. They also fill the pages of the only book that has outlasted every history and news story of this world. The Bible endures past this world’s story because the words of God’s promise and the steadiness of His presence are woven into its’ pages. 

One story of disease and oppression from this book is told by Mark. He shares the story of a woman who was healed from a bleeding disorder through Jesus. She touched His clothes and was made better.   

When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed."

-Mark 5:27-28 

MADE BETTER

The woman thought, If I just touch His clothes, I will be better, If I can just be in His presence, I will be healed. Jesus kept His promise. With His presence, she was made better. But the amazing part of the story is what Jesus did next. He went the extra mile and asked her to speak. 

With His words, Jesus gave her a platform to use her voice to tell her story for His glory.

He spoke and waited, giving her time to turn her thoughts into spoken words for the crowd to hear. 

At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”….Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”  

- Mark 5: 30; 32-34

Within God’s presence, we are made better too. Because we are His sons and daughters, we get to be a part of God making others better as we work and play!

As we walk through the last half of summer, God is calling us to be a presence. He is calling us to use our words to give a platform to others: no matter if we are staying at home, holding tight within our neighborhoods, or serving our community as we work and play. Here are some ways we can live out God's calling with others:

BE A PRESENCE.
Who among us is desperate to be better, yet remains hidden?

They could be a neighbor doing yardwork you have not seen in a while or a guest standing in the distance in our parking lot. Move towards them and be available. Being available does not always mean being close, but it always means being diligent. Show your availability by smiling and waving a hand. Be intentional with where you spend your time. At home, consider sitting on your front porch instead of staying inside. In the community, linger in areas where others can see you and you can see them. 

GIVE A PLATFORM. 
Who among us has words to share that are left unspoken or unheard?

Our words can open the door to give voice to another. As we interact with family and friends, ask who they have spent time with lately or where they have gone in the last few days. Then ask: 
1. How are you feeling? 
2. How are you doing with your (family, friends, neighbors, coworkers)? 

For conversations with believers, close with How do you think God is moving here? If you see a God connection, share a one sentence celebration of His movement in your conversation.   

Be prepared to wait for thoughts to form words and give space to listen to their story. We may discover a person who has been unable to voice their story because their family is far away or they are a family staying close to home.