Amazing

"We have never seen anything like this," said the people. (Mark 2:12)

Amazing isn't it? This is what Jesus does. This is who he is. He is the God who does things never imagined, never seen, never thought of. He does things in people's lives that completely, utterly and forever changes them.

I think we (being very general here) underestimate the life changing power of Christ in our lives. Speaking for myself, he becomes more of a comfort blanket rather than the God who is going to do something amazing. This has got to stop. Christ in our lives is simply amazing in itself, but Christ working in our lives is downright unimaginable to a large degree.

One thing I think that makes our Savior beyond amazing is the fact he is working in our lives and he is a God who didn't come here and sit back. He got involved. He worked. He served. Him being among us humans is amazing, but him working to heal us is astonishing.

Take God's role in Joshua. It's time for God's people to move and take the promise land. God needs his people to get up and take the land, in turn taking the promise land. But look at God's commands for his people. There is a message of God's presence and working power intertwined throughout his orders.

"I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Joshua 1:5)
"...for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)
"...you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go..." (Joshua 3:3-4)
"Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you." (Joshua 3:5)

God's working. He is working in amazing ways. In fact, God declares that amazing things will happen when his people follow him. And when we follow Christ and his presence is in our lives amazing things will happen.

A paralytic is lowered from a dug hole in a roof of a home. The expectation: healing. It came, but it wasn't in the form the entire house, the friends and the paralytic must have thought. "Your sins are forgiven." Sins? Forgiven? But what about this whole 'I can't walk or move thing!?' What Jesus does as he enters into the this man's life is amazing. Christ works completely and totally. This man was in need, but the need that we see with our eyes is not what our God sees. The need is deeper. It's a need that goes beyond the discomfort, problems and physical needs of this world.

You can just hear the words of God being echoed here. "I will never forsake you." You can imagine the words crossing Jesus' mind as he smiled to see this man lowered from the roof. "The Lord will do amazing things among you." The God who didn't come to be served, but to serve; the God who came to be a part of our lives and work is still doing amazing things for his people. The issues of this place, the problems of this wold, the difficulties of life are secondary to the true, complete, holistic life healing that comes from God.

"I know what you came for, but I'm going to do something more amazing," Jesus might say.

 "Your life is healed. Your sins are gone. You are clean," are the words of our Savior.

"Now, go and know that I will be with you wherever you may go."

"When I am with you, you will know the direction to take."

"Take your mat (and remember) and go home (I'll be there too)."

Simply. Amazing.