Talitha koum!

"Talitha koum!” means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”
The name Jairus means "God enlightens"

The story in Mark 5:21-43 described how Jesus raised to life Jairus' dead daughter. She was 12 years old. This story is an important story as it is recorded in three of the four gospels (Matthew 9:18-26, Luke 8:40-53) . It had also inspired many paintings. These are two of my favorites:

Ilya Efimovich Repin, The Resurrection of Jairus' Daughter

Ilya Efimovich Repin, The Resurrection of Jairus' Daughter

Ilya Efimovich Repin, The Resurrection of Jairus' Daughter

Rembrant, Christ raises Jairus' daughter

I wonder why Jairus is not a very popular name. It has a great meaning (God enlightens), and he is certainly a good role model for us when it comes to his faith in Christ. I wonder how many times he would tell his daughter in the course of her life how Christ has given her life back. I wonder what he would say in his father-of-the-bride speech!

In contrast, those who were gathered in the house mourning over the death of such a young life, what were they thinking when Jesus said to them: “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” Well, they laughed at Jesus. I hope I don't doubt and say ridiculous thing when someone else prays to God for complete healing. I sometimes let my medical knowledge cloud my spiritual vision. Jesus is able to raise someone even from the dead. He certainly can heal our illnesses.

What not to say during a storm

There will be storms during our life on earth. It's the right thing to do to pray to God for help. He is the creator and sustainer of this universe and has the power to calm even the storms. Is this what we believe? Will we pray in faith?

In this story in Mark 4:35-41 (below), the disciples (some of whom were fishermen!) were obviously frightened by the intensity of the storm. They felt their lives were threatened. They rightfully went to Jesus for help. But what did they say? "Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

I am afraid I am too quick to pass judgement on these disciples. I too find myself saying similar prayers during times of trouble. I become disillusioned. "Where is God when I need him, does he really care?". 

My answered prayers sometimes come as a miraculous surprise, like the trouble is taken away completely. But more often than not, I find Jesus rowing the boat along side with me, giving me words of encouragement and strength. The storm is meant to make me stronger in my faith. He will never leave me or forsake me (Deut 31:6).

Mark 4:35-41

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.”  Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.  A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.  Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Doing Miracles on Sabbath

To gain more insight into the stories of the bible, I have been taught to imagine to be one of the many players within the story. I read this story yesterday about the miracle of healing of a man with a shrivelled hand in Mark 3:1-6:

Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.” Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

This story must be quite significant as it is also told in  Luke 6:6-11 and Matthew 12:9-13. This took place on a Sabbath day. Some Christians view Sunday as something similar to the Jewish Sabbath and follow strict rules like not doing any work and definitely no shopping or even eating in a restaurant (for that would encourage others to work on Sunday). The word Sabbath first appears in Exodus 16:23 when God performed the miracles of sending manna and quails to feed the Israelites while they were travelling through the desert. God provided food for his people daily except the seventh day of each week. So the Israelites were to collect their food daily, enough for the need for that day. But on the sixth day they were to collect twice the amount knowing that there won't be any on the seventh day. If they collect more than they need on days one to five, the food will rot but the food collected on day six will last through day seven. Now that itself is a miracle!

Sabbath was designed to give God's people a chance to rest from their labour, and to dedicate a day each week to celebrate God's goodness and provision. However, the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law in Jesus' days followed strictly the "letters of the law" while forgetting the "spirit of the law". 

Coming back to this story, what was happening there if I were a Pharisee? I had been following the news of this unknown, untrained, unsophisticated carpenter from a small village in Galilee. I was convinced that he was a fake and a trouble maker. He had been challenging my religious establishment which provided the structure and order for this scattered and repressed people under the Roman rule. He had become quite popular and was turning people away from our synagogue. I was looking for a way to get rid of him. Here was an opportunity. He had been doing a lot of healing. Would he do it on a Sabbath and break the religious law? If he did, it would be good enough of an excuse to kill him. My friends from the Herodian party would be more than happy to help.

I was watching him standing next to this insignificant disabled man. He turned around and looked straight at me. It seemed like he was directing this question right at me: "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?". Deep down I knew what the answer was but I just couldn't stand him. I kept quiet. Jesus looked away, with the look of anger and a deep distress. He didn't actually do anything. He just told the man to stretch out his hand. And this man's hand immediately turned to normal! He must have done something. He must have broken the law. That was it. I just left the place to look for my friends to make a plot to kill him.

How is it that I can be so blind? Jesus' rhetorical question plays out in my head. God's intention is for me to find rest in him, whatever the circumstance I find myself in. The "Law of the Sabbath" is surely to do good and to save life instead of to do evil and to kill. Do I not already have preconceived notion of what is good in my own eyes and who deserves my healing? Or am I be willing to listen to him daily (not just one day a week) and learn from him:
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)


Just a couple of interesting observations:
I think a shrivelled hand is likely either an unusable hand with wasted muscles like a myopathy or a hand with contracture secondary to denervation of the flexor muscles. In any case, a sudden restoration of the hand is truly a miracle.

Thinking about the extreme application of the Sabbath law, I was an intern in a Jewish hospital during my residency training. On Saturday, this hospital's elevators stopped on every floor so the elevator users (patients or staff) will not need to push the button which constituted "work"!! Boy, did I walk the stairs a lot because I was in a hurry to save lives!

Am I convinced? How will I be remembered?

It's my mother-in-law's memorial service today. My job was to prepare the slide show. My wife Jane has done the hard part - to pick the pictures that would tell the story of her mother's entire lifetime. It's a delight to see the old pictures, her growing up in the farm, her going off to Holland in a ship to work for the RCMP, her wedding with Dad, her children, and then her many grand children. It is a very rich 87 years by any measure. 

How will I be remembered? It is not hard to remember the many times God was at work in my life although photos won't always tell it all. For one thing I was usually missing in the pictures because I was the photographer! It is easy for others to see my accomplishments, my family, my church life. But how will they see Jesus living through me?

The verse of today is Romans 8:38-39:

     For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Intellectually I am convinced that this verse is true for me. But I can remember the many times I was less convinced, when things didn't go well or they went the way I didn't want them to go. How will I face the prospect of dying? Will I be able to face the spiritual warfare that is yet before me? Will created things take the place of the Creator? During times of disappointment what if I don't feel the love of God in Christ Jesus my Lord?

The entire chapter 8 in Romans helps me to stay convinced:

1. I have committed my life to Christ so it is Christ who lives in me and his Spirit is at work to give me the power I need (verses 1-17). 

2. Whatever will happen in future in this life is nothing compared with the future hope (verses 18-30). 

3. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (v31). Now that's the guarantee!

Remembering my mother-in-law

[Shirley Crawford Dobson passed away last night. It was Valentine's Day. All three daughters, Jane, Tracey, and Anne were there holding her hands and singing her favorite hymns. She had been suffering from Alzheimer's Disease for many years. She remained gracious and funny to the end. She was a favorite among the staff at the nursing home. She was 87 years of age.]

Today's scripture reading also described the death of another person - Jesus Christ. This is how the story was told by Matthew:


Matthew 27:27-50
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.


Jesus willingly suffered physical, mental, and spiritual pain before he died. His last words: “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)  described the spiritual agony as he felt abandoned by his heavenly father. He carried my sin on the cross and suffered physical and mental pain, and finally death on my behalf. It is my sin that alienated him from his holy father.

For a very long time I had wondered why Jesus had to suffered that much in order to pay the penalty for my sin. Couldn't he just come down as a lamb without blemish and be killed quickly and cleanly to fulfill all the law's requirement? I think we can understand this better if we read carefully the meaning of the atonement in the Old Testament.

I was also reading this passage of scripture this morning:


Leviticus 17:10-12
I will set my face against any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who eats blood, and I will cut them off from the people. For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life. Therefore I say to the Israelites, “None of you may eat blood, nor may any foreigner residing among you eat blood.” 

God who instituted the atonement sacrificial system in the Old Testament was preparing for the final sacrifice through his own beloved son. But instead of prohibiting his own people from eating blood, we are now encouraged to eat Jesus' body and drink his blood to remember his death and the new covenant in his blood which offers eternal hope to all who put their trust in him. The purpose of his suffering is to encourage and strengthen us to persevere while we are still living, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need". (Hebrews 4:15-16)

We too will eventually die, but through Christ's death on the cross, we can face death bravely, knowing that we have a merciful father waiting for us with his arms wide open.

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ... Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:32-39)

For Joan's birthday

[I was going to give this post the title "Forty days and forty nights" and it dawn on me that Joan's birthday falls on the 41st day of the year! So her birthday is coming up in a couple of days. I dedicate this blog to you Joan. Happy birthday!]


So your birthday is Feb 10 - if you do the math - we celebrate it on the 41st day of every year. So for forty days and forty nights you patiently wait...

There are many great stories in the bible on the "forty days and forty nights" theme. Let me glean through them to find a special birthday wish for you.

(1) Noah and the flood
(Genesis 7:4) Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made.

In Sunday School the story of Noah would be told with cute pictures of the Noah's ark, the animals entering the ark two-by-two, and finally the rainbow - the sign of a new covenant God made with Noah - to promise him and generations to come that God would not punish mankind with such horrific natural disaster.  So next time you see a rainbow Joan, remember God's promise. He will not leave you or forsake you. He will send constant reminders of His love for you.

(2) Moses meeting with God

(Exodus 24:18) Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. 
(Deuteronomy 9:9) When I went up on the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the Lord had made with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water.

I often wonder what it must have been like for Moses to spend forty days and forty nights with God, so completely free of distractions - up on a mountain, covered by cloud, and no food or drink. I must have heard and read the ten commandments dozens of times. It would still be a challenge to recall it word for word. To really appreciate God's holiness and His character, we have to de-clutter our lives, to spend time alone with God. He will speak to us clearly. In Moses' case, He wrote His law in tablet of stone. In our case, He writes it on our hearts (and especially yours on your birthday Joan!):
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
    “when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel
    and with the people of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant
    I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
    to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
    though I was a husband to them,”
declares the Lord.
“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
    after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds
    and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,    and they will be my people. (Jeremiah 31:31-33)

 
(3) Elijah fleeing from Jezebel

(1 Kings 19:8) So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he travelled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

The prophet Elijah just came through experiencing a miraculous victory on Mount Carmel (1 King 18:16-45) and here he was found running for his life from the wicked Queen Jezebel! To his credit, at least he knew who to run to when he was in trouble, even if it took him forty days and forty nights to get there. There he met God -  and according to the scripture: the Lord was not in the wind... the Lord was not in the earthquake... the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper (vv. 11-12). Elijah heard God in a gentle whisper. When you are under stress, and there will be plenty of that in the future: working out relationships with Francis and (children!), your two sets of parents (!!), professionally with patients and colleagues... listen to the inner gentle whisper, the indwelling Spirit of God. It's a promise!

(4) Jesus tested in the wilderness

(Matthew 4:2) After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

I once heard a sermon on this. Jesus is God and how dare the devil tempt Him! Jesus didn't try to prove that He can take on the devil. He wanted to demonstrate to us how we too can stand against the devil's scheme. And here is the promise: you can be strong in the Lord (Jesus!) and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. (Ephesians 6:10-18)

So when you find yourself in situation that makes no sense - remind yourself that there is a spiritual realm which co-exists with this physical realm and you need spiritual weapon to stand against it. Jesus will help you!

So happy 27th birthday Joan! 2013 is a very special year: your wedding with Francis (what a fine choice and in 2 weeks!) and your becoming a family doctor in July. You will be a very fine doctor. You will be loved by (almost!) everyone and you will help many along the way. But you will have challenges. Remember these promises on your birthday - the day after the forty days and forty nights:

1. the rainbow of promise of God's abiding (Noah)

2. the Word of God that is stored on your heart (Moses)

3. the Spirit of God which comes in a gentle whisper (Elijah)

4. the full armour of God: truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and His Spirit (Jesus)

When in doubt, pray!

Another lesson from Jonah

This is the third time I have mentioned Jonah in my blog. The lesson I learned from Jonah (or the Book of Jonah) came as a surprise answer to prayer this week. I was sharing with my prayer group that I needed wisdom and power to enable me to share more openly about my faith in Jesus. Not sure if anyone took me seriously and actually prayed for me but here it is - a real answer to prayer.

My wife discovered this website which has a collection of sermons by Tim Keller, who is one of our favorite preachers. He once preached in a UK conference a series of 3 sermons on Evangelism based on the Book of Jonah. These are the titles and links to the mp3 download:
(1) Smashing False Idols: Gospel Realisation
(2) Smashing False Idols: Gospel Communication
(3) Smashing False Idols: Gospel Incarnation

The first thing I learned from Jonah is that the reason he ran away from God was because he hated the sinful and corrupt Ninevites and didn't want to see them saved. He was so self-righteous that he couldn't see why God would want to save them. Indeed, when he finally arrived in Nineveh his message was anything but gracious. He essentially condemned them and threatened them with God's complete destruction! This story causes me to examine myself: (1) do I see those around me (even the unlovable and my enemies) as God's creature for whom Jesus died? (2) am I so concerned about my good appearance that looking perfect has become my idol? (3) am I so concerned that if I speak about Jesus that others will think less of me? Have I become my own idol? The idol theme has been a good one, more about that later.

The second thing I learned from Jonah is that in my gospel presentation to non-believers I should distinguish the three groups of people: the religious, the irreligious, and the gospel believing people. The religious and the irreligious both run away from God. The story of Jonah in the run away ship illustrates this point very well. Jonah, who is God's spokesperson was running away from God on the same ship with the irreligious sinful sailors! There are other passages in scripture that highlighted the same message, the sermon on the mount and the parable of the prodigal son are among Tim Keller's favorites. Jonah's story helps me to be more humble when I present the gospel to others. I should focus more on the grace of God and the love of Jesus rather than on emphasis on personal morality. In our culture, most people already think that becoming a Christian means becoming a better person and leaving all the bad habits. What they haven't heard is that everyone needs something to believe in, whether it's personal accomplishments, or the love from someone, or being accepted, or looking pretty etc. We have to demonstrate that these "blessings" are not ultimately satisfying. Tim Keller uses the story of Jacob wrestling with God and how ultimately God blesses him. Both God and Jacob lost in that wrestling match. Jacob resulted in a permanent limp and God became a humble human being and suffered and died on the cross.

Tim Keller does a fantastic job explaining these. I will listen to these messages again at least one more time. The reason that it is an answered prayer is not so much that I will completely change my way today. These messages have helped me further along in my weak and feeble way. Tim Keller likens it to putting coins in a Coke machine but the Coke bottle doesn't fall. You have to shake the machine until you "hear the pennies fall". I am waiting for that but while I am waiting, I will remember the story of Jonah. I will check my attitudes frequently and dispose of my idols (here is that word again!). I will replace them with the only true and lasting object which deserves my wholehearted worship for the rest of my days.

Lesson from the mustard seed

^{Matthew 17:20-21}
He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

<sup>This passage in Matthew took place after Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain. A man reported to Jesus that his disciples had failed to heal his son who has a seizure disorder from which the boy has suffered greatly. In a rare display of chastising of his disciples, Jesus attributed their failure to their lack of faith:

 Mt 17:17</sup> “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.”

<sup>He then encouraged them that faith isn't measured by how great or little, but simply whether there is or there isn't. For as little faith as a physically small (around 1-2mm) mustard seed they can move mountain (where Jesus presumably just descended).

I am not unfamiliar with the sense of failure when it comes to healing anyone. In my medical profession I do very little healing. Most patients either get better over time if they have an acute, self-limiting illness, or they get worse if they have a chronic, typically progressive illness. I suppose I have a role to play by either shortening the course or improving symptoms of the illness (e.g. a respiratory infection), or by delaying an eventual outcome of a chronic condition (e.g. a heart attack or a cancer). Jesus has placed me in this vocation to move mountains! What are these mountains? I think one of the biggest mountain is people's spiritual blindness. How much faith do I need to remove this blindness? Do I believe that John 3:16 applies to my patients as well as to me? Here it is:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.</sup>

Just as an aside, Jesus heals the boy by rebuking the demon in the boy. He didn't use anticonvulsant. It's just another miracle! The scripture often describes symptoms and signs of clinical conditions that may or may not have the same medical labels of today (e.g. leprosy can be any skin rash and not necessarily Hansen's Disease).

I think I am going to find a small container of mustard seeds to keep in my office to remind me of this lesson... Nothing is impossible with God!