About Me
- Paul Metler, Ph.D.
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- Hello. Thanks for stopping by. If you care to read about what's crossing my mind or sticking in my heart I welcome you to my latest post. So, I hope you enjoy my ramblings. More importantly, I hope I can encourage you to join me in my quest to be a faithful follower of my Lord Jesus Christ.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Belief and Futility
The story of a woman healed (Mark 5:25-34) presents a great message of belief. Mark describes a woman who has suffered for twelve years and has "spent all she had" and yet she has continued to grow worse. When she hears of Jesus she finds the courage to reach out to Him. She touches His garment and receives a miraculous healing. Not only does she receive physical healing, but Jesus sends the woman on her way with a proclamation of "peace". What is the relationship between belief and our own futile efforts to find peace? I believe the description of the woman's costly and ineffective efforts to find a remedy for her affliction illustrate an important principle of belief in Jesus. At some point, we have to take a significant step of faith. Belief emerges from our recognition that faith in Jesus is bigger than our ability to control. It is necessary because our efforts to be adequate for life are always insufficient. It seems to me that the woman's efforts to find healing through her own means illustrates our desire to believe "on our own terms". In fact her healing seems to occur "anonymously" at first - but Jesus does not permit that to happen. Belief is interpersonal. It connects us with a personal God. Our belief is nevr unnoticed by God. Our belief in God is more than a means to healing, it is an eternal relationship of love.
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3 comments:
Just something that I thought you'd have an opinion on ... What do you think of the apocrypha, and do you think they are worth studying? I've seen verying viewpoints on the subject, but wanted to see what your thought is on the matter. Hope you see this and can answer it ... I'll check back soon, LOL!
Here's a short answer to to a big question. Yes, I believe they are worth studying. While I do not think the apocrypha belong with the authoritative text, that doesn't mean they aren't interesting and informative. Because they are written (for the most part) during a time of struggle and restlessness they can give some sense of historical setting and ways of thinking. From the standpoint of literature, the diversity of the apocryphal writings can be some fascinating reading
Hmmm. Thanks for the answer, I'm really interested in checking them out, but wasn't sure if I should, you know? We've got a new job in the house, and some huge changes within the family unit that will make getting back into Oak Ridge easy soon. I'm so looking forward to it, LOL! Can't wait to be back because watching on tv just isn't the same as the fellowship when you're there.
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