Jesus Stopped.

El Camino Academy Staff Retreat 2019

Before Jesus ever started his public ministry, God had created a pain, but he also created a path to healing. Luke 8 tells the story of a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. And during all those years, God was working. At the same time the woman began to bleed, God created Jarius' daughter who, 12 years later would need to be raised to life, causing Jarius to look for Jesus. And as Jesus was in route to heal the little girl, he encountered the woman who started it all, and who, by faith, called out for redemption. 

So Jesus stopped. 

Sunset View from Apartment 1604

He could have felt the power leave him but continued on his way to heal the girl, but he chose to stop, and from Jarius' perspective, delay. 

He cared deeply for this woman who reached out in faith. He cared because his father had created this journey, this route, more than 12 years ago, hoping that she would reach out in faith to be healed. 

And so Jesus stopped.

Bible project - mobile of priorities with Jesus at center

When he stopped, he turned his back to Jarius and looked around. And he used this woman's pain to show Jarius that he has enough power to heal both sorrows. 

Yet how often do I feel personally hurt when he turns to answer another prayer or heals or saves someone else while I am begging for his help. But the truth is that his choice to stop for another does nothing to take away from the power in my story. There is always more compassion and more time.

His time is not our time. Why did he let her bleed for 12 years? We'll never know this side of heaven. But while she waited, she was not forgotten. He was working. 

In English we say "God is working" or "God is at work." But in Spanish there's another word - "obrando." It goes beyond the idea of working or managing or operating. It implies more of a "creating" or "designing" and the word "obra" can be used to talk about a work of art or a play. I love this because it better portrays the process of God in us. It's a photograph being developed in a dark room, a story being dreamed up, or a seed planted but not buried forever. It is not finished. 


Jesus does not delay. But he does stop. 

none of it is worthless.

me with my 12th grade homeroom class

I've been thinking a lot about suffering as it fits into the Gospel. Lately I've had several conversations with teachers and students about a new documentary called American Gospel. Here's the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU75EzbdNEc

American Gospel highlights US church leaders who are falsely preaching a Gospel of prosperity: God desires for you to be happy, healthy, and wealthy. When you're not one of these things, the philosophy argues, you need to name and claim the better, easier things you want from God. 

B U T   W H E R E   I S   T H I S   I N   T H E    B I B L E ?

me speaking at our high school retreat

Old Testament - Noah, Joseph, Job, Hosea, Ruth...etc. All people who suffered. They were mocked, sold, tortured, broken, and alone. Yet God used them to re-populate the world, save all of Israel from famine, be examples to God's people, carry on the family line to Jesus...just stuff like that. 

New Testament - Literally all the the disciples tortured, killed, exiled for their faith in Jesus. Paul, who repeatedly asked God to remove a "thorn from his flesh" (2 Corinthians 12) and who delighted in weaknesses and hardships, so that the power of Christ may be evident in His life. 

S O    W E    M A D E    I T    U P.

As I've discussed this "prosperity gospel" with my students, I've realized that this North American mentality has made its way to South America too. Many churches here preach a message that says do ___________ and God will give you __________. I believe this sets people up for 2 different responses:

RESPONSE 1 - Distraction from depth in relationship with God due to all his "blessings." Constantly thinking that more has to be done in order to "keep up," or worse, thinking that somehow you really do deserve all the blessings.  

RESPONSE 2 - Disappointment when you're working hard, and God doesn't seem to live up to his end of the "bargain" because life is painful or hard. Disappointment stems from thinking we are owed more that we are given. 

ankle sprain doesn't stop me from coaching woman's staff team

Here is a true promise straight from the mouth of Jesus: "In this world you will have troubles, but take heart I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). So why are we surprised when pain comes? Why do we immediately try to avoid or repair it? I think we're actually missing out on this incredible steadfast strength that Paul mentions. 

Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of times that our sin and poor choices make life more difficult for us. There are absolutely consequences for going our own way and it is often painful. But what I'm talking about here is the truth that God desire for us to be holy, not just happy. He is using the pain to stretch us in extremely uncomfortable ways. For those of us who have truly surrendered our story to God, our lives are not our own. "Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?" (Job 2)

I've started reading a book called It's Not Supposed to be This Way by Lysa Terkeurst. This book is about how we have fallen from God's original design, but that we live on this side of eternity, where God is still in the process of redeeming all stories for his glory. She describes an addiction to comfort and the fear of being "touched" by God like this: 

"Being lulled into a false sense of security is worse than going through the process of suffering."

My dog Sammy and I in our apartment in Bogotá

In other words, it is far better to walk through the path of pain holding hands with Jesus, than it is to miss out on the growth that can only happen in these seasons of life. 

B  R  O  K  E  N      S  E  A  S  O  N  S

• When you've continuously waited for God's promises but you feel like maybe He forgot and you're tempted to try it your way. 
• When you did the right thing and now your friend won't talk to you.
• When your loved one fought hard the first time, but now the cancer is back. 
• When you spoke up for the right thing at work and you got fired. 
• When you have been begging God for a child while you struggle to celebrate with others who are getting pregnant so easily. 
• When you thought you heard from the Lord so you took the risk and followed, but now you question His goodness and your own ability to hear His voice. 
• When God takes away your child. 
• When the person you trusted the most rips your heart out and not even time can fix it. 
• When you're still not healing and you're tired of fighting.

I'll never get tired of soccer or mountains

Life is hard. It is painful. It is unfair. But we can take courage knowing that we are in good company and that we're not "doing something wrong." Just like Noah, Joseph, Job, Hosea, Ruth, Paul, at all the others, God is more interested in my holiness than my happiness. And he is doing something! with all of it! it's not over! Jesus is the lead example to say "not my will, but yours" God, be done in my life. But these struggles are what remind us that our hope is directly anchored to an unchanging promise of God's goodness and the eternal weight of glory. Don't run from him, let the hurt draw you to scream, and poor out your heart to him. Instead of trying to escape the pain, let God use it. 

N  O  N  E     O  F     I  T     I  S     W  O  R  T  H  L  E  S  S.