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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion March 6, 2007 Risky Business |
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Frontline Devotion for Tuesday, March 6, 2007 by Anne B. Crawford
Acting on faith is a risky business. It calls us to move beyond our comfort zone – despite our fears, our past experiences or expectations, and certainly to move beyond the safe and the known – most often without popular support. I am always struck by the risks faith presents when I read these two interconnected stories of the woman with the bleeding problem and the Jewish official Jarius and his sick daughter.
We get a lot of information the woman’s history. She’s had this bleeding condition for 12 years and tried all kinds of remedies and treatments – to no avail. To add insult to injury, she’s been repeatedly swindled or treated badly in the process. Certainly one could imagine that her expectations of what Jesus could do for her might be tinged with doubts and cynicism. But no – her faith is insistent, if not bold. For her, it is enough to get close to Jesus and touch the hem of his robe for her to be healed. Having touched his robe, however, her act of surreptitious faith gets Jesus’ full attention. He demands to know who touched his robe. The woman must admit to her act of faith no knowing what Jesus reaction would be – would he be angry? Would he somehow rescind the healing she had just experienced? Would he ask her for payment she couldn’t afford? Obviously Jesus did not of these things. Remarkably, he tells her her act of faith has produced healing and wholeness.
Then there’s Jarius. His story begins this passage. He is described as a leader – a man of position and power and yet neither of these attributes can help him restore his daughter to health. He abandons pride and position and, acting in faith he may not have really understood, begs Jesus to come and heal his daughter. When word comes that his daughter has died before Jesus can reach her, Jarius is called to remain faithful and continue to trust Jesus, who does restore the man’s daughter to life and health.
Faith is a risky business. We do not always know or can even imagine what God will do in our lives if we remain faithful and act in faith in situations and circumstances that call us to move beyond our comfort zones. Will you trust God to be with you when you step out in faith? He is waiting for you and me to take that leap of faith, whatever it is, with trust and boldness.
Prayer: God of all faithfulness, in the risky business of faith, help us to act boldly and trust completely in your love and care. May our acts of faith be a powerful witness for you in the world. Amen.
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry on the "Frontlines" of the world. Frontline Devotions are sent via email daily. Sign up by clicking on the box to the left. Pastor Dave welcomes feedback. Contact him at pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org. |
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