Jesus the Healer: Intersession leads to incredible things!

In intercession we are united with the entire family of God because we are investing ourselves in the realization of God’s reign throughout the universe.  ~Maxie Dunnam

Welcome dear friend, to a series on the healing stories of Jesus. The root of the word healing in New Testament Greek, sozo, is the same as that of salvation and wholeness.  (UM Book of Worship) 

I invite you to enter into a time of Lectio Divina, deep prayer with scripture, as we explore one of the healing stories of Jesus.  Gather your journal if you have one, your bible and something to write with or simply use your computer, I've provided everything you need.

As we endeavor to examine and prayerfully allow God to touch our hearts with healing presence, I find this week's passage to be one of the richest passages I've prayed with so far.   It is like a gem with many facets.   With each turn of a phrase, we find the love and mercy of God shining ever deeper and brighter.  First, unlike many passages the Pharisees and teachers of the Law are not seen in such a bad light.  Of course, they are skeptical and put out at Jesus as they always seem to be but, in the end, they glorify Jesus along with everyone else, "astonishment seized them all."  Second, look at the faith of this man's friends.  They were willing to carry him and his burdens to Jesus, not just prayerfully but physically.  They were willing to take apart someone's home in order to find mercy and healing for their friend.  They were integral in this man's healing, "when Jesus saw their faith."   Third and final, we experience Jesus healing this man in both body and soul.  He called the man his friend, and he healed the (INHO) deeper wounds first, "your sins are forgiven."  Further, we witness the complete bodily healing of this man.  Set free from the burden of guilt, shame and communal condemnation, perhaps it is possible these words of forgiveness and Jesus' power to offer them freed the man to walk out on his own, "stand up ... go home!"  I know those words freed me once upon a time from my own guilt, shame, and memories of communal condemnation.  Ah, yes ... the power of forgiveness in incredible indeed. God mercy shines forth in this passage.  May I always remember that this man may not have experienced healing had his friends not interceded for him, and may our own intersessions lead always to incredible things such as these!

Take a moment to begin with a "Breath Prayer."

Breathing in ... Healing Forgiving Jesus 

Breathing out ... Hear my intercessions and have mercy

Repeat your breath prayer until you feel relaxed and centered

Pray for illumination of the text, use this one or pray what emerges from within you:   Healing Forgiving Jesus, as I read about the incredible things you do, reveal to me where I have fallen short myself and forgive me.  Show me who in my life needs my listening ear and my prayerful intercession.  Fill me with desire to be an instrument of your healing through the prayers I say and the action I take for others.  Amen.

1.  Lectio/Read:   Luke 5:17-26 (NET)
As you read, perhaps there is a word or phrase that will draw you to it.  Pay attention to the Pharisees, to the friends, and to Jesus.  Who is God drawing your attention to, what word or phrase is calling you?  Simply sit with your word or phrase and be grateful.

While [Jesus] was teaching, there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting nearby (who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem), and the power of the Lord was with him to heal. Just then some men showed up, carrying a paralyzed man on a stretcher. They were trying to bring him in and place him before Jesus. But since they found no way to carry him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down on the stretcher through the roof tiles right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” Then the experts in the law and the Pharisees began to think to themselves, “Who is this man who is uttering blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” When Jesus perceived their hostile thoughts, he said to them, “Why are you raising objections within yourselves? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralyzed man—“I tell you, stand up, take your stretcher and go home.” Immediately he stood up before them, picked up the stretcher he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. Then astonishment seized them all, and they glorified God. They were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen incredible things today.”

"Codex Aureus-Healing Of The Paralytic" by Unknown. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

2. Meditatio/Meditation 

Read the text a second time.  You may find that the same word has energy for you, but you may also find that another word has become more alive with meaning.  Pay attention to the energy this word has for you and consider how it illuminates your life right now.  Is God calling you to intercede for a person or a situation through this passage?  If so, take your word or phrase and write freely for that person or situation, in your journal or on your computer.  If that person is you, pay special attention to how God is speaking to you.  Don't think about what you are writing as you let God lead you deeper.

3. Oratio/Pray  

Read the text a third time.  Then read your own writing if you wrote anything.  Are there any connections you can make between what you read and the writing that flowed from your reading?  How do you respond to the intercessions God is calling you to?   How does this passage call upon you to glorify God?   What do you want to say to God about what you are hearing?  Take a moment to write again in your journal or on your computer as a prayer in response to what you have heard.  

4. Contemplatio/Contemplation  

Take a moment to pause.  Allow your breath prayer to emerge again.  You can use the same one from the beginning or perhaps a new one will emerge for you.  As you continue to pray, let the words fade away into silence. Spend time simply "be"ing with God.

Breathing in ... My friend Jesus, Forgiving Healer

Breathing out ... I glorify you as I meditate on your Mercy

Repeat your breath prayer until it fades into silence ... 

Allow your experience of praying with this healing story of Jesus to come to a close when you are ready to move on.  Let the Spirit lead you and guide you into the presence of God as you engage your life as a loving and healing presence to others.

Close with a prayer to send yourself into the world, use this one or pray what emerges from within you:  My friend Jesus, forgiving healer, thank you for forgiving me all those long years ago and every day since.  Thank you for calling me to consider the pain of others and how I might intercede for them in both word and deed.  Amen.

Genesis Roots: Joseph Forgives his Brothers and Invites the Whole Family to Live Near Him in Egypt!

We finish up my summer lectionary series called "Genesis Roots."  The word genesis means origin, beginning, or birth.  Root, in the context in which I'm writing, means essential core or source of life. In a way, the roots of the story of monotheistic faith rest in the stories we find in Genesis. 

 

This is the last week of Genesis Roots.  We close with an amazing story of forgiveness that mirrors God's mercy and grace.  Last week we read about how Jacob’s favored son, Joseph, was sold into slavery by his brothers.  His brothers then took Joseph’s bloody coat back to Jacob as evidence of his “death.”  Jacob grieved desperately.  Joseph walks with God and his strongest connection is through dreams. Through his dreams Joseph makes connections in Egypt and over the years he rises to power in Egypt.  During a time of famine in their land, Jacob sends his sons to Egypt to seek food.  We drop in on the reunion between Joseph and his brothers where we hear Joseph's sense of "providence" soften his heart ... all in God's plan.  

I invite you to spend a few moments preparing your heart to worship God as you engage with the text via Lectio Divina.  This week's reading is a little long for traditional lectio divina (10 verses is best) so we'll change it up a little as the passage unfolds.  But first, settle into a place of loving wonder within yourself with a simple  breath prayer.  Use this one or create your own.

Breathing in (who do you worship) ... God of Grace and Mercy

Breathing out (what do you desire)... Give me a Forgiving Heart

God of Joseph, as I read and pray with the holy text, illuminate my soul with kindness.  Give me a word to transform my life and fill me with joy.  In Christ, Amen.  

Step 1: Lectio … Reading

Read Genesis 45:1-15 slowly, 
and allow this tender story of forgiveness to unfold. 

Take it in and let your emotions guide you through. 

How do you feel about what you are reading?

Read the passage a 2^nd time, 
when you come upon a word or phrase 
that catches your attention, 
stop and focus on it. 

Sit with your word or phrase 
and let it marinate in your mind. 

Genesis 45:1-15 (NET)
Click here to read Original Lectio Version: The Voice Bible

Joseph was no longer able to control himself before all his attendants, so he cried out, “Make everyone go out from my presence!” No one remained with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. He wept loudly; the Egyptians heard it and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.
 

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” His brothers could not answer him because they were dumbfounded before him. Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me,” so they came near. Then he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.  Now, do not be upset and do not be angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me ahead of you to preserve life! For these past two years there has been famine in the land and for five more years there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.  God sent me ahead of you to preserve you on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.  So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.  Now go up to my father quickly and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not delay!  You will live in the land of Goshen, and you will be near me—you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything you have.  I will provide you with food there because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise you would become poor—you, your household, and everyone who belongs to you.”’  You and my brother Benjamin can certainly see with your own eyes that I really am the one who speaks to you.  So tell my father about all my honor in Egypt and about everything you have seen. But bring my father down here quickly!”

 Then he threw himself on the neck of his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.  He kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After this his brothers talked with him.

Step 2: Meditatio … Receiving

Continue to focus on your word or phrase or image.

Pay attention to the thoughts and feelings it has evoked.

What memories come to your mind?

Ask God to continue to speak to you.

Listen and watch for God’s Grace as you move through your day

Step 3: Oratio … Responding

Consider any desires that have been awakened by your prayer

Perhaps you have found an area of your life that needs attention

Perhaps a name has emerged, someone you need to forgive

Do not rush ... wait and listen as God forms your prayers and desires

Step 4: Contempatio … Resting

Allow your word, phrase or image to fall away ...

Allow yourself to rest in the silence ...    

  

If images are a pathway to God for you, you may want to pray while "gazing" upon this image."  Where does your gazing take you?

Joseph Forgives His Brothers, an illustration from a Bible card published by the Providence Lithograph Company, 1907, image in public domain via wikimedia commons

What better song for a story of deep forgiveness such that Joseph had for his brothers than Amazing Grace. And what better way to end our study on "Genesis Roots."  

In this passage, Joseph mirrors for me the way of Christ … so if music is a pathway to God for you, take this link to a performance of Amazing Grace by Celtic Woman. Enjoy!

Amen and Amen!