Christian Reflection and Prayer

Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby
towns and villages, preaching and announcing the
Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his
twelve disciples with him, along with some women
he had healed and from whom he had cast out evil
spirits.Luke 8:1-2

What an honor, privilege, and opportunity these
women had to walk with Jesus, in the flesh, from
town to town--serving him, experiencing miracles,
witnessing to others, and continuing to learn from
him along the way. But what a scandal! It was
unheard of in first century Jewish culture for women
to be taught by a rabbi. These women were not
necessarily among the elite or influential of their time,
either (see Luke 7:36-50).

But infirmity and transgression know no social
boundaries. Neither did Jesus. He crossed those
barriers. He treated all people equally. By doing so,
he demonstrated their significance to the Kingdom.

These females may have come from diverse
upbringings, but there was still a common thread
that bound them: God valued them. Mary Magdalene
is depicted in Luke 8:2 as having seven demons cast
from her. Yet Jesus took her into his closest circle.
She is reported in Matthew 27 and 28 to have
witnessed his crucifixion and was first to discover his
resurrection. Joanna, who was the wife of one of Herod's
officials, would have lived in extravagant surroundings,
but nevertheless required some type of healing. Susanna
is listed, and we know nothing about her, yet God
redeemed and treasured her as well. These women didnt
wallow in inadequacies and limitations. They realized
they were forgiven much, and they acknowledged their
need and love for a Savior. Jesus accepted these women
just as they were, but he didn't leave them in that condition.
He restored them to health.

Not unlike womens involvement in modern day mission
trips and various spiritual activities, these women arranged
their daily routines and family duties to do whatever was
required to aid in spreading the Good News. They may not
have been in the forefront of Jesus' ministry, but their tireless
work for little recognition is an example we all can follow.
These women remind us that effective service for Christ will
eventually mean more than recognition by others.

Your faithful acts of service may not seem to be noticed.
Or they may be noticed and devalued by others. But
remember what Jesus told the woman whose actions
precede this summary of women's roles: "Your faith has
saved you; go in peace" (Luke 7:50).

(Tyndale House Publishers)

Scripture:

“‘Do not come any closer,’ God said. ‘Take off your
sandals, for the place where you are standing is
holy ground.’” — Exodus 3:5

Why? “For the place you are standing on is
holy ground.” Moses was about to become
the leader of the children of Israel. This was
holy work, and indeed, he was standing on
“holy ground.” God wanted to teach Moses
at the outset that in order to do His holy work,
Moses must remain extremely sensitive.

Leaders can easily fall into the trap of being
out of touch with the people. Most leaders of
nations enjoy luxuries that the general public
does not. It’s easy to become insensitive to
the needs of the common man or unsympathetic
to a poor man’s plight. God, on the other hand,
says “Don’t you dare! My people are my precious
children.” Moses was commanded to remain
as sensitive as he was at that moment until the
day that he died.

Insensitivity is a trap we all can fall into. It’s
hard to empathize with the hungry if your stomach
is always full, or to feel for the homeless when we
are enjoying the comfort and warmth of our own
homes. But, friends, we in service of the Lord are
on "holy ground." We must remain acutely
sensitive to the needs of His children and do our
best to meet them, whenever and however we can.

With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

"We saw His star as it rose and have come
to do Him homage" (Matthew 2:2).

During World War II, a young bride from New
Jersey followed her soldier-husband to an
army camp on the edge of the California
desert. Her husband had advised her against
going because he knew that living conditions
would be primitive, at best. But she wanted
very much to be with him and he was unable
to change her mind. When the couple arrived
at the desert camp, the only housing they
could find was a run-down shack near an Indian
village. The heat was unbearable: up to 115
degrees in the shade. The wind blew constantly,
spreading sand all over everything. And, for the
young bride, the days were long and boring.
Her only neighbors were the Native Americans,
none of whom spoke English. When her husband
was ordered farther into the desert for maneuvers,
the loneliness and wretched living conditions got
the best of her. She wrote to her mother, "I can't
take any more of this. I want to come home!"
Several days later, she received a reply. In it, the
mother reminded her of the old family placard on
which these two lines were written:

Two men looked out from prison bars, one saw
mud, the other saw stars.

The daughter read these lines over and over again.
She began to feel ashamed of her response to the
situation she was in. She really didn't want to leave
her husband, and so she said to herself, "All right,
I'll look for the stars." In the days that followed she
began to make friends with her Native American
neighbors. She began to take lessons in weaving
and pottery from them. She became fascinated with
their culture and history -- everything about them.
Moreover, she began to study the desert. In the
process, she saw it wonderfully transformed from a
desolate, forbidding place to a marvelous expanse
of beauty. She studied the various forms of cacti,
the yuccas and the Joshua trees. She collected
sea shells that had been deposited there millions
of years before when the sands had been an ocean
floor. Later, she became such an expert on the area
that she wrote a book about it. A remarkable
transformation had taken place. But what had
changed, really, to make that possible? Not the
weather. Not the desert. Not the Native People.
What had changed was the woman's attitude.
Simply by changing her own attitude ("All right,
I'll look for the stars," she said), she had
transformed a miserable life situation into a highly
rewarding experience.

The Epiphany story invites each of us, now, to
follow that same star all the way down to the
center of our being. There, like the Magi, we
will know the true wisdom of the Christ Spirit.
There we will discover that without the Love of
Christ there is neither wisdom nor life. There we
will open our treasures and present to the
Redeemer our very lives, dedicated to His
ministry of loving service. We know our
Redeemer lives, because He lives in our soul!

( excerpts from Sunday Sermons Online)