What's Your Superpower?

 

Photo credit:  Free-images.com

Seen on t-shirts and coffee mugs in a back-to-school sale: “I’m a teacher. What’s your superpower?” Teachers definitely have superpowers that I don’t have! 

One superpower all of us possess is the power to affect the world through our prayers and our faith in our loving God. It’s up to us to use this God-given power. Here’s how prayer and faith have changed lives:

Through prayer, Saint Monica convinced God to get through to her wayward son and inspire him to give up his reckless lifestyle. Augustine was raised a Christian but abandoned his faith while in his teens and led a wild life. Monica prayed for him fervently for many years. Her friend Ambrose, bishop of Milan, assured her that “It is impossible that the son of so many tears should perish.” Through the prayers of his mother and the influence of Ambrose, Augustine abandoned his lifestyle, sold his belongings and gave the proceeds to the poor, and wrote important works on philosophy and theology. He was canonized in 1298.

Through prayer, Moses got God to change His mind! In the book of Exodus, God was angry at the Israelites for turning away from Him and worshiping a golden calf. God threatened to destroy all of them but Moses pleaded with Him, and “God changed his mind about the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people” (Exodus 32:14).

In Luke’s gospel (Luke 5:17-26), a paralyzed man was carried by his friends on a stretcher to where Jesus was teaching. They couldn’t get near the house because of the large crowd, so the friends lifted the man up to the roof, removed some of the roof tiles, and lowered him down in front of Jesus. What happened next? “When Jesus saw their faith He said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.” Then the Pharisees accused Jesus of blasphemy: “Who but God alone can forgive sins?” and Jesus replied, “What’s easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or ‘Rise and walk’?” He then told the paralyzed man to get up, pick up his stretcher, and go home. The man did so, and he and the astonished crowd began praising God. 

It’s important to notice that Jesus commented on the faith of the man’s friends, not the faith of the man himself: “When Jesus saw their faith He said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.’” Because of his friends’ faith and tenacity, the man was healed.

Do you know someone who seems lost, or who’s on a stretcher, literally or figuratively? Take them to Jesus in faithful prayer. God loves you; He hears you. Imagine the awesome influence we could have on the world if we believed in the power of our prayers for each other! 

So, here’s your superpower: Changing lives by praying with faith for the people you care about.

“We always pray for you..”  2 Thessalonians 1:11

“Lord, I know You hear me. Bless (this person) with whatever they need most from You.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2024 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

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P.S.

Pray for peace at home, in Ukraine, Russia, the Middle East, and around the world. Donate toward a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

How Will We Know?

Photo credit: Free-images.com

How will we know if we don’t ask?

In Matthew’s gospel (Matthew 19:16-22), a young man approached Jesus and asked, “What good must I do to gain eternal life?” The man said he had observed the Ten Commandments his whole life. Maybe he wanted Jesus to praise him for following the rules. Maybe he was going to congratulate himself on being such a good person. Or, maybe he sensed God wanted more from him than just to obey those rules, but he didn’t know what. Maybe he saw peace in Jesus’ followers and wondered why he didn’t feel that and also how he could attain it. His heart must have been unsettled; he was clearly searching for something more because then he asked a bolder question: “What do I still lack?”  

In reply, Jesus challenged him to live by the Spirit of the law instead of simply obeying the letter of the law. He told him to love his neighbors in concrete, radical, and generous ways. This would bring him the profound peace he was longing for and eternal life. Christ’s answer wasn’t what the young man wanted to hear, though; when he heard Jesus say this, ‘he went away sad.’ 

God designed us to have a deep longing for Him. We feel unsettled in this life because this life isn’t our final destination; eternal life with God is what we were made for. As Augustine of Hippo said, “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” 

To gain this peace we’re all searching for, we can ask Christ the bold questions: “I’m a good person and I follow all the commandments; what do I still lack that will bring me eternal life? What’s blocking me from You and the joy and profound peace I’m longing for? What’s missing from my life, from my daily routine, that would bring me closer to You and the people around me? In what ways can I put more time and energy into strengthening my relationship with You and my relationships with those I care about? How can I love my neighbors in concrete, radical, and generous ways?” 

During our day, we can ask ourselves questions like, “Is what I’m about to say or do the most loving choice I have? Will what I say or do build up this other person, or tear them down? Do my choices reflect the love Christ has for me and the love He wants me to show to others?” 

The young man in Matthew’s gospel approached Jesus for answers. May we also courageously step toward Him for answers on how to attain peace, joy, and eternal life. How will we know if we don’t ask? Ask, then listen, and then act.

“The young man said to Him, ‘All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?’”

–Matthew 19:20

“Lord, what do I need to gain eternal life with You?”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2024 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

You can also find my posts on Facebook!

P.S.

Pray for peace at home, in Ukraine, Russia, the Middle East, and around the world. Donate toward a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

"Turn and Become Like Children"

Some of my favorite photos are of parents walking with their small children. There’s serenity in that scene. Secure in their parents’ love for them, the children are worry-free, humbly going wherever they’re taken, trusting their parents to care for them. Though they sometimes protest, they know deep-down that their parents want to give them what’s best for them.

When Christ tells us to become like children, He’s inviting us to adopt the humility and innocence of children and abandon our fearful, cynical ways. Secure in His never-ending love for us, we can trust Him to care for us. We can believe that He will guide us toward what is best for us, what will bring us closer to Him, and what will bring us the happiness and peace we’re constantly searching for. He will do all this and more, if we ask Him.

Listen to Christ speak these words to you:

Do you trust Me?

Do you believe that I love you?

Do you trust Me to always be with you?

Don’t be so self-sufficient.

Don’t try to do it all by yourself. 

Trust me to guide you and strengthen you.

Trust Me to show you the way through your difficulties and decision-making.

Trust Me to either heal you, remove whatever is causing you to suffer, or give you the strength to bear those burdens. 

Just ask Me.

Trust me to give you all you need, and more. 

A child trusts her loving parents to give her what she needs to stay healthy and safe, not necessarily what she wants. Trust Me that I love you and want to give you not necessarily everything you want, but everything you need.

Some parents fail their children, but I will never fail you.

Recognize that everything is a gift. Without My love for you, you would have neither water to drink nor food to eat. Your very life is My gift to you. I’ve given you all of it so that you could see how vast My love is for you. And if I have given you so much already, know that I will continue to give good things to you when you ask Me to.

Trust in My promise that you will be with Me in My Kingdom, in this world and the next, if you trust Me to care for you. Make a deliberate choice to change. Turn from the fears that cause you to be self-centered, boastful, and cynical, and trust in Me. 

Christ promises to be with us at all times. Let us trust Him and take Him at His word. Let us become like children before Him: humble, trusting, and joyful. 

“Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.” 

–Matthew 18:3-4

“Lord, I believe You love me. I trust You to give me everything that I need.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2024 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

You can also find my posts on Facebook!

P.S.

Pray for peace at home, in Ukraine, Russia, the Middle East, and around the world. Donate toward a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

Accumulate Lasting Treasures

This has been a summer for simple pleasures. For example, in July, all of our kids and grandkids were in town, together, for a couple days. Hearing the adult kids’ voices and laughter was music to my ears. When we explored the Gorge Trail, it was refreshing to see the little ones’ eyes widen when they saw the fast-moving Cuyahoga River. We cheered for them when they managed to climb onto massive rocks. We stooped down with them to study cool-looking mushrooms. Then, after their visit, one of my dear friends invited me to go kayaking with her. We enjoyed a happy afternoon together paddling those kayaks around a beautiful lake. 

I savor these kinds of activities; they let us cherish time with each other and the natural wonders God created out of His immense love for us. 

This appreciation is something money can’t buy. Christ warns against letting the stuff we own give us a false sense of security and get in the way of our relationship with Him. He reminds us to trust Him, and to accumulate riches that have lasting value – that will bring us closer to each other and to Him.

What are some of these lasting treasures? 

Experiences, for one. When you share your time, talents, the things you own, or a meal with the people you love, the happy memories you create and the loving bonds you strengthen are more valuable than any tangible item. 

What else has lasting value? Your friendly phone call or visit to someone who needs a listening ear. Your generosity when you donate something of value to a cause you care about. Your kindness when you hold a garage sale and give the proceeds to a local charity. Your prayer time, whether at home, in church, in your car, or anywhere. Your love when you teach your child to pray. Your patience when you teach them to count or play a game. The treasure you give to school kids when you lead a club, coach a team, or help them learn to read. The love you give by listening to someone whose viewpoint is different from yours. The respect you show in your friendly gestures toward the school janitor, delivery person, or trash collector. The peace you give, and receive, when you forgive someone. The joy you bring when you share your talents; I and the beautiful women in our a cappella group see this first-hand when we sing for others and look out at their smiling faces. 

Let’s treasure time together, and accumulate treasures that last.

“Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” – Luke 12:32-34

“Lord, help me seek treasures that will last forever.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2024 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

You can also find my posts on Facebook!

P.S.

Pray for peace at home, in Ukraine, Russia, the Middle East, and around the world. Donate toward a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.