Our Deepest Fear

Take a moment and let this beautifully powerful quote sink in...

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
-Marianne Williamson

One of the plagues that cripples people today is that of low self esteem. Not too long ago I had a texting conversation with a young friend of mine - a little brother type friend - who is battling an extremely and dangerously amount of self esteem. He told me that quite frankly he hates himself. He's always hated himself. He hates his image. His image makes him sick.

On several occasions I've conversed with him and told him how wonderful of a young man he is! This is not a tactic to try and accomplish anything; in fact, the kid is extremely talented, handsome, intelligent, sociable, and stand-up-ish for someone his age... But he believes he is worthless, trash, disgusting... to himself.

Unfortunately, like my young friend, too many people are slaves to a dismal sense of self image. Including me. So the question is: who am I? You see, I cannot know what I am unless I know who I am. Unless I identify the who, I leave ample space for others, both people and things, to dictate the what.

Check it

QUESTION: Who am I?

"Then God said, 'Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us." Genesis 1:26; "So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." v27. And just to show off: "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made" Psalms 139:14. As if that were not enough, God confirms who we are in this: "See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1.

ANSWER: I am God's son, fearfully and wonderfully made in his image; I am like God! Simply put: I am ALL that AND a bag of chips - for free! No soda... (that was a joke) In all seriousness, this is not to be taken lightly. We are God's children!

Yay! We are God' children!.... but wait a minute.... who in the world is God?

I am glad you asked

"God replied to Moses, 'I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you." Exodus 3:14; "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." Revelation 1:8; "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" John 8:58; "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8; "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." Revelation 22:12

Got it? Good!

Now, the easier of the two questions: What are you? Inherent in 'what' is purpose. And this is where our ride comes to an end. Not that I cannot answer the question, but what's the purpose? (got that?) I can only define what I am in terms of me, and what I want to be. Defining the 'what' for anyone else defeats the entire purpose of this blog entry. In other words, you, as the reader, have to initiate that discovery on your own, having already defined and grasped who you are.

Still I offer you this help:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." -Marianne Williamson

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7


Enjoy this piece by MercyMe

Illogically Logical

After a L O N G hiatus, a recent conversation with a very good friend of mine made me realize that there is an increasing need for people to hear, read, come in contact with the Word. And after much thought - OK, not much thought at all - I realize that I deviated from the work I am asked to do for way too long. Therefore, without saying much more; without delaying any longer, let's get to it!

John 20

"Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. 'Dear woman, why are you crying?' the angels asked her. 'Because they have taken away my Lord,' she replied, 'and I don’t know where they have put him." v11-13

WARNING
Read the above passage again before attempting to answer the following question

QUESTION: What's wrong with this passage?

Go'head, read it again....

Nothing...?

Check it

I am sure and would be willing to bet all of my savings (which is a whopping $20 or so) on the fact that we have all experienced death in way or another. Maybe it was a close kin. Maybe it was a friend. Maybe it was the death of a famous person we identified with (like good ol' Mike Jack)... In one way, shape, or form we have all been stung by this thing known as death. And in death there is sadness, there are tears, there is the visit to the one place everyone is - I think - afraid to go: the cemetery.

It is important to note that the Mary being referred in John 20:11 is none other than the Mary of Magdala, known as Mary the Magdalene, or simply Mary Magdalene.

There she is. At the tomb. In a cemetery. Where there are dead people. Dead people. She looks inside the tomb of a close friend of hers who'd recently died. She sees two white-robed dudes. Chillin'. Inside the tomb. In a cemetery. Where there are dead people. Dead people. She's crying. I mean, she is really crying. And one of the white-robed dudes asks her this question: "Dear woman, why are you crying?"

TIME OUT!

Dear woman, WHY ARE YOU CRYING?!

Is that the best question to ask someone who is at a CEMETERY?? What do you mean "why are you crying"? If I were Mary, my response would have gone something like this (clear throat): Oh! Is this not a cemetery? I'm sorry... guess I'm in the wrong place. Let me call my homegirls over and have a barbecue instead!" Feel free to sprinkle a bit more sarcasm.

The point is, for the white-robed dudes being angels, that was the worst question and the wrong question they could have asked Mary; agree?

..... is it really?

Jesus and Mary were close friends. In fact, Jesus was close friends with the trio from Magdala: Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. He'd often go and spend time with them at their home. Although it is not stated in the Bible how Jesus came to know this family, I believe that this friendship had a rather unusual beginning.

Remember the woman caught in adultery? That was Mary Magdalene. That was the first time Mary came face to face with her Savior. When all had already condemned her to death, Jesus gave her new life in the words "go and sin no more." John 8:11. Mary's new life must have caught the attention and gratitude of her siblings, arousing a want and need for them to know the originator of such sudden and sure change. And I believe that is when Jesus' friendship with the Magdala trio cemented.

Remember the woman who lavished perfume on Jesus' feet and dried them with her hair? That was Mary Magdalene. Luke 7:36-38

Remember when Jesus wept? That was because Mary Magdalene's brother, Lazarus, had died. John 11

The Bible supports the notion that this friendship was one that Jesus valued, and it is clear that they valued Jesus. Remember Jesus' trial, torture, and crucifixion? Mary witnessed it. On that Friday. Replayed it in her mind that Saturday. Went looking for closure that Sunday...

Which takes us back to the white-robed dude's insane question: "Dear woman, why are you crying?" Mary was crying for two reasons. Jesus had died. And as if that were not enough, someone had taken away his body! "Because they have taken away my Lord', she replied, 'and I don't know where they have put him" John 20:13

Believe it or not, Mary by no means answered the question she was being asked. The angels asked her specifically "WHY are you crying?" Instead, Mary understood the question as "why are YOU crying?"

Let me explain.

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:1-3 KJV

Although Mary was not present - I don't think - at the time Jesus made this promise, the fact is that He promised a return. Which means that His being dead was something temporary. Temporary meaning not permanent. So the question the angel asked was a rhetorical question of sorts, aiming to make Mary realize the point which completely went over her head: Jesus is ALIVE!

"Dear woman, why are you crying" when you can clearly see the tomb is empty? Do you think we'd be chillin' in here if someone had taken His body away? Fo'real, Mary? Fo'real? If the tomb is empty, can't you see that Jesus lives!? Can't you see that every single word He'd ever spoken, every promise He's ever made, every miracle He's ever performed is now validated and backed up by the fact that Jesus lives!?

Dear woman, WHY are you crying when instead you should be rejoicing? And, yes! Call your homegirls over and let's have a barbecue and throw it down! Because Jesus is alive!


So the question is posed to me, as well as you: WHY are YOU crying when faced with difficulties and uncertainties and clouds of 'what ifs' and whatever else? Can't you see? Can't I see?.... The tomb is empty! And JESUS IS ALIVE!

Hallelujah! Glory be to God! The tomb is empty! And Jesus is alive!

Don't Cry - Kirk Franklin