"Blistered" Christians

"I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak." Ezekiel 34:16

Dear Friends,

Last week, the LORD blessed our family with the opportunity to spend a few days at the beach together. We made the 6 hour journey down to Gulf Shores on Sunday, and moved into the really nice beach house that belonged to my husband's "God parents," George and Jeanne Braly. The kids chose their bedroom, my husband and i took the master bedroom, and i took the upper deck outside as my "bedroom." It worked for my allergies and what a blessing it was to go to sleep each night to the sound of the ocean waves in my ears, and a full moon reflecting off the ocean. It truly was a blessing to be able to sleep outside...the only drawback, well, besides not getting to sleep with my hubby, was one morning, early, a pelican flew over me and something wet dripped on my face. I immediately thought of something not so desirable, but Hannah Beth comforted me later and said that it was probably just water dripping from it's wings. Hopefully she was right:). Monday morning, the kids and I were eager to get down to the beach and catch some " sun rays". We had a sweet time together, walking along the beach, talking, and laying on our towels. My son and I read, while Hannah Beth was yakking on the phone to friends back home...it was almost like we took their friends on vacation with us but we didn't have to pay for them:) We only stayed out a couple of hours that morning, but whoa, did the sun jump on our white bodies. I didn't think I had gotten too much sun, but I felt sorry for my son, because his stomach was already fiery red. Later on the back of my legs started really burning. That afternoon, we were meeting some friends to go out on their boat. The kids enjoyed tubing in the Gulf, while they dodged the jellyfish, and we "old folks" enjoyed watching them while we got even more sun. What a sweet time of fellowship we had with their dear family on the boat and later over supper. I had never met them before, but when you meet a brother or sister in CHRIST, sometimes you feel like you've known them all your lives, and they were that way...i could truly sense an intimacy about their walk with CHRIST, and we enjoyed being with them so much. That night, as we were burning on our way back to the beach house, we stopped at the drug store to buy some aloe vera to put on the sunburn. The next morning the kids were going deep sea fishing with Dad, and a dear friend we met last year, Mr. Mater, on his boat. They kept the sun screen and t- shirts on, being careful not to get too much sun that morning...they were already blistered, along with me, from the day before. In fact, the rest of the trip we were pretty careful about getting out in the sun, because of getting blistered the first day. It hurt, a lot, and we didn't want to overdo it again...finally on Wednesday, we ventured out a little, cautiously, back out in the sun, but mostly stayed inside during the hot hours of the day. In the pictures above, my son rubs sunscreen on after our "painful" lesson the day before, and the beautiful view from my "bedroom," of the Gulf coast, and the sun:).
I've been thinking the last couple of weeks about folks who get "blistered" spiritually, and are reluctant to go back out in the "Son." When i thought about our reluctance to go back into the sun due to our being blistered, it reminded me of what i've been thinking about in the spiritual realm. Sometimes, people are "injured" spiritually as young Christians and because of that, these immature CHRISTians who were "burned" are hesitant to go back "out in the Son."
I have shared with ya'll that i was poisoned by pesticides, among other things, many years ago, and as a result, my immune system broke down. I once, who was very healthy and a college athlete, gradually became unable to walk to the mailbox, nurse my baby due to severe back pain, and spent most of my time on the floor for months to relieve my pain. At one point, i used to be able to take handfuls of vitamins, and gradually became unable to tolerate vitamins at all. Part of my treatment to recover my health was to take nutritional supplements because my body was malnourished. I didn't take supplements for many years because "I reacted" to them...i felt really bad when i took them, but then i got so sick because my nutrient level was so low,i had to do something. I learned through my nutritionist to rotate my vitamins and take them every four days, and through my dear doctor, to take just a small amount of the vitamin and go slow...otherwise, my body could just not handle it...it "recoiled" every time i tried to things for more than 2 days in a row. Thankfully, with some wonderful encouragement, and "pushing" from my doctor and nutritionist, i am able to take more supplements now than i have in a long time, and my nutrition levels in my body are going up. But, i still have "reactions," and i still get irritable and don't feel well, and lash out at my family and others at times...and i am very sorry for the way i act. I thought about how the injury that my body received has caused me to only be able to take supplements in small doses...i've had to work my way up, and i continue to, slowly. Even though i knew the supplements were good for me, my body just would not cooperate...and still doesn't at times, even though i desperately need the supplements to bring healing to my injured body.
In the spiritual realm, there are those brothers and sisters among us, who have been injured some way in their journey as a young CHRISTian, and they have not been able to recover fully from those injuries. What is so healthy to you and me, can literally choke them, if they receive too much at one time...they still need milk instead of the meat of the Word. They need our love, instead of condemnation, and our encouragement instead of criticism, and perhaps smaller doses of the Truth, instead of large doses.
Earlier this week, as i was reading in Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, he wrote about this very issue, using Mephibosheth as an example of being injured as a young child and was lame in both feet. Mephibosheth was unable to follow King David when he fled from the city from his son and was "therefore maligned and injured by his servant Ziba." Charles Spurgeon wrote," Saints whose faith is weak, and whose knowledge is slender, are great losers; they are exposed to many enemies and cannot follow the king wherever he goes. This disease frequently arises from falls. Bad nursing in their spiritual infancy often causes converts to fall into a despondency from which they never recover..."
I have to confess, I've been wondering about someone lately who I thought was lost, and I have asked you to pray for, but they may fall into this category of being injured in their infancy as a CHRISTian and have never recovered. I am thankful the HOLY SPIRIT intercedes for us in our weakness to pray and turns our prayers into exactly what we need to pray. "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with GOD's will," Romans 8:26-27. I am sure of this though, the LORD wants to pour out HIS love upon them through us, and show HIS love to them, and be a channel of HIS power to bring healing to them from their injuries. Just as my body "recoils" from vitamins that bring healing to my body, these injured CHRISTians "recoil" from fellowship with other CHRISTians, going to church and hearing GOD's WORD preached, because of painful injuries in their past.
I have found it is not always easy to love these "blistered" Christians as they often don't respond to our love in the way "normal" CHRISTians would respond. Instead, their bodies may "recoil," as mine does to vitamins,and they might even lash out at our efforts to love them. I have found that my "natural love" runs out quickly when i am not loved in return, but GOD is so gracious to give the energy, the love, the heart, to keep on loving , even when our love is not returned. I stumble and fall, but HE picks me up and reminds me, this is about HIM, not me, and wants to use me to bring healing to those who have been injured. The LORD reminded me a few weeks ago of a definition of love that I learned as a young CHRISTian. I'm sorry I can't remember who shared this but it sure has been a lesson HE has been reiterating to me, recently: "Love is an act of the will that builds up another person, even at great personal cost, even when there is no response in return." In Oswald Chamber's My Utmost for His Highest, he says that " natural love expects some return," but Paul says, "Though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved," 2 Corinthians 2:15. "Paul says I do not care whether you love me or not, I am willing to destitute myself completely, not merely for your sakes, but that I may get you to GOD." Wow, i must say, that GOD is testing me in this, and I would ask you to pray for me that I would be willing, like Paul to destitute myself completely to get others to GOD. I confess, there is not a natural bone in me that would desire to do that on my own...it is only CHRIST's grace and power that rests upon me that enables me to ever keep loving when my love is not returned.
The LORD brought a sweet and tender verse to me this week, as i have been pondering on this issue the past couple of weeks from Ezekiel 34:16. "I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak." GOD promises, along with seeking the lost, and bringing back the strayed, to bind up the injured and strengthen the weak.
I know this, that I am among the weak, and I need HIS strength, HIS wisdom, HIS grace, to empower me to reach out to those who are lost and to be a channel of healing to those who have been injured. I am so thankful for those who have been tender with me and patient through the years through the difficulties of my physical illness, and helping me to recover. It has been painstakingly slow at times, and how especially thankful I am to my family whose love in CHRIST has carried me through these difficult times, and my physicians who have understood the need to go slow to help me recover. It has also occurred to me, that I have been the one to inflict pain upon "blistered" CHRISTians at times by being insensitive to injuries that they had received in the past from well meaning Christians or the church. My efforts to share CHRIST and encourage them in CHRIST was "too much," for where they were walking. It was painful to them and they "recoiled," from my efforts. I am learning to ask GOD to help me depend on HIM and give me HIS wisdom, HIS love, and HIS patience to bring healing to HIS injured lambs instead of rushing in with "full force."
I am having to learn to apply the lessons of being "blistered" with the physical sun, to those who have been injured and realize that some folks just cannot handle large doses of the "SON", GOD's WORD, fellowship, prayer, and other aspects of the CHRISTian life at once because of their injuries. Only CHRIST, our GREAT PHYSICIAN brings healing about slowly in their lives, and HE uses us, HIS imperfect children to reach out to these who are hurting. Sometimes, in their pain, they don't return our love, they may even inflict pain in return for our love.
I'm so glad that I have had to struggle with taking little doses of vitamins and supplements to help me understand this principle in the spiritual realm. It helps me to slow down and be patient with those who have been "blistered" spiritually and need to be nurtured and encouraged, and loved unconditionally until their spirit is able to respond to larger doses of GOD's truth. I messed up and dumped an "ocean load" of truth upon a struggling one, and they "recoiled ." I am so thankful that GOD promises that HIS "grace is sufficient, and HIS power is made perfect in my weakness." I am trusting HIM to bring about HIS spiritual healing in the life of this dear one in spite of my efforts that missed the mark. I ask you, my dear praying friends and family, to pray with me for GOD's healing in the life of "my friend," healing that only HE can bring about in HIS time. Please pray that I would not grow weary in my prayers and love for this person, that i would be like Paul and be willing to "destitute myself completely to get others to GOD."
The group "Casting Crowns" sings a song called "Love Them Like Jesus" that encourages me to love those who have been "blistered" in some way. I am often without the right words to say, and often there is nothing I can do but pray, but this song encourages me to love and encourage those who so need CHRIST's healing. Those "blistered" people may not seem like they need CHRIST or HIS love, but they are hurting underneath, and GOD uses us to be HIS hands and feet to them....even though we may get hurt in the process. I read a quote this week from Springs in the Valley that said, "Are you not willing to endure scars in order to liberate souls?" Paul said, "I will very gladly spend and be spent for you," 2 Cor. 12:15. I know that only in CHRIST and HIS grace, can I have this same heart for those who are lost and "injured," and be willing to "spend and be spent," for them. The chorus to Love Them Like JESUS" shares, "Just love her like JESUS, carry her to HIM, HIS yoke is easy, HIS burden is light/You don't need the answers to all of life's questions/Just know that HE loves her and stay by her side/Love her like JESUS/Love her like JESUS." Often times we aren't able to stay by their side physically, but we sure can spiritually by taking them to the LORD in our diligent and fervent prayers for them and loving them like JESUS. You can listen to this beautiful song and watch the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuAxzEuzNGg.
With all HIS love,
mitzi

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot loose. "
-Jim Elliot

Please remember my father-in-law, Buddy Evans, in your prayers, along with my mother-in-law, Bobbie. "Pop" had major back surgery this week, and will be in the hospital several days recovering. My Mother-in-law needs our prayers for strength, patience, wisdom, and whatever else you feel led to pray for her.

Also, please remember Wayne and Lisa Parker in their campaign bid for Congress. Please go and vote for Wayne next Tuesday, June 3.

Praise the LORD for HIS wonderful love and faithfulness to Johnny and me in our 25 years of marriage we celebrated this week! GOD is so good...