Mark 5: Paradigm Shift (God doesn't like it when you're afraid.)
“Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, ‘don’t be afraid; just believe.’” V36
I get discouraged really easily. I can set out on a quest with confidence, just as long as nobody tells me I can’t do it. It’s a horrible characteristic, I know. As soon as some killjoy realist tells me something is impossible, it’s like an overdrive switch is turned on inside my brain and no matter how much I don’t want to, I believe him.
I think Satan is a dreamer. He’s the kind of guy who has vision, who knows what he wants. The Bible suggests that he wants to be equal to God. The enemy is a visionary, and by the sovereignty of God he has been partly successful in fulfilling that vision. I think he has been partly successful, because right now he has a kingdom on earth.
If Satan understands the power of hope, and the power of vision, it makes sense then that he would try to conceal it from God’s people. It would make sense that he would whisper into our ears, ‘that’s impossible!’ or ‘you’re too small to do something like that.’ I can see Satan using the skeptical worldview of Western culture to distort the church’s paradigms.
I think God wants his people to be bold, to dream big. But Satan is very good at using the people around us, and even our own minds, to prevent that. God wants us to see the world according to his paradigm; he wants us to see that change is possible through those who have faith. He wants us to see that whole nations can be redeemed by his power, if only somebody would be willing to man up to the task.
In chapter 4 of Mark Jesus calms the storm. And then he asks his disciples why they are afraid. I think it’s one of those questions that are supposed lead people to the realization that there is no answer. There is no reason to be afraid anymore. The disciples’ worldviews were defined by the human perception of what is possible and what isn’t. That is why they were afraid. Jesus’ worldview is that of God’s; and that’s why he’s fearless.
In chapter 5, the people have lost hope that a dying girl might recover because she had already died. The people’s worldviews were defined by the human perception of what is possible and what isn’t. But Jesus doesn’t listen to them. He ignores them; because he sees the world the way God does. That’s why he never gives up hope.
My brother told me once that God doesn’t sympathize with our fear. It makes him sad because it shows how little we actually believe in him. I think my brother is right.
And I think Satan tells God’s people not to dream, because he knows what might happen if they do. His kingdom suffered a significant loss when Martin Luther King dreamed of a world without racism. His kingdom suffered yet another hit when Billy Graham dreamed, and yet another when Mother Teresa dreamed, yet another when Terry Fox dreamed.
I hope one day, my name and your name will be additions to that list of people who changed the world, because they chose to see the world through the eyes of an omnipotent God; and dared to dream big.
I get discouraged really easily. I can set out on a quest with confidence, just as long as nobody tells me I can’t do it. It’s a horrible characteristic, I know. As soon as some killjoy realist tells me something is impossible, it’s like an overdrive switch is turned on inside my brain and no matter how much I don’t want to, I believe him.
I think Satan is a dreamer. He’s the kind of guy who has vision, who knows what he wants. The Bible suggests that he wants to be equal to God. The enemy is a visionary, and by the sovereignty of God he has been partly successful in fulfilling that vision. I think he has been partly successful, because right now he has a kingdom on earth.
If Satan understands the power of hope, and the power of vision, it makes sense then that he would try to conceal it from God’s people. It would make sense that he would whisper into our ears, ‘that’s impossible!’ or ‘you’re too small to do something like that.’ I can see Satan using the skeptical worldview of Western culture to distort the church’s paradigms.
I think God wants his people to be bold, to dream big. But Satan is very good at using the people around us, and even our own minds, to prevent that. God wants us to see the world according to his paradigm; he wants us to see that change is possible through those who have faith. He wants us to see that whole nations can be redeemed by his power, if only somebody would be willing to man up to the task.
In chapter 4 of Mark Jesus calms the storm. And then he asks his disciples why they are afraid. I think it’s one of those questions that are supposed lead people to the realization that there is no answer. There is no reason to be afraid anymore. The disciples’ worldviews were defined by the human perception of what is possible and what isn’t. That is why they were afraid. Jesus’ worldview is that of God’s; and that’s why he’s fearless.
In chapter 5, the people have lost hope that a dying girl might recover because she had already died. The people’s worldviews were defined by the human perception of what is possible and what isn’t. But Jesus doesn’t listen to them. He ignores them; because he sees the world the way God does. That’s why he never gives up hope.
My brother told me once that God doesn’t sympathize with our fear. It makes him sad because it shows how little we actually believe in him. I think my brother is right.
And I think Satan tells God’s people not to dream, because he knows what might happen if they do. His kingdom suffered a significant loss when Martin Luther King dreamed of a world without racism. His kingdom suffered yet another hit when Billy Graham dreamed, and yet another when Mother Teresa dreamed, yet another when Terry Fox dreamed.
I hope one day, my name and your name will be additions to that list of people who changed the world, because they chose to see the world through the eyes of an omnipotent God; and dared to dream big.
posted by Peter Wong at 8:55 PM
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