Wheelchairs

I wanted you to meet someone today, my friend, Davis. Davis is the son of a dear college friend of mine and lives in one of my favorite cities, Fort Worth, Texas. Davis is a curious, spunky little boy with lots of energy, lots of love and a bright outlook on life.

He also has Down Syndrome.

Now, another friend, Jerry, some of you know Jerry. Jerry goes to The Vineyard and has his own challenges. Because of a mental disability, he can't drive a car so he has to walk wherever he goes. And this is what I love about Jerry, he has a job that he takes great pride in - busing tables at the nearby Chick-Fil-A. I know he's got his eye on running the cash register one day, but right now every table is clean, the bathrooms are surgery-room spotless and he'll get you a refill and hand it back to you with a sincere, "Here you go, my pleasure".

And tonight, yes tonight, there's an adult "Prom", a gala if you will, taking place where adults with mental and physical obstacles get to experience something most of us take for granted - being invited and accepted at a party. Dresses, tuxedos, limo service, food, prizes, even the red carpet have been donated and well over 500 area special needs adults will be dolled up and dapper later on tonight. Many who have spent their life as an outcast will not only be accepted and cheered, but also be crowned "Prom Queen" or "Prom King" at the end of the night (but don't tell them, ok? That's a surprise).

So in this "60", I wanted to address our own handicaps and obstacles. Short comings. The "hand we're dealt". Our issues. Whatever you want to call them, this is more than just "junk in the trunk", a bad habit or foolish behavior, I'm talking about the hard stuff. The stuff you seem wired to do and wish you wouldn't, or act out but wish you could quit. For some it's alcohol. For others it's porn. Still others struggle with an ingrained feeling of shame and failure. While for some it's an endless quest of approval.

Should I name more? Ok, I will. Let me start with my handicaps (but, please, feel free to list your own). I'm a control freak. I don't trust others. I assume the whole world works off "performance-based love". I believe if there's tension in my family or circle of friends, that I'm to blame, I did something wrong, and then, I need to fix it. Oh, and I think when things are going well in my life, just wait, because the rug is going to pulled out from underneath me soon.

Yes, that was hard to admit. But I told you when I started these "60"s, I was going to be transparent, honest and open in the hopes that you would be too, both with yourself and God. So you could cleanse your soul a little. Open up the hidden areas and ask Our Father to help you deal with them and shine His light on them.

Davis has his handicap. Jerry has his obstacles. The kings and queens of "The Prom" tonight have their challenges. But here's the deal, they're not letting them dictate their life. And neither should we. We all have our emotional, spiritual and mental wheelchairs. We can't seem to forgive the person who hurt us so many years ago. We can't seem to see ourselves as beloved creations of God and try and try and try to be perfect, yet we fail. We don't let others in because of the off chance of getting hurt is too painful to bear once more. And we're so afraid of failing we don't even try.

So we sit in our "wheelchair" and watch the world go by wishing we could be a part of it.

Below is a link to all the miracles Jesus performed that are listed in the Bible, click on it and read through the list, let it all soak in a bit:
http://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/miracles-of-jesus-2.htm

Now, what I want you to see is, yes, He performed many miracles (and more than likely more than we know). But I want you to see exactly which miracles he performed. Let's look through the list at the actions of just some of His miracles: healing, delivering, cleansing, raising, feeding, and calming just to name a few. Could you use a little of that in your life?

See, Jesus got people out of their spriitual, emotional, mental and physical wheelchairs. He took their crutches and tossed them aside. He awakened the dead. Gave sight to the blind. Cast out demons and said, "Be free". He looked prostitutes and theives in the eye and said, "I love you, do this no more". He came. He loved. He conquered. And told them all to leave their "wheelchair" and walk. With Him. In His footsteps. So we all could be free.

And He's not done. Not with you. Not with me.

So here's my prayer for you this week. I pray you identify a "wheelchair" in your life, whether it's spiritual, mental, emotional, financial, whatever and start working with God to overcome them. No need to be embarrassed. There are many fine sources of counseling, prayer, safe support groups, books, websites and dear friends that you can trust to say, "This is my wheelchair...I'd like to get rid of it."

Because Davis could be on the sidelines, instead he's on the field. Jerry could be holed up in an apartment feeling sorry for himself, instead he's out serving others. And the queens and kings of tonight's prom could stay home and watch reruns on television. Instead, their opting in and having the time of their life. I want nothing less than the same for you. So "rise and walk", get out of yur wheelchair, work through your handicaps and cling tight to Jesus - He won't let you fall.