Prayerful Farewells

After kneeling down on the beach and praying, we said farewell to one another. Acts 21:5b

The summer season brings opportunities to re-unite with loved ones. I always feel rested, recharged, and very blessed after a visit with close friends or family. The apostle Paul made many close friends during his travels as he spread the Good News about Jesus Christ. This week we find him visiting these brothers and sisters in the faith during his third missionary journey.

Paul and Luke were returning from Greece to Jerusalem along the coast of Asia Minor. The Holy Spirit had told Paul that trouble awaited him in Jerusalem, and he knew this would be the last time he would see these believers in Christ whom he had loved and taught. (Acts 20:25) Paul was particularly close with the members of the church at Ephesus, so when they stopped at Miletus (along the coast of Asia Minor), he asked the elders of the Ephesian church to meet him there, which they gladly did. Paul gave them a farewell “last lecture” sermon before praying with them and all said very emotional good-byes. (Acts 20:18-35)

Another stop was made to see the believers who lived in the city of Tyre (along the coast in what is now Lebanon), where Paul and Luke stayed for seven days. (Acts 21:4) This time when they were ready to leave, men, women and children walked with Paul down to the beach. Here they all knelt down and prayed together before Paul and Luke set sail. What a good model for our own parting moments with loved ones.

Prayer is a way to share concerns not only with each other, but with God who loves you and cares for you. Jesus said “for where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” (Matthew 18:20)

If you’re not sure what to say, you can use some of the prayers written in Paul’s letters in the Bible. For example, Ephesians 1:15-21 contains Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians where he asks for wisdom, enlightenment, guidance and growth in the knowledge of God. Jesus taught his disciples how to pray (the “Lord’s Prayer,” found in Matthew 6:9-13 and the Psalms contain many verses which serve as beautiful prayers of praise, thanksgiving, and requests for help of all kinds.

Praying together affirms our faith in the one true God, draws on His strength, eases anxiety, and strengthens the ties of fellowship. As it says in Acts 1: 14, “these all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.” Paul and Luke and their friends were praying on the beach, but you can pray anywhere! Next time you say "good-bye" to loved ones, take some time to pray together.

And speaking of the beach...

Warm weather has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere and many people think about a trip to the beach. This week we will use a toy for our exercises – a beach ball! You can pick one up easily at a dollar store, Target, Walmart, etc. The other thing you need is a wall (or large tree if you are outdoors) which is at least as tall as you are. We are going to strengthen the muscles in your upper and middle back. The greatest benefit will be for your posture.

Inflate your beach ball until it is firm but still has some give to it (so it compresses slightly if you push your hands into it). Now stand with your back to the wall and place the ball between your back and the wall. (If it is difficult for you to reach around to your back you might want to have someone hold the ball for you while you get into position.)

The ball should be at the level of your upper back, about even with your shoulder blades (but keep your shoulders down away from your ears). Your feet should be shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
Now use your body to press against the ball, holding it in place, pushing the ball into the wall. There will not be any motion (which makes this one relatively safe), but you want to press as firmly as you are able to, as long as you don’t have any pain. Do you feel the muscles of your back at work? Continue to press against the ball and count to ten. Keep your abdominals pulled in toward your spine and breathe normally. Then release, rest a moment, and press again, holding for ten counts. Build up to ten repetitions.

What you are doing is really a back extension, but it is very safe because you are not moving your spine (even though the muscles are working). This makes it a good exercise for people concerned about bone density. As always, check with your doctor if you have any pain, or if you have osteoporosis or any other concerns about your back, before trying a new exercise. (We also did the back extension in an earlier post and you may click here to review that.)

The next exercise focuses on the muscles on the very upper back. This is designed to counteract the “forward head” tendency which so many of us adopt as we get older. Move the ball so it is behind your head. Keep your chin level and this time press your head into the ball.

Hold for the count of ten. Rest and repeat again, until you gradually build up to ten repetitions. (We did a different version of this one last year and you may review by clicking here.)

You may do these exercises every day if you wish, but at least three times per week. By consistently practicing these exercises, you will see improvement in your posture and alignment. With stronger back muscles, you will be able to stand taller. (This will make you appear younger and slimmer when standing on the beach!) This improves your Length and Strength. So make use of your beach ball year round!

For those of you interested in a more sophisticated inflatable ball, you might want to consider purchasing an “Osteoball.” It designed for people who wish to safely strengthen their muscles, and is particularly geared for those with low bone density. It comes with instructions and a small pump. Click here for more information.

Photo credits: Soil-net Library, loriwagner.wordpress.com, both from Creative Commons; L.E. Lang collection

Lifted Up

The book of John, more than any other book in the Bible, thoroughly describes who Jesus is. Through His teaching, His miracles and His conversations, many people who heard and saw Jesus came to believe that He is the Son of God. But not the Pharisees. They did not understand who Jesus was or where He came from. John Chapter 8 describes a conversation between Jesus and this group.

One thing Jesus told the Pharisees is that He did not come to earth on His own initiative (John 8:42), but was sent by the Father. (John 7:29). Jesus stated that He was not acting independently, and that His judgment and testimony are not His own. (John 8:16, 18) Everything Jesus said and did was under the Father’s direction and to please the Father (John 8:26, 28-29, and John 5:19) Still, the Pharisees did not get it. “Who are you ,” they asked in verse 25.

The consequence of missing Jesus’ identity are serious: “…unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins,” Jesus told them. (John 8:24) But then in verse 28, Jesus gave a clue: “when you lift up the Son of Man (referring to Himself), then you will know that I am He.” In verse 24 we have “unless”. In verse 28 we have “when”. This gives us some hope that we can believe.

What does “I Am He” mean? This goes back to when God called to Moses from the burning bush. (Exodus 3:14) God told Moses His name is “I AM WHO I AM.” So in saying “I am He,” Jesus was stating that He is God and the anointed one - the Messiah - and that when He is “lifted up” we would know it.

Jesus was “lifted up” when He was crucified on the cross and resurrected. (And many people did believe in Him as a result.) Jesus’ death on the cross shows us that He is the promised Savior who died to remove the penalty of sin. Jesus provides the escape from going to our death while still carrying the guilt from our sins.

What about you? Do you know who Jesus is? Do you believe He is sent from God and is the Messiah, that He is part of the I AM? If you haven’t thought through these questions, or if you are wondering about Jesus’ claims, read through the book of John in the New Testament of the Bible and discover for yourself who Jesus is.

…when you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He… John 8:28

Last week we did the “multi-million dollar necklace” exercise, which challenged your alignment and worked the muscles around your spine. (You may click here to review that.) Now we’re going to take it a step further and add a forward fold at your hips. Read on to find out how!

Sit in a firm chair (not upholstered) with your feet flat on the floor and your hands next to your hips. Recheck your alignment (ears over shoulders over hips) and lengthen your spine Pretend you want to create distance between each vertebra and move your ribcage upward, away from your pelvis. (Your upper body is vertical.) Keep your navel pulled inward toward your spine. This is your starting position.

Next, slowly fold your body at your hips: Maintain the length in your spine and your ears-shoulders-hips alignment and bring your chest toward your thighs. They key is to not curl your spine, but to keep it long. That is the challenging part because you need to use the muscles in your back to prevent your spine from curling forward. Then slowly lift up (still with your spine long!) to return to the starting position. You can exhale as you “fold” and inhale as you come back up to vertical. If you have any pain, stop, and if you aren’t sure if you should do an exercise, ask your doctor first.

Start with five “folds” and over the course of a few weeks, you can gradually build up to ten or twelve “reps.” Do this one every day if you wish, but at least three times per week. This is one of those exercises that can truly be done anywhere. You will notice yourself gaining length and strength!