Time and Place

Questions to Prepare our Minds...  Can you remember a time on your life when somebody took time to be with you that made a significant difference?  Perhaps a time that you knew that the person had to work things out to be with you?  Perhaps a celebration? Or a difficult time?  How were you impacted by their gift of time in that space? Why was their presence impactful? What did their presence communicate to you?

     The book that has been informing this series, Holy Currencies, was written for church leaders to help them think about their local church.  Much of what Eric Law wrote fits very well in CrossWalk’s ethos, perhaps especially this currency of time and place.  Many churches sit mostly empty between Sundays, except for an hour here or there for a group study.  That used to be CrossWalk.  Over the years, however, CrossWalk have been delighted to offer it’s campus space to numerous nonprofits, schools, and recovery groups. Over 40 recovery groups meet every week in our Administration wing.  A Place of My Own (APOMO) preschool offers affordable preschool to their families because we offer more affordable rent to them.  Our gym is used by a few schools and other groups as their home gym.  And our sanctuary is used for large nonprofit leadership groups, immigration clinics that has helped 2,000 people gained citizenship over time, and other events that are more for the community at large than for CrossWalk.  Of course, the church uses the space, too for a broad range of ministries.  Opening our campus to all of these groups has deeply impacted the people served by those groups.  We are very proud to play such a role.

     On a personal level, the holy currency of time and place is equally valuable and definitely reflects the teaching and modeling of Jesus.  Take time to slowly read the following story of a walk Jesus took one day, identifying the following for each:

·       What was the time and space Jesus offered? 

·       What other pressures may have been on him to not offer time and space?

·       What did he offer in that time and space?

·       How was the recipient impacted by that gift of time and space?

·       What do you imagine was the experience from the perspective of the bleeding woman?  The father seeking healing for his daughter? The disciples? The fan in the crowd? The nameless people in the crowd oblivious to what was going on? The twelve-year-old daughter? The Spirit of God?

After processing each story, take a moment for personal reflection with the following prompts:

·       How do you resonate with each character in this story?

·       What prevents you from offering time and space more often than you do?

·       Is there anyone on your radar right now that might benefit from your gift of time and space?

·       How might you prep yourself to be more available to offer time and space throughout your days? 

·       What are you feeling compelled to do in response to the story today?

One Walk, Two Healings (Luke 8:41-56 CEB)

     A man named Jairus, who was a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet. He pleaded with Jesus to come to his house because his only daughter, a twelve-year-old, was dying.

     As Jesus moved forward, he faced smothering crowds. A woman was there who had been bleeding for twelve years. She had spent her entire livelihood on doctors, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the hem of his clothes, and at once her bleeding stopped.

     “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

     When everyone denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds are surrounding you and pressing in on you!”

     But Jesus said, “Someone touched me. I know that power has gone out from me.”

     When the woman saw that she couldn’t escape notice, she came trembling and fell before Jesus. In front of everyone, she explained why she had touched him and how she had been immediately healed.

     “Daughter, your faith has healed you,” Jesus said. “Go in peace.”

     While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the synagogue leader’s house, saying to Jairus, “Your daughter has died. Don’t bother the teacher any longer.”

     When Jesus heard this, he responded, “Don’t be afraid; just keep trusting, and she will be healed.”

     When he came to the house, he didn’t allow anyone to enter with him except Peter, John, and James, and the child’s father and mother. They were all crying and mourning for her, but Jesus said, “Don’t cry. She isn’t dead. She’s only sleeping.”

     They laughed at him because they knew she was dead.

     Taking her hand, Jesus called out, “Child, get up.” Her life returned and she got up at once. He directed them to give her something to eat. Her parents were beside themselves with joy, but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened.