A Norvell Note – Page 27 – Thoughts and reflections on God, life, people, and living as a follower of Jesus.

I Want To See Jesus

Vol. 21 No. 16 | April 22, 2019

A group of people went to one of Jesus’s disciples with a request. They wanted to see Jesus. That disciple told another and together they went to tell Jesus about the request. Jesus basically said, “Okay, it’s time. It’s time to show them who I am and why I am here.” And from that point on, Jesus spread the news about what was about to happen: He was on His way to the cross.

I find myself with the same desire: I want to see Jesus. So, I start looking around for Him.

I look to education to see Jesus. The education system provides knowledge for those who want to learn. There are good men and women doing their best to share their knowledge in hopes that students will make good decisions and become good people. So yes, sometimes I see Jesus in education.

I look to politics to see Jesus. Occasionally, I will see or hear a politician whose words sound similar to the teachings of Jesus. But most times, corruption of power and money tarnish the political system, making it hard to see Jesus.

I look to entertainment to see Jesus. There are stories that often reflect the compassion and gentleness of Jesus, and there are actresses and actors who will give God glory for their accomplishments. So yes, sometimes I can see Jesus in the entertainment industry.

I look to sports to see Jesus. I am grateful when I hear an athlete or coach speak of Jesus as their Savior and acknowledge the One who gave them the gift to do what they do. This still isn’t the norm, but I am glad to see Jesus is trending.

I look to nature to see Jesus and see Him everywhere- by the ocean, in the mountains, in a sunset or blue sky that provides the background to the trees swaying in the fresh spring breeze.

I look to these places and into these faces to see Jesus. Sometimes I am delightfully surprised and sometimes I walk away disappointed, so I repeat my request, “I want to see Jesus.”

And this is what I hear:

“Tom, I know you are always looking for me and trying to help others see Me and my Son Jesus, and for that I am grateful. But here’s what I want you to know: I want you and others to see Jesus in you. I want you to see Me in the words you write and others to see Me in your words. I want you to hear Me in the words you speak and others to hear Me in your words. I want you to hear Me when you have no words and others to hear Me in your quiet presence.

But Tom, more than anything, I want them to see Me in you. When you focus on that, when your goal is to allow Me to be clearly visible in your life, your actions, your words, and your love, you will begin to see me even more clearly in every aspect of your life. Will you do that?”

“Yes, Lord, I will. Because, more than anything, I want them to see Jesus in everything.”

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Tom Norvell’s Counseling

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He LIves

Vol. 21 No. 15 | April 15, 2019

“Jesus wept.” John, 11:35.

When asked to recite or memorize a Bible verse in Sunday School, we immediately chose the shortest verse in the Bible- John, 11:35. But there is more to these two words than just being short and easy to remember.

When Jesus learns of His dear friend Lazarus’s death, He waits two days before going to visit Lazarus’s family. When He arrives, Lazarus’s grieving and disappointed sisters challenge Him, insisting He could have healed him if He’d come earlier. When Jesus sees the sisters and those who had gathered to support them “Jesus wept.”

There are countless interpretations of why Jesus wept, but these are the three reasons I believe might have inspired His tears.

He wept because the people He loved were weeping. Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters and knew they were heartbroken. He felt their loss and their pain and wanted to comfort them.

He wept because the people did not understand who He was. Despite the miracles Jesus had already performed, the prophesies about Him, and His efforts to explain His true identity, no one understood who He was and what He was capable of. He wanted them to know how much He loved them, and their lack of faith saddened Him.

He wept because He knew what was about to happen. He may have felt like we do when we know something extraordinary is about to happen to someone we love, but we can’t tell them. Maybe this is one of the reasons He wept. He was happy because the people He loved would soon know death is not the end.

Jesus wept then as we do now- when we are sad, confused, losing hope…or overcome with joy. Find comfort in that. As we move through this holy week of remembering and reflecting, weep when you need to, but remember, death is not the end.

He lives!

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We Have a Good Shepherd

Vol. 21 No. 14 | April 8, 2019

In John, Chapter 10, as Jesus continues His journey toward the cross, He makes a point to remind us that we all need someone to watch over and protect us in times of trouble…that we all need a good shepherd.

Jesus identifies Himself as the good shepherd and explains to us what that means:

A good shepherd is someone who is willing to sacrifice for us.

Paul describes Jesus in a similar way in Philippians 2. “The welfare of the sheep is more important to the good shepherd than personal welfare.”

Do you have a good shepherd in your life, someone who would give up their time, energy, and money for you if you were going through a tough time? I shudder to think where my family and I would be without the shepherds God has sent to guide and protect us.

But this isn’t just about receiving, we must also be a good shepherd to those God places in our care- a son, daughter, friend, co-worker, or young couple from church. Where might they be in the years to come if you or I fail to walk alongside them? They may need our guidance and support just like we have needed it from others in the past.

A good shepherd is someone who knows us and allows us to know them.

Do you have someone in your life who knows you, really knows you, as you do them? I mean, someone who knows the good stuff in your life as well as the bad. It could be someone you may not see face-to-face for months, or even years, but you are still able to pick up right where you left off. We need people like this, and we need to be this person for others.

But not everyone needs to know all the grisly details of our lives. We need only to share our stories with those we trust and connect with, who care about us enough to listen, as we do them. Inevitably, we will realize we are helping them as much as they are us. We can offer them reassurance that they aren’t the only one with a messy life…and that they too are strong and worthy of sharing their story.

We all need and are worthy of a good shepherd, and we all need to be a good shepherd to someone else. It’s really that simple. The truth is, when we realize someone is watching us, guiding us, we experience love, feel fulfilled, and our lives are simply better. And when we are watching and guiding others, we experience love, feel fulfilled…and our lives are simply better.

And if there is ever a moment when we forget this or feel alone, we must always remember…we have THE good shepherd who loves us, sacrificed for us, knows every intimate detail of our life, and wants us to know Him as well.

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All I Know for Sure

Vol. 21 No. 13 | April 1, 2019

Before you read the next sentence, stop and close your eyes for thirty seconds.

What did you see? Maybe nothing? Perhaps total darkness?

Now, try to imagine that’s all you’ve ever seen, all you’ve ever known. As a child, when you heard someone ask you to look at something, you could turn your head toward the voice, but could see nothing. Decades would pass and you would never see a tree, or cloud, or the faces of those you loved most.

Then one day, someone comes to you, puts mud in your eyes, and tells you to go to a specific place and wash it out of your eyes. And when you do…you can see.

People understandably question you about how this happened. But all you can say is that a man you don’t know cured your blindness.

The main concern for religious leaders of the time is that this miracle happened on the Sabbath. Doing any work on the Sabbath is against Jewish law. They downplay the miracle, ignore the opportunity to celebrate with him, and bring in your parents to demand an explanation.

Your parents try to explain that they don’t know how it happened. And all you can do is watch their faces like it’s the first time you’ve seen them…because it is. They continue to be interrogated, but you are distracted with trying to understand all the curious and beautiful things you see around you.

In frustration, the leaders demand an explanation from you, but all you can tell them is the truth: you know nothing more than, “I was blind…and I now see.” (John 9:25)

Sometimes our need to understand blinds us from the miracles of God that are in plain sight. In the process, we miss opportunities to celebrate His goodness.

There is a real possibility that in the next seven days something will happen to you or someone you know that can only be explained by, “All I know is it was God’s work!”

Let that be enough. It’s okay if you don’t know or understand the details. Just say what you know to be true. And when He is ready, if He thinks we need to know, God will make sure we see…

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Don’t Miss Him

Vol. 21 No. 12 | March 25, 2019

John 8 opens with Jesus being incriminated by a group of opposing religious leaders. They were preparing to stone a woman caught in the act of adultery, using her as a reason to bring charges against him.

The chapter closes with those same leaders aiming their stones at Jesus instead. Jesus refused to bow down to their authority, continuing to claim He was the Son of God.

“That did it — pushed them over the edge. They picked up rocks to throw at him. But Jesus slipped away, getting out of the Temple.” (John 8:59, The Message)

There is an underlying message woven into these scenes, and the Scriptures as a whole, that is easy to “miss.”

Don’t miss Him.

God wanted the man and woman to know, “I made you in my image. I am with you. I am for you. You are my crowning accomplishment. Don’t lose sight of me.”

Throughout the Old Testament, the message from the prophets to the people of Israel was the same, “I am with you. I will walk with you. I am Your Father and you are my people. Do not forget Me. Do not turn away from Me.”

And again in the New Testament: “God with us. I am with You. Don’t miss me.”

But they did miss Him. And we continue to make the same mistake today.

They missed Him when He showed compassion and mercy to the woman. And Jesus said to them, “You’re looking right at me and you don’t see me.” (John 8:19, The Message)

He later said, “Then he went over the same ground again. ‘I’m leaving and you are going to look for me, but you’re missing God in this and are headed for a dead end. There is no way you can come with me.’” (vs. 21)

Later he reiterated, “You’re tied down to the mundane; I’m in touch with what is beyond your horizons. You live in terms of what you see and touch. I’m living on other terms. I told you that you were missing God in all this. You’re at a dead end. If you won’t believe I am who I say I am, you’re at the dead end of sins. You’re missing God in your lives.” (vss. 23-24)

This week, I encourage you to pay attention. Don’t miss Him.

Don’t allow your intellect, knowledge, doubts, or confusion to cloud your vision. Don’t miss him in the mundane, or when you are struggling, or even when you are experiencing joy.

Because when we fail to see Him, to follow Him, we are sure to arrive at a dead end.

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He Just Knew

Vol. 21 No. 11 | March 18, 2019

The tree outside my window that is just starting to show the first signs of renewal after a longer, barren winter. The brown grass in the surrounding fields is transitioning back to its rich, green color. And the birds that have been relatively silent for months are once again singing in full chorus.

It never ceases to amaze me how nature just knows when the time is right. There is nothing we can do to rush or delay the seasons- force flowers to bloom when the ground is too cold or coax animals out of hibernation before the time is right.

Nature just knows what to do when the time is right.

We too, have this gift that is as inherent in us as it is in nature. It’s starts in the womb- infants instinctively know when the time is right to come into the world, just as new mothers know what to do to care for them.

And our instincts aren’t just restricted to physical aspects. If we allow ourselves to listen, truly listen, we will receive guidance on how and when to act (or not to) when the time is right- whether it’s the moment we realize our true calling or that deep sense of knowing when we have found our life partner.

Yet even though our instincts (or intuition) are natural doesn’t mean the process of trusting and action on them is easy…to the contrary.

No matter what phase of life we are in, knowing when it’s time to make a change or go in a different direction can be nerve-wracking. But actually taking the first steps in that new direction can be terrifying.

We have to relinquish our control, risk making mistakes, or worse, failing. We have to resist letting our insecurities and fears take the reigns. They will inevitably leave us paralyzed, stuck in the place we know we no longer belong.

But how do we know for sure? How do we know if we should trust our intuition?

When I find myself doubting myself- struggling with important decisions and anxious about taking action- I remember how Jesus responded when he was pushed to reveal his true identity.

“This isn’t my time. Don’t push me.” (John 2) “It’s not the right time.” (John 7) But later, He knew it was the right time.

On the final and climactic day of the Feast, Jesus took his stand. He cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says.” (He said this in regard to the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were about to receive. The Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified.) (John 7:37-38, The Message)

But how did He know?

I think the explanation is obvious, just as it is in nature.

He was listening. He was attuned to what the Father was telling Him and trusted He would know what to do when the time was right.

And He did.

He knew when it was time to speak, and He knew what to say and how to say it. He also knew His actions would lead Him to the cross…and He trusted this was all a part of God’s plan.

I don’t know who deserves credit for these words, but they describe the person I long to be:

“A spiritual person is a person who does the right thing, at the right time, in the right way, with the right spirit.”

I’m not there yet…but know I will be.

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Here’s What I Have, Lord

Vol. 21 No. 10 | March 11, 2019H

You are grappling with a problem that has no apparent solution. You feel like you’re up against a wall with no place to go. God is calling you to do work that feels beyond your reach. And you keep repeating to yourself, “This is impossible. I can’t do this. I don’t know what to do.”

When you find yourself stumped and wondering what to do, let me offer three suggestions based on a story of Jesus from John, chapter six.

Trust that God is aware of your circumstances and already has a plan.

In what appears to be a playful manner, Jesus asks his disciples to feed the thousands of people following Him. The disciples scratched their collective heads trying to think of a way to accomplish a seemingly impossible task.

But Jesus already knew what he was going to do. His request was His way of testing Philip’s faith.

When I find myself in what appears to be an “impossible situation” (as Chuck Swindoll calls them), it helps if I pause long enough to remind myself of a few important facts.

I am not in this alone. God has not abandoned me. He knows exactly what is happening and is already working on a solution…even though I cannot see it.

Reminding myself of these facts doesn’t change my circumstance. But it helps calm my fears and reduce my anxiety.

However, I do still have to remind myself of these truths more than once and remember that God could be testing my faith as well. For this reason, I hang these words on the wall above my desk: “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

Take what you have to God and say, “Here’s what I have, Lord.”

One of the disciples—it was Andrew, brother to Simon Peter—said, “There’s a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But that’s a drop in the bucket for a crowd like this.” (vss. 8-9)

It seems that God enjoys it when we take seeds of faith to Him to see what He can do. “Lord, I’ve got these words, but I don’t know if they will mean anything to anyone else.” “Lord, all I have is a little money and a burning desire to help people.” “Lord, I’m scared, but I believe You are bigger than my fears.” “Lord, help me please.” “Here’s what I have, Lord.”

Acknowledge that God has been at work in you.

The people realized that God was at work among them in what Jesus had just done. (v. 14)

When you are going through a difficult time, as well as when you finally get through it, I think it’s very important to acknowledge that God was part of it and share what you learn with others. You don’t have to understand what has happened or why it happened the way it did. You just have to have faith that it is and was always a part of His plan.

I’m sure the disciples and Jesus’s 5,000 followers were more than astounded when the bread and fish kept coming in quantities that defied logic. The only “explanation” was that, “…God was at work among them.”

As you go through your week, chances are you will be faced with a situation that you won’t know how to handle. Just remember, God is there with you. Take whatever you are struggling with to Him and say, “This is what I have, Lord.”

And when you experience God working in your life, enjoy it, learn from it, and share it with others to help restore their faith as well.

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Get Your Head Out of Your Bible

Vol. 21 No. 09 | March 4, 2019

Some people stopped reading when they saw this week’s title. So since you’re still here, let me explain.

Fairly early in Jesus’s ministry, it became clear that most of His teachings were directly opposed to the laws and beliefs of the times. Jesus was spreading a way of understanding and following God that was new and different… words that don’t sit well with those imposing strict rules and traditions.

The way Jesus treated people was vastly different than the other leaders of his time. He was kind, compassionate, and loving, demonstrating that the people being ruled mattered more than the rules themselves. And, He was criticized repeatedly for it.

We read about one such occasion in thefifth chapter of John. Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath, which was “against the rules.” And so the drama began… The man was questioned and criticized, and then Jesus was questioned and criticized.

So, Jesus decided to play along, criticizing them for not recognizing who He was.

You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. (John 5:39-40, NIV)

I enjoy the message inherent in His words:

“You constantly have your heads in your Bibles, thinking you’ll find eternal life there. But you are missing the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are about me– the person standing right in front of you who could give you the life you say you want.

Sometimes I read this and want to jump up and shout (in my self-righteous voice), “You go Jesus! Put them in their place!”

Then, I remember the time when…

I was preparing a sermon and someone came to my door needing to talk. I explained to her that I was busy doing God’s work and didn’t have time to solve her problems too. She understood, of course, and apologized for bothering me.

Then there was the time…

I was preparing for an important meeting and a co-worker came to ask if I could help him with a problem. I reminded him that I was leading a discussion that could determine the future of our church. Mending his discouraged spirit would have to wait. Of course, he understood and said he’d pray for the meeting.

And one time…

I was scanning emails to see if there was anything urgent I needed to deal with. I came across a message from a woman concerned about her husband’s health. I quickly replied that she was in my thoughts and prayers and moved on to next. I’m sure she appreciated me taking the time out of my busy schedule to respond.

These are just three of many examples when my head was so buried in my Bible, I forgot to actually use it (both my head AND the Bible).

Of course, I’m not encouraging you to stop studying your Bible. But I am encouraging you to do more than just read the words inside. Stop reading for long enough to ask your friend sitting across the table how he is really doing, or talk to the widow who comes to church every week, or reach out to the family you haven’t seen for awhile and tell them they are missed.

The Bible contains the very words of life. But if we don’t give them life, then that is all they will ever be.

So this week, let’s bring the word of God to life.

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Come Out of the Shadows

Vol. 21 No. 08 | February 25, 2019

The following is based on a true story.[1]

There was a woman who had lived a very difficult life. She had made so many mistakes and poor choices that most people, including herself, had written her off as a failure, casting her aside like a broken piece of pottery.

She mainly kept to herself, only going out when she had to and doing her best to get lost in the crowd to avoid being seen.

This is how she existed, living in the shadows, ashamed, disappointed, and alone.

One day a man interrupted her routine by engaging her in conversation and making a request. She was shocked, almost offended, that someone was actually talking to her. Who was this man and why was He making an effort to talk to her?

Annoyed, she answered his question, hoping He would leave her alone. He didn’t. He began inquiring about her life, but He already knew all about her- all her mistakes and poor choices. Yet he did not judge her. They continued to talk. He asked questions. She answered. And He talked some more.

She got lost in the conversation. He answered many of her questions before she even asked them. She felt safe with Him, comforted, and started to feel the burden of her guilt and shame lift off her shoulders. The more they talked, the more alive she felt. By the end of their conversation, she felt revived and filled with hope…feelings she had never felt before.

When she turned to go, she didn’t return to the shadows. This time, she went to where the people were. She spoke freely about a man she had just met who knew everything about her and still loved her. She told the crowd how He pulled her from her tortured past and gave her a future, one filled with hope and peace. The crowd acknowledged her, listened to her, and wanted to know more…

Does this story sound familiar? Is this perhaps your story?

Is your life a mess? When you think about your past- the one that haunts your present and taints your future- do you wish you could go back and change it? Do you wish someone could see you and appreciate you for who you are, instead of judging you for what you’ve done or not done. Do you wish you could come out of the shadows and into the light?

You can. There is such a person. His name is Jesus.

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[1] John 4

He Loves Us

Vol. 21 No. 07 | February 18, 2019

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17, NIV)

I’ve only taught or written about this passage a handful of times. One reason is that so many people already have, and I’ve rarely felt I have anything to add. But the main reason is that the profound message of this verse flows through the entirety of Scripture. So in essence, almost everything I’ve ever written or spoken about God has this sentiment at its core:

God loves us.

This is why He created the world, why He paints the sunrises and sunsets with beautiful colors, and why He fills the forests with vegetation that change with the seasons. This is why He sends people to enter and exit our lives at just the right time to teach us and enrich our lives (sometimes because of their exit). And this is why He sent His only son into the world to live and die, and then rise again.

Because He loves us.

All of us, even those we see as unlovable. He loves us when we are at our best and our worst. He loves us, not because of who we are or what we do.

He loves us because He is love.

…a profound message, indeed.

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