“I will heal them.” Jeremiah 33:6

I live on a remote cattle ranch in Oregon. I don’t own a television, so when I climb in the pickup after irrigating or chasing cattle or feeding them hay, the radio is always on, to keep me company if nothing else. Today I caught Dr. Dean Edell’s “Medical Minutes.”

Instead of hopping out right away to close the gate I’d just driven through,I sat still with the door half opened, riveted to the broadcast. His topic was the healing benefits of spirituality.

According to medical reports, folks who have a deep, abiding faith suffer from less stress than the faithless person. Stress causes depression, hinders healing and can shorten the human life span. The doctor’s conclusion was further research studying spirituality as a stress reducer could be a great advantage to the health and well-being of Americans, who are ranked the highest users of antistress/antidepressant medication in the world.

I’ve already seen this in my own life. The more I turn my troubles over to God, the less I worry. The less burden I have to bear, the freer I am. I’m healthier, happier and more energetic.

God isn’t there to keep me from trouble in this world; God’s there to help me when I’m in trouble. God’s a shoulder to lean on when I’m in a jam. And believe me, in ranching, I’m up to my eyeballs in jams. I hope Dr.Edell can stir up interest in a study pertaining to the healing benefits of spirituality. Wouldn’t it be great to hear our doctor tell us, “Say two prayers and call me in the morning”?

As long as You have my back, Lord, what on earth can trouble me?

And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” Mark 5:34 (ESV)

It had been a morning of one interruption after another strung together like pop-beads. I’d get started on my Bible study lesson–for instance–and the phone would ring with a friend who needed encouragement.

Back to the Bible study, and a few minutes later I’d be called away by a prayer need. Pen in hand and study guide open again. But not for long. Delivery man at the door. “Thank you. God bless you.”

Jesus’s ministry was a continuous stream of interruptions. How many times do we read that Jesus was “on the road to…” or “on His way to…” when something significant happened?

He was a guest at a wedding–a guest– when the party ran out of wine. The only way to solve the problem was for Jesus to jump-start the miracle part of His ministry.

I’m especially moved by the story of the woman who tugged on the hem of His garment. Crawling along the ground in pain, weakness, and utter despondency over her problem, the woman interrupted His former plan to heal a man’s young daughter.

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Jesus stopped, met the bleeding woman’s need for healing, called the once-crawling one “Daughter,” even though her problem had left her feeling abandoned, useless, and repulsive.

Then, once her need was met, He proceeded to what He originally intended to do. Well acquainted with interruptions, He created some of the most moving scenes in Scripture while on the way to something else.

Faith step: Jesus didn’t let interruptions spoil His mood for living fully engaged in the business of carrying out His Father’s instructions. What can you and I do today to adopt a similar attitude? See how many times you can genuinely thank the Lord for interruptions today.

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“When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish you have just caught.’ So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.” John 21:9–13 (NIV)

I love cooking-competition shows. Skilled chefs face various challenges to prove their creativity and ability under all sorts of difficult situations. Although my own culinary efforts focus on meat and potatoes tossed into the slow cooker, I enjoy vicarious cooking. I’m fascinated by the techniques I’ve never heard of, ingredients I’ve never tasted and the wild energy of high-tempo chopping.

My mind boggles as chefs describe an amuse-bouche of wagyu beef on a seared round of polenta, or their sous vide duck breast with a squid ceviche; and my mouth waters as they prepare crème brûlée or sculpt dark-chocolate delicacies. Watching the chefs at work has even inspired me to venture out of my comfort zone and I’ve had surprising success with a leek and shallot soup and some gluten-free carrot muffins.

As much fun as it would be to sample a meal by one of the skilled chefs on these cooking shows, I’d trade that in a second for the opportunity that the disciples had. How remarkable it must have been to come ashore and have Jesus serve up a fish fry on the beach. He fed them fish and bread, which probably stirred memories of the miraculous feeding of the five thousand. Jesus showed Himself to be attuned to human needs, and to be the generous provider.

I haven’t sat along the shore enjoying roasted fish over coals with Jesus, but He is the provider of all that is good in my life, as He was for the disciples. When I pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” I often think of how Jesus called Himself the Bread of Life. I’m hungry for His presence—the daily bread that matters most to my survival.

Faith step: Savor your next meal as a reminder of God’s provision.

I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2 (KJV)

This is a difficult verse for me, a difficult challenge of Paul’s. Because if I understand Paul correctly, it’s all about Jesus. That seems to be all He cares about.

I love Jesus. I do. Jesus fascinates me. I feel His love all around me and through me. I see His miracles in the world. But while I am a Christian and have pledged my allegiance to Jesus and His teachings, there are other things I want to know. I’m a scholar. An academic. I’m a writer, and something of an activist. There are causes I believe in. Many things I want to address as a teacher trying to make the world a better place.

I’m reminded of a story I once heard Max Lucado tell. He said that his wife sent him to the store to pick up bread. On the way to the bread aisle he saw cookies. So he put them into his basket. And thoughts of cookies led him to the milk, so he picked up milk. When he got home, he showed his wife the cookies and milk and invited her to a sweet little feast. “But, Max, where’s the bread?” she asked him. I’m like this. While my ultimate goal is to know Jesus, I can get sidetracked by other things that seem—and are—important.

If I’m not careful, I can become so absorbed in learning information, even supporting good causes, that I forget the most important thing, the only thing that really matters for me or anyone else. Jesus.

Faith Step: As you go through your day today, don’t forget the Bread of Life. He’s the One essential

“Let brotherly love continue.” — Hebrews 13:1

Every morning before work I like to sit in the clouds. I mean, I sit in the men’s steam room at my gym.

You hear amazing things in the clouds of steam: men’s voices bragging or complaining about work; bragging or complaining about their wives; bragging or complaining about their children. There’s something therapeutic in sitting in a room where you can barely see your hand in front of your face, like sitting in white darkness and sounding off about life.

Today there were just three of us, three dim, fleshy outlines. Perhaps because he felt comfortably anonymous, the man on my left suddenly said, “I haven’t had a drink in over a week.”

I sat wondering what I was supposed to say to this, or if I was supposed to say anything at all, when the man on my right volunteered, “I haven’t had a drink in five years.”

“How do you do it?” the man on my left asked softly. “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever tried. But I know if I keep drinking I’m gonna lose everything. I saw my dad go through it, saw him lose it all. Still, I want to drink.”

Then the man with five years of sobriety told an amazing story of how his life was nearly destroyed by alcohol. He talked about his recovery, the faith that he had found and the life that he rebuilt. His voice flowed with gratitude. When he had finished, he asked the man on my left which way he was going when he left the gym. “Uptown,” the man replied. “I’ll walk with you,” the man said. “Maybe we’ll grab a cup of coffee.”

With that they were gone. Later, as I dressed in the locker room, I wondered who they were. But I couldn’t tell, and it didn’t matter. What did matter is that I had seen God working in a most unusual place, as is so often the case.

Make me ever vigilant, God, for signs of You at work.

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“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”—Matthew 5:16

One of the finest museums in New York is the Cloisters, a collection of medieval sculpture, art and stained glass housed in authentic remnants of various medieval cloisters. Perched above the Hudson River, it’s a peaceful haven in a crowded, noisy city. Taking guided tours through the gardens and rooms, I enjoy discovering the symbols in the art that say so much about my faith.

But what particularly delights me is the guide’s explanation for why stained glass was so popular in church architecture. “It’s the only artistic medium,” she explains, “that doesn’t reflect light. Instead what we see is the light shining through the glass illuminating the figures.” I see the light shining through John the Baptist, Mary Magdalene, Peter and Paul, and making them glow like the true light of the Son in all His followers. I like that image. When we serve Him, we shine to the extent that He is working through us.