RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME

It was December 2001 when I read Allan Perkins report on reopening the “Leaning Tower of Piza.” This tourist landmark had been closed a dozen years when I read Perkin’s story reporting how Engineers completed their $25 million renovation project designed to stabilize this landmark attraction that had become unstable across the years.

Construction workers removed 110 tons of dirt from around the base of the tower and reduced its famous “lean” by about sixteen inches. This was necessary because of the increasing tilt from hundreds of years now threatened the stability of the facility. The top of the 185-foot tower actually leaned a full seventeen feet further south than the base of the tower. Authorities feared the eventual collapse and the loss of their profitable tourist attraction.

It seems the sandy soil on which the city of Pisa was built lacked stability to sustain a monument of this size. This created a potential hazard. It provided an insecure foundation, built on shifting sand. It also offered a true-to-life metaphor for understanding the story we find in Mark Nine about the disciples that could not heal the son of the desperate dad who brought his son to them with an unclean spirit.

On returning from his extraordinary transformation experience, Jesus found a crowd gathered around this despairing Father. His disciples had been unable to heal the boy and they watched Jesus heal the lad and quickly move on. When finally alone with Jesus, the disciples questioned him as to why they could not heal the boy. Jesus replied simply but directly, “this kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer” (Mark 9:29 RSV).

After Jesus healed the boy and they left that place, Jesus had further conversation with his disciples, warning them that he would be killed, but alerting that he would also return three days later (v31). Of course, they did not comprehend. Yet, fearing to ask for further clarification, they journeyed on further with Jesus, trusting but uncertain and unknowing.

Our metaphor of the tower built on sinking sand opens to us new dimensions of meaning when we learn to trust Jesus implicitly as to who he is. Seldom do we journey far with Jesus without experiencing opportunities for developing deeper trust in him. When Jesus approached the disciples and asked them what they were discussing so diligently among themselves, he already knew they needed an “attitude adjustment.” He knew they needed to learn to complement one another rather than compete among themselves. They were still unwilling to confess their competitive spirits and because he understood the nature of their strivings, he gathered them around him and taught them a lesson on true greatness.

You want greatness, Jesus asked: serve others. Wait patiently at the end of the line. Give assistance to the least among you (33-37). Genuine prayer, rising upward out of deep trust in Jesus, makes walking with him increasingly important. Our life of prayer needs to center on Christ as the bulls-eye, the target at which we take direct aim (38-50).

When we hit the bulls-eye, our behavior matches our belief (our proclamation). We do not hinder others of our fellowship. We mutually compliment rather than compete. We serve in the name of Jesus. We anticipate mutual receiving of full and fair reward by all. When all else falls short, we offer a cold drink to the weary traveler, in Jesus’ name.  Our message becomes the issue, rather than the message-bearer. Living the life of holiness , our orthopraxy brings its own rewards.

On the other hand, breaking fellowship—offending the child—offends God. Personal discipline minimizes hindrances and enriches our lives mutually, making it more pleasurable to delight in the blessings of God’s presence rather than enduring the torments of clinging to hindrances.

Jesus was ever the realist; thus, he assured his disciples that everyone will be “salted with fire” (49). Salt enhances tastiness, unless it loses its saltiness. The disciples needed that saltiness and they needed to be at peace among themselves, as do we. When faced with the fires of temptation, adversity, and failure, we all stand in need of proper seasoning, salt appropriately sprinkled. 

Similarly, prayer enhances and provides the full flavoring  that enables us to experience an adequately salted (seasoned) relationship . In turn, this finds us at peace with one another, united in purpose, and powerful in sharing his-story.

Have you seen those TV commercials advertising relief for restless legs and cramping muscles? Pharmaceuticals have discovered how to formulize our aches and pains and offer solutions in simple phrases and acrostic forms we easily remember. This makes it easier for us to self-diagnose our ailments and ask our family doctor for assistance.

Prayer becomes that deep trust that comes when walking daily with our Lord. It results in fuller living and living out our relationships with growing trust. In time, it becomes our lifestyle. Restless Leg Syndrome is my simple formula (TRL Syndrome) for  introducing you to the essential ingredient you need as a Christ-believer.

This is walkingwithwarner.blogspot.com

leaving you with a simple formula for reminding you how to transform your daily life into a fuller,  richer and meaningful experience.