Tarry

In Matthew 26 the mechanisms that will lead to Jesus’s arrest and crucifixion have been set into motion—like a line of dominos set up before time began. Jesus knows what’s coming, he knows how the disciples will react, and he knows that Judas is planning to betray him. Aware of all that is about to go down, Jesus, after sharing a final meal with them, invites his disciples to join him in the garden of Gethsemane to pray. 

I don’t know what they ate, but it seems like it must have been something heavy because even as Jesus began his sorrowful prayer the disciples all fell asleep. Matthew 26:38-43 says,

“38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping.

Jesus knew, from before he took on flesh, that this was where his life on Earth would take him. His ultimate calling was a heavy one, and a calling only he could take on. However, even knowing this we can see the humanity of Jesus shining through. Jesus felt a sense of dread. That sense of great apprehension and fear of something that is unavoidable. Three times he prayed this prayer, and three times he came back to find his disciples, his best friends, asleep. They didn’t know and couldn’t understand that the time Jesus had been telling them about was at hand.

We will all face times when no one can take over our calling. It is something you are called to face even if it is something you dread. As you follow through on your calling, I pray that Jesus prepares your heart. God is with you and there are wonders to be seen on the other side.

May our prayer always be Your most beautiful and perfect will, not ours, be done. Amen.

Called To

Did you know that there were some prominent theologians who argued that the book of James should be removed from the canon of scripture. They argued that James focused too much on action rather than the grace that brings us into the kingdom of God. Upon closer reading it can be clear that grace always comes first. The actions that we take don’t earn us some kind of better salvation. God loves His people no matter what and from there we must decide how much that knowledge affects our lives.

From that secure foundation we are called to act, called to remind people of the grace and love that has been given to them. James 1:19-24 says,

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

If more people lived into the first half of this passage, what a different world we would live in! We work so hard to make sure our voices are heard. Our ideas are the ones that are followed. Our authority is respected. Unfortunately, human anger rarely gets anything done, and often causes more division than what we had in the beginning.

If you claim the name of Christ, then you know you are called to more than just hearing a good word once a week. We can’t just listen to the scripture thinking, “mmm, that’s some good teaching.” We need to hear it and then go out and do what it says. The hardest part of living out our faith is not, knowing the difference between right and wrong. The hardest part is knowing what is right and then actually going out and doing it.

What’s the right thing for you to do today?

Genuine Love

Romans 12:9-13 – Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with familial affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

In this passage Paul isn’t pulling any punches. In other translations, verse 9 is phrased, “Let love be without hypocrisy.” Oof, that’s pretty harsh! In the church it’s easy to feel the need or temptation to put on a game face. We know that we are called to take these big steps. We know that we are called to take the higher road. But when it’s time to jump into action, it becomes far too easy to come up with an excuse. 

It's easy to recall a time when you’ve been hurt or disappointed, a time when you just needed someone to really see you and comfort you. That feeling of knowing you are loved and cared for is one of the best feelings in the world. And just as much as we need to feel it, we need to do our best to show it as well. We are surrounded by people who are looking for someone to tell them that things are going to be okay.

When we are willing to show other people affection, we can change their day, but it might just change their life. You never know the long-lasting impact one small act can have. Think of the lyrics of a song that has impacted you deeply. Odds are, the person who wrote it will never know you, but the words they wrote, the music they created, has created an indelible mark on you.

When we try to outdo one another in showing honor, we don’t mind taking the low place. We can show genuine love to one another because we are fueled by God’s love. Our cup is overflowing so let’s share it with the people around us.

Hurry Up and Wait

I’ll try to make this quick! Our modern life is largely defined by impatience. We buy stuff online and get frustrated when it takes more than two days to arrive. On the roads, especially in New Jersey, the posted speed limit is 50, you’re (allegedly) going 70, and you still get passed constantly. We can get so focused on the destination that we neglect the journey. We don’t want to get there; we want to be there.

Unfortunately, getting there is the most important part. In 2 Peter 3:8-9 it says, “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

Peter is largely talking about the time when Christ will return to reclaim the world. We are called to live hopefully and expectantly of Christ’s return, as if it could happen at any time. However, while we wait, we are also supposed to grow ourselves as believers in Christ, and share the hope that we have found with the people around us.

Theologian and Jesuit Priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin once said, “Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay. We would like to skip the intermediate stages. We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new. And yet, it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability — ​and that it may take a very long time. Above all, trust in the slow work of God, our loving vinedresser.”

In our rush to be at some future there, we forget to see and experience the now. God has called you to be where you are “for such a time as this.” Live into the needs that are around you. Have patience as you grow.

Trust in the slow work of God.

Consequences

I came in to work a while back to learn that someone had broken one of our windows. I ran through all the usual thoughts you have when you discover something like this—wondering all the who’s, what’s, and why’s.  Maybe it was an errant landscaper throwing rocks with a lawnmower, maybe it was one of the young bucks we see wandering around getting mad at his own reflection and charging, or maybe it was just a random act of vandalism.

After the second time, we’re pretty sure that it’s option three. We have a camera on it now, but the damage is done, and we’ll need to get someone out here to fix it. There are times in our lives when we need to solve problems we didn’t create, and fix things that we didn’t break. It’s like getting rear-ended while waiting at a stop light, you did what was right and then someone came along and ruined your day.

Jesus, in John 16 is preparing his disciples for what’s going to be happening over the next few chapters. He tells them that he must leave but a helper is coming in the Holy Spirit who will help lead and guide them after Jesus has fulfilled the beginning of his purpose on Earth. In verse 33 he tells them, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

If you’ve been conscious and aware for any length of time, you’ll know that the world can be a pretty hard place to live in at times. We need to face the consequences of our own decisions, and sometimes the consequences of other people’s decisions. Through it all however, we know that the one who has overcome the world is on our side.

It is so easy to be discouraged and downhearted when we face the disappointments of the world and the tasks that get thrust upon us by others. However, if we pause and remember the God who is on our side we can be invigorated by the knowledge that Jesus has already overcome it all.

Surprised

In Genesis 28 we follow part of a journey for a man named Jacob. He has moved out of his home and into the unknown. He has just received a blessing from his father and was sent to another city to find a wife and start his new life. At a certain point in his travels, he stopped to rest for the night. And since the founding fathers of the faith get nothing but the best accommodations, he slept using a rock as his pillow. While he slept, he had a dream where God spelled out a blessing for him: his descendants would be so numerous that they would spread across the earth, and as they spread, they would be a blessing to the world.

In verse 15 God makes this promise, “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” This is an amazing promise for God to make to Jacob! It is also a promise that God has made to each of us through the life and work of Jesus Christ.

We need to notice though, that this promise doesn’t say you will never face hard times. It doesn’t say your life will be perfect and easy. God promises us that he will never leave us. When we face hard times, we can hear that voice in the back of our heads that likes to shout and lie to us, “you are in this alone,” “no one else cares,” “there is no help coming.” When we go through the inevitable hard times of life, we need to do our best to lean into the promises God has made to us.

Jacob goes on to do great things, when he faced hard times, he turned to the God of the promise and saw God come through again and again. When he woke up Jacob said in verse 16, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” On those days when it feels like you are sleeping on a rock, I hope you can look back and remember the days that God came through for you in the past.

I hope you can be surprised by finding the Lord in unexpected places.

Pass It On

In our Bibles, most of Paul’s letters are written to churches, giving them instruction, giving them encouragement, or sometimes giving them a rebuke. Whenever Paul started his letters, he opened with a greeting to the church, and maybe gave a few shout outs to some people who had been doing work for the gospel, and prayed for grace, mercy, and peace for the reader/hearer. We also have a few instances where Paul wrote directly to individuals: Philemon, Titus, and 1 & 2 Timothy.

In looking at 2 Timothy I found it interesting that Paul says this starting in verse 5, “ 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

Paul cared deeply for Timothy. He had discipled Timothy and sent him on his first missions to share the gospel with the world. In learning about his faith Paul found that Timothy’s roots started with his grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice. Hopefully, every grandmother is proud of their grandson, but I doubt she could have predicted where Timothy would end up.

Lois knew what I hope we all know, the importance of passing on your faith. She was faithful with her child and grandchild, and that faithfulness led to a person we still learn about today in Timothy. You never know what kind of far-reaching impact you have when you share your faith with your family, with those you work with, or with people you may never see again.

You have been given a gift, a small spark, that you can fan into flame. We have been given a great calling. I pray that you can pass it on. You have no idea how much impact you can have a few generations down the line.

Fresh Brewed

Probably 99 times out of 100, I will choose tea over coffee. For some reason this is something many coffee drinkers take as a personal attack. Drink whatever brewed beverage you prefer, I have only my own tastebuds to contend with, but something I think we can all agree on is that it’s something that is best when it is fresh. If you try to run hot water through the grounds again, or try to reuse a tea bag, you’ll get a hot beverage that is merely an imitation of what you were actually seeking.

In much the same way, we need to be in the constant process of renewing our minds. So many people who claim the name of Christ try to get by on Sunday mornings and the Sunday schooling they received as children. It seems that as soon as they recognize that they have been saved by faith they don’t need to learn anything else.

When we have a faith like this, we are not prepared for when the hard times come. We go back to that used up tea bag hoping it will give us what we need, but it only leaves us grasping. The way of the world is to do the minimum it takes to get by. However, we have been called to do more.

Paul, in Romans 12:1-2 says this, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

It's easy to fall into the old way of doing things. It’s tempting to just reuse those old coffee grounds, but we know that those things will not satisfy the needs we have. I pray that you can fight the temptation to reach for the status quo. I pray that you continue you to grow in your faith no matter how long you’ve had it.

Renew your mind.

Fear and Joy

The Psalms are a great place to find people expressing the reality of life. On one page the authors are praising God for ever-loving kindness, and on the next they feel like worms eating dirt. And in some, like Psalm 57 those two aspects are described together. The Psalm starts

1 Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
    for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
    until the disaster has passed.

2 I cry out to God Most High,
    to God, who vindicates me.
3 He sends from heaven and saves me,
    rebuking those who hotly pursue me—

    God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.

During this time, David, the author of this Psalm, is being pursued by someone who wants to eliminate him. He is crying out to God for help, and for safety. He is feeling the way many of us have felt in times of desperation. We cry out to God saying, “whatever you want Lord, please, just help me!”

And through his crying out to God in desperation, David seems to find his footing. The tone of the Psalm shifts in the middle from the fear of verses 1-4 to the faithfulness of verses 5-11.

7 My heart, O God, is steadfast,
    my heart is steadfast;
    I will sing and make music.
8 Awake, my soul!
    Awake, harp and lyre!
    I will awaken the dawn.

9 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
    I will sing of you among the peoples.
10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
    your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
    let your glory be over all the earth.

This is the reality in which we live. One day we can fear for our lives, and other times we can be on a mountaintop of joy. Wherever you find yourself it’s good to remember where you’ve been before. Recognize the good times, and remember that the hard times don’t last forever.

Jump In

What should we have for dinner? This seemingly innocuous question has probably started more arguments than any other phrase in history. Whether between friends, colleagues, romantic partners, parents and kids, or anyone else that you might share a meal with; there is always a dissenting voice, or worse, someone without an opinion. It brings up this weird innate indecisiveness because when you’re hungry everything sounds good until someone brings up that place you don’t like.

Where should we go? I don’t care you pick.

If I wanted to pick, I wouldn’t have asked you.

How about X? I don’t like X.

How about Y? We just had Y.

Well, what do you want? I’ll know it when I see it!

And on and on this conversation circles around until one person is frustrated and one person is settling. When you have too many options you can feel paralyzed by choice. We can feel this way when we feel called to be active within the body of Christ. If you identify yourself as a Christian, then you have been given this calling. Where we get paralyzed is when we realize that there are a lot of ways that we can serve the Lord.

Instead of spending ages wrestling to find the perfect place you fit, jump in. Paul in Ephesians 4:1-7 says this,

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 

Grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Let us use those gifts decisively in serving the Lord and one another. You have already been called, you are worthy of serving.

Jump in.

Helping Hands

Have you ever had a friend that needed a lot of help? Maybe they were going through a big transition. Maybe life was hitting them on all sides. Maybe they were just kind of dumb. Whatever the reason they started looking to you to be their saving grace, the person who came through in the clutch and helped them move forward in life. At times this can be invigorating, you receive the satisfaction of a job well done and you get to see your friend grow into a better version of themselves.

Other times, however, this can be exhausting. You see someone make the same mistake, the same bad choice, or walk the same path that got them in trouble in the first place. It’s easy to give up on people. It’s easy to say you are not worth the grief you bring to my life. While there are times to create healthy boundaries, there are also times that we are called to step up and do more.

Paul in Romans 15:1-2 puts it this way, “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.”

When you help people, you rarely get any benefit. That should be an okay outcome for you. As Christians we are called to be the servants of all. Just like Christ made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf, we should be able and willing to sacrifice a little time and a little frustration.

And when it all gets to be too much Paul continues in verses 5-6, “5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

When you are weak you should ask for help. When you are strong you should look for people that you can help. Living life on this Earth, we will switch between these two places more times than we can count.

Let’s be there for one another.

More Bees?

After my adventure with the bee last week, I thought I was done. I had done my good deed for nature; I set the bee free instead of crushing it. And then I went home. When I walked in my door, buzzing around my kitchen was (what I thought was) the biggest bee I had ever seen. This monster was probably 2 inches long and looked angry. I weighed my options, the most appealing being to just burn the house down and find a way to start over. Instead, I acted like a good citizen of the earth, opened every door, and ushered it back into the wild. I later learned that this was a cicada killer wasp, and I should have killed it because wasps have no redeeming qualities. But we’re not here to talk about bugs, or how much they scare me.

After my first harrowing experience of the day, I thought I was done. I didn’t think I would need to deal with anything like that for some time, and then almost immediately there I was. It might not always be bugs. You might have that problem that rears its ugly head every once in a while. It may feel like a weakness to have a problem that you just can’t solve, but it is a reminder that we are not called to face this world on our own strength alone.

Paul, one of the heroes of the faith had to deal with chronic problems. And when he did, he used them as a source of strength.

2 Corinthians 12: 5b-10 on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— 6 though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than they see in me or hear from me. 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Do you allow God to shine through your weakness? We were never called to be perfect, only to rely on the one who is.

Not the Bees!

It’s pretty nice weather right now so I opened the office windows to enjoy a cool breeze. Unfortunately, with the nice breeze also comes nature, and like many modern people, I only want to interact with nature on my schedule. I was in the woods because I chose to go on a hike. I saw wildlife because I went out looking for it. I got a face full of pollen because I stopped to smell the roses.

The nature that was thrust upon me today was a bee! She just came in buzzing around and got stuck on the window screen. I don’t like bugs, they give me the creeps, and even though I am literally more than a million times bigger, (I did the math) I would prefer flight over fight in most insect interactions. But little homey was stuck and needed help finding the way out. So, I got a cup and a piece of paper and, only making the manliest of sounds, I threw her out the window.

Bugs get stuck in windows and light fixtures because in their little bug brains, the only thought is to go towards a light because bright light should mean the sun and freedom. Sadly, many of these lights are false leads.

The same thing happens to us. We get stuck and start reaching for anything that looks like it might solve the problem. This is at the root of our own personal idols. Anything we look to as salvation from our problems, that is not God, is another problem.

1 John 1:5-7 tells us this, “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

We all have times when it feels as though we are walking in the darkness. We also have the benefit of being smarter than bugs. Use your innate discernment to choose walking towards the true light of God. We do know the difference between the true light and a false idol.

Fly free.

Wishing Game

Psalm 73 captures something that feels truly timeless. It was written by Asaph one of the musicians of David and Solomon’s time. It captures the envy we have when we see other people doing well even when they don’t live a righteous life. He starts, “1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. 3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

It is so easy to play the wishing game. I wish I had their house. I wish I had their money. I wish my kids behaved the way their kids behaved. It is so easy to get sucked into thinking like this when we only get a glimpse. We start thinking like Asaph confesses in verse 13, “13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence.14 All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments.

When we see someone who appears to have the life we want, it’s easy to question why we put up with living the life we’ve been called to. When we see people get away with crimes or see that some people never face the consequences of their actions, we wonder if we should leave it all behind and just jump down in the mud with them.

However, we realize, as Asaph did, (v.21) “when my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant…” It’s easy to fall into the mindset of making worldly pleasures our priority. But you have been called to keep your focus on things that are eternal. God only looks at you and your heart, God isn’t comparing you to anyone else.

You were not called to live any other life but your own. Keep your eyes on things that last. Asaph closes his Psalm with these words, “28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;”

I hope we can do the same.

Shema

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 

In Hebrew, these verses are called the Shema, which translates to hear. It is a confession of faith about who God is and our calling in following him. It is as true now as was when it was written 700 hundred(ish) years before the birth of Christ. The first phrase, “the Lord our God, the Lord is one,” Contains the essential truth that God is a singular entity and not some vague force like “will” or “the universe” or “the force.” This establishes the truth of the trinity, we have one God that exists in three persons of God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

From this understanding of God we receive our call. You are called to love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, and ALL your might. On first reading, this call can feel daunting or overwhelming. There are so many things in our modern world that try to call your attention away. It is so easy to get distracted, and that is why the Shema became a daily prayer. Short, and to the point, the Shema is a reminder of where our hope comes from and where our focus should be.

My hope, as a minister, is that you spend regular time studying the scriptures, praying to God, and growing in your faith. My hope, as a person also facing all the distractions the world can offer, is that I do, too. God loves us very much, and loves hearing our hopes and struggles. Even on your busiest days I hope you can all find time to remind yourself of the words of the Shema, 

“The Lord my God, the Lord is one. I willl love the Lord my God with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my might.”

Really?!

The other day, the little rubber nose-pad thingy on my glasses fell off. I hadn’t taken a blow to the face; there was nothing that prompted it. I just went to adjust my glasses, as I do hundreds of times a day, and I felt something small fall down my face. I’ve worn glasses since the second grade, and this has never happened before. To keep it classy I will just say that I was perturbed!

Something like this, while annoying, isn’t usually an event to get worked up about. But it happened during a run of days that just weren’t going too great for me, and I was about ready to pop off. Thankfully, no one was around because I’m sure we’ve all had those occasions to place our anger about one thing on to someone who has nothing to do with it. I don’t want to be that person.

We all have those things that can send us down a path of anger, and we can tend to leave a wake of destruction as we travel down it. This is the time when we must practice self-control. Proverbs 16:32 says, “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and they who rule their spirit than they who take a city.”

Being slow to anger almost seems like a superpower when you’re in a bad mood. It can be difficult (and feel impossible) when there are so many things in this world that seem like they are designed to perturb us. We live in a world where “ragebait” is a word, this is a piece of content that gets engagement by intentionally making people frustrated. Someone sees it and shares it saying, “can you believe how dumb this is?” or “How can they say something like this?” 

Thankfully, you get to choose what is most important to you. You don’t need to engage with everything that bothers you. Some things will happen. We don’t control the world around us as much as we wish we could. When things happen, and they are definitely going to happen, we just need to do our best to remember the bigger picture.

Being slow to anger makes you strong enough to rule a city!

Risen Indeed

When the disciples learned that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb that was supposed to contain Jesus they ran to investigate. The writer of John wants us to be sure that we know he outran Peter. Instead of seeing a body wrapped in cloth they just saw the linens neatly folded. Knowing the whole story, it’s easy for us to point at the folly of the disciples. Jesus told them he would return several times. But if you looked closely at any time Jesus taught the disciples, you would see that he needed to also explain what he meant multiple times. We laugh at the disciple’s history of not getting it, until we remember all the times we have missed things that should have been obvious. 

One of the people near the tomb was Mary Magdalene. As she stood there confused and weeping two angels appeared to her, and asked her why she was crying. This is what we find in John 20:13-16 

She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).

Mary, so lost in her confusion and grief, couldn’t recognize that the one she was looking for was standing right in front of her. How often does this happen to us? We get so worked up that we can’t recognize a solution that is right in front of our faces. Once Mary recognized that Jesus was there with her, her entire countenance changes. In verse 18 she announces to the other disciples, “I have seen the Lord!”

There are times when we need to slow down from the frenetic pace of life and realize that Jesus is standing right there with us. 

Healed

1 Peter 2:22-25 - 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.

23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

As we reach the mid-point of Holy Week, it’s easy to get lost in the fanfare of celebrating Easter. Do we have the right candy? Does everyone have the right pastel clothes to wear? What else do we need to have at our Easter feast? And like any other holiday, the questions go on and on about how we can celebrate “right.”

It makes sense that the resurrection we celebrate on Easter Sunday is one of the main lynchpins of our faith. Christianity is a faith centered around renewal and second chances. However, it is easy to forget the sacrifice that was made to get us to where we are today. Christ’s death on the cross was not an easy thing for Jesus to face.

Jesus took up a cross that was not his to carry. He faced scorn and ridicule that he did not deserve. As he was tortured and hung on that tree he did not lash out, he did not try to escape, he trusted in the promises made by God the Father—the one who judges justly. And he did it for one reason, that those who would believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

By his wounds we are healed. We have hope for the future. Before you get caught up in the fanfare of knowing the end of the story, take some time to recognize how it began. Jesus knew what was going to happen and came to seek and to save the lost anyway.

Where once we were lost, now we are found!

Brave Face

I knew a guy once who broke his back—twice. The second time it took and, short of the Lord’s intervention, he will be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. In spite of this, he was probably one of the most positive people I have ever met. He had to deal with constant general pain, the loss of a very active lifestyle, and living in a world that was no longer built for him. Through it all he kept a smile on his face and tried to take life one day at a time.

For him, the obstacle was obvious, he was in a wheelchair. For other people, the struggles they are dealing with can be hidden, but through it all they put on a brave face. I’m sure you know the struggles that you fight through every day, and how some days it feels like the struggle wins. But even when we feel like we’ve lost, God encourages us to keep going.

The prophet Zephaniah reminds us of this promise in Zephaniah 3:16-17 

On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Fear not, O Zion;
    let not your hands grow weak.
The Lord your God is in your midst,
    a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
    he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.

For most of us, our struggles are hidden beneath a few layers of self-protection and a desire to follow social norms. If we are honest, we know that they exist. And knowing they exist for us; means we can safely assume that they exist for others. A little compassion goes a long way. It costs you nothing to be kind, but it could change someone else’s whole day.

There are a lot of people walking around with brave faces these days. Some much braver than others. Let’s go out there and love people well. Everyone needs compassion, everyone needs forgiveness, let’s show them the kindness of the Savior. God is mighty to save.

Praise

Why do you do what you do? The long reaching implications of that seven-word question reach much farther than we would expect. It dives much deeper than just wanting an explanation of your vocation. From the food we prefer, to how we interact with someone who can do nothing for us, we are all have hidden needs and motivations that moves us towards a goal.

Jesus warns us against one of the most dangerous ones in John 12:43, “for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.” Some translations render this verse as “they loved the praise of other people more than the praise of God.” The praise of the people around us is dangerous because feels good! It feels nice when someone appreciates your hard work or the effort you put in. However, when that becomes your only motivation, you can lose what made the work worthy of praise in the first place.

We can all be fickle people, what earned the praise of your peers one day is suddenly annoying and earns ridicule another day. We have been given a higher calling. We have been called to leave the rat race behind and reach for what really matters.

Jesus continues in verses 45-46, “And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” Trying to live a life pleasing people that don’t matter is exhausting and pointless. You have been called to something greater and don’t need to remain in that darkness. 

Jesus wants you to step into the light, a light that allows you to make bold choices. When God is for us who can be against us? Granted, this call is not an easy one. Following the praise of the crowd feels easy because you can just google the trends, but then they change and you’re stuck chasing something that you can never really reach.

With God the call is clear: “Be holy. Show Love. Follow me.”