Simply Soul Searching
HOW IS GOD LOVING ME – AND WHERE IS GOD LEADING ME?
An Encouraging Word #2: Resilience
Today’s encouraging word is resilience.
Resilience is “the power or ability to return to the original form, position, etc., after being bent, compressed, or stretched; elasticity; ability to recover readily from illness, depression, adversity, or the like; buoyancy.”¹
In what areas might you need resilience today? Are you feeling pulled in a direction you would rather not go? Do you feel torn about a decision you need to make? Is there a burden that weighs you down? Perhaps you are wondering when you will feel “normal” again. Resilience is being able to endure these forces that push, pull and weigh on us, and yet remain who God has created us to be.
Let’s look more closely at the two synonyms we are given in the definition.
Elasticity…
When we think of resilience as elasticity, we might think of people who weather trials while remaining steadfast in faith and hope, or trees that sway with the wind and thus become stronger, or balls of yeasty bread dough that give with the kneading and then raise to form plump, smooth loaves. They are tried and stretched but not broken. Their ability to be flexible and yielding during challenging times helps to foster new strength, endurance and growth.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ~2 Corinthians 4:7-9 (NIV)
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Buoyancy…
I especially like this synonym for resilience: buoyancy. An object with buoyancy keeps rising to the surface even after it has been pulled down into the depths. There are two opposing forces at work- gravity pulls an object down while water pushes it back up. Buoyancy is what helps the force of the water to overcome the force of the gravity.
This (kid-friendly 🙂 ) article explains more about buoyancy…
Little pebbles sink while a giant basketball floats, but why is that? The secret is buoyancy, or the ability of objects to float in water or air. Whether or not an object has buoyancy depends mostly on two factors: the amount of water an object displaces and the density of an object. A pebble is dense and displaces very little water, therefore it sinks. However, a basketball is not very dense and displaces more water, therefore it floats.²
Doesn’t this image provide a beautifully symbolic example of resiliency for our daily living? Imagine gravity as the weight of our worldly cares and concerns pulling us down, while water as the spirit of God drawing us back up. God’s buoyant force is already surrounding us, but how might we improve our own buoyancy? How do we better enable God to lift us from the depths of darkness back up to the light of love?
Both forces are affected by density and by surface area; how do we become more expansive and less dense? Perhaps as we open more and more to the Spirit, we expand with the goodness of God, while becoming less full of ourselves! We expand and fill ourselves with the lightness of the freedom, trust, grace, and joy that God so generously gives. And we release such burdens as sin, worry, control, and anxiety that weigh us down. We place every area of our lives before the loving touch of God, and surrender whatever pulls us down or anchors us in place.
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. ~ James 4:10 (NIV)
Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy;
when I fall, I shall rise;
when I sit in darkness,
the Lord will be a light to me.
~ Micah 7:8 (NRSV)
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” ~ John 16:33 (NIV)
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Today my prayer is that we all may trust God to provide the resilience we need to face, bear, endure, and then overcome any challenges before us, so that we remain and grow as the beautiful creations God has made us to be.
“Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” ― Nelson Mandela
“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.”
― Maya Angelou
“She stood in the storm and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.”
― Elizabeth Edwards
This blogpost is for my friend, Becky.
¹https://www.dictionary.com
²https://study.com/academy/lesson/buoyancy-lesson-for-kids.html
Bible verses are copied from https://www.biblegateway.com/
Photo by Anders Nord on Unsplash
An Encouraging Word #1: Encouragement
In my journal-prayer time each morning, I often ask God for particular strengths to help with the day ahead. For example, if I am facing a busy day, I may ask for stamina. If I am feeling inner tension, I will ask for peace. I also hope that God will reveal to me what I need to help meet the needs of that day, what I am lacking that might be useful for God’s purposes.
During these unique and challenging days, it seems that we could all use encouragement for our souls. In the weeks ahead, I will be offering a new blog series, An Encouraging Word. Each post will reflect upon a certain trait or quality that might serve as our encouragement for the day. The word will describe a strength or gift through which God can fill us, help us, and equip us to help one another.
The appropriate word to begin with today then, is encouragement.
Merriam Webster’s definition of encourage includes: “to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope; to spur on; to give help or patronage to.”¹ Don’t all of these definitions seem essential for today? And not only for these days of the coronavirus, but for every day?
Inspire with courage, spirit or hope…
We cannot fathom the utter grief and despair of the friends and family of Jesus during his time in the tomb. We are richly blessed because we know of his resurrection and in turn, ours. So in all of our tomb times, we can wait with hope. Resurrection is coming. Resurrection is guaranteed. This new life may look different, but it will be transformed through the sheer goodness of God. God is our courage, our spirit, our hope for these days.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. ~ Romans 15:13 (NRSV)
Spur on…
Even with the excitement of a fresh start and being closer to family, Jim and I were quite uncertain and concerned as we planned to move to West Virginia. Would we be comfortable in our apartment? Would his new position be financially sufficient? How would we like this community? Would we ever feel at home? But one day, the idea occurred to me that God was already present in our new apartment, ready to welcome us there. God goes with us wherever we go. God is always before us, always with us, even now. As Moses told Joshua what God had promised,
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. ~ Deuternomy 31:8 (NIV)
Give help or patronage to…
God is our constant help. God is our strength. God will see us through these times and all the times to come. We then are to become God’s help for others. In doing so, we will often find that we have been blessed- by taking the focus off our own troubles and finding the joy of helping one another. The encouragement God gives is not only to uplift our downcast spirits, but also to help us persevere in doing what is right and good. As Paul writes to the people of Corinth- even as he suffers,
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. ~ 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (NIV)
Today my prayer for all of you is that you will feel encouraged, and that you will do what you can to encourage others. We will see a new day!
“One of the most important things you can do on this earth
is to let people know they are not alone.” ~ Shannon L. Alder
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~ What might you need for these days? Is there a certain quality you feel you are lacking, one that would be helpful for you to reflect and consider? If you would like, please note your requests by commenting below. You will be in my prayers, and I will do my best to include your word in a future post.
(On a personal note, I especially want to thank my friend across the miles, Pat C., who is a treasured and constant source of encouragement for my writing. You all bless me as encouragers when you read, follow, like or comment on my posts. Thank you! I thank God for her- and all of you.)
¹https://www.merriam-webster.com/
All Bible passages are taken from http://www.biblegateway.com
Photo by Karen, Outer Banks 2016
A Prayer in the Fog
Habakkuk 2:20 (NIV)
The Lord is in his holy temple;
let all the earth be silent before him.
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Holy and Infinite God,
You are so much beyond my knowing!
Each time I try to name or define you,
I limit you to my own understanding.
Job 11:7-9 (NIV)
Can you fathom the mysteries of God?
Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
They are higher than the heavens above—what can you do?
They are deeper than the depths below—what can you know?
Their measure is longer than the earth
and wider than the sea.
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Help me to stop looking for clarity
when I need to be comfortable in the unknowing.
Help me to quit trying to make sense of the divine mysteries of life
but to embrace them for the beautiful gifts they are.
2 Corinthians 5:7 (NIV)
For we live by faith, not by sight.
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I trust that you continually see me
even in those times when I cannot see you;
for I know that you see me
even when I cannot fully see myself.
1 Corinthians 13:12 12 (NIV)
For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
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Your presence envelops me so gently
that I do not sense the weight of you.
Yet I know I am held in your embrace,
for my skin glistens from your loving caress.
Exodus 33:14 (NIV)
The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
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May I have the awareness to notice your gifts before me,
the discernment to glean their deeper meanings,
and the patience to wait for your revelations-
in your way, in your time.
Romans 12:2 (NIV)
Do not conform to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—
his good, pleasing and perfect will.
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Help me to stop sorting
and placing the pieces of my life
into a sensible vision of my own creation,
a scene that is lovely only for me.
Matthew 6:10 (NIV)
…your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
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All of life is a holy mystery,
a divine journey through the mists and the fogs.
Only you can see the final destination,
and so I will follow your lead. Amen.
Psalm 16:5, 8-11 (NIV)
Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;
you make my lot secure.
I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
nor will you let your faithful one see decay.
You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
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Photos by Karen, taken at Swan Creek Metropark, Toledo, Ohio
Seasons of Preparation
How is it that these trees bless my daily walk with their radiant beauty against the bright blue sky, their branches uplifted to the heavens as if in praise to the One who made us all?
Are they able to do so…
… because they once experienced the joy of thriving, as they grew and expanded in the warm summer sunshine, or the generosity of sharing, as their shade provided welcome relief for those who paused beneath?
… because they once experienced the freedom of surrender, as they gently released their colorful leaves to the chilly autumn breezes, or the humility of simplicity, as they bared their branches in preparation for the season to come?
… because they once experienced the strengthening through hardship, as they endured icy winds and frosty snows, or the patience of abiding, as they remained steadfast and strong against the blustery bitterness of winter?
… because they once experienced the deepening in trust, as they extended their seeking roots further into the soft ground, or the wisdom of anchoring, as they braced themselves for the stormy tempests of early spring?
Are these the very reasons
they are now able to return
in bright and beautiful splendor?
Have all the seasons of life- seasons that brought experiences of joy, growth, generosity, freedom, surrender, humility, simplicity, preparation, strengthening, hardship, endurance, patience, deepening, trust, anchoring and wisdom- actually enabled them to blossom and glorify their Creator in this fresh new way?
(photos by Karen 🙂 )
Walking as a Fixer Along the Broken Road
For a few weeks now, I have been trying to write a blog series, “An Encouraging Word” for these stressful and anxious days with COVID 19. Each time, I find myself with sort of a writer’s block. Oh, I am writing LOTS of words! But they are mostly words of frustration, anxiety, sorrow and anger, not only from this pandemic but also from the reactions to this crisis.
Jim and I are very fortunate. For the most part, our lives remain pretty stable in these days of COVID 19. We are healthy, we have not lost loved ones, we trust that our retirement savings will recover, and we have our home and all that we need.
My anxiety comes from the uncertainty. Not knowing… when or if there will be a vaccine, when we will be free to be with our community and loved ones, when the largest part of the threat will be behind us. It comes from not being able to be with my elderly mom, not being able to hug my grandson and other family members, and from wondering if our long-planned family vacation will take place. It comes from my worry and sadness for those whose lives have been impacted much more than ours.
But my anxiety largely stems from what I have observed in my country during these recent months. A president who continues to divide and blame when we need unity and responsibility more than ever, who incites people to protest against governors and the necessary safety precautions in place, who withdraws from world organizations during a time when we especially need to work together for the good of all, and who is even now eliminating standards for climate care while the pandemic rages… protestors who feel their “right to work, worship, or gather” are more important than the health of everyone, whose actions actually delay a return to normalcy… hoarders who purchase foods and other supplies to resell for profit… and even an increase in gun sales.
The whole world is hurting. We would do well to unite with others as one generous community, all of us working to help, protect, share and survive together. But we allow our fears, our feelings of scarcity, and our need for self protection (often at the expense of others) to reign. To be honest, my anxiety also comes when I notice these same feelings rising up within me.
For those of us who are Fixers, we are additionally frustrated and anxious because we can’t fix this. We want to make the world better, help the suffering to end, and unite all people in love. But the road is quite broken right now, and there are no repairs readily available or significant enough to smooth this journey for everyone. This sense of futility can often lead to our inaction. We need to find a few ways we might be able to make a difference.
What can we do as we journey along this broken road?
~ First, we ask for help. We are not meant to journey all alone, we are not meant to fix the world by ourselves. We ask God to help us, the Spirit to guide us. We team with those who also want to make this road a better one. We are not meant to do this by ourselves. We simply cannot do this by ourselves.
~ We smooth the rough patches we encounter along our way. We do whatever we can to correct or repair the pothole before us, leaving the rest of the road for another day. We each fix what we can, one smaller part of the problem at a time.
~ We recognize that some potholes may actually benefit others, even if they slow our own progress. (I noticed a bird splashing in a pothole-turned-birdbath after a recent rainstorm.)
~ We help one another walk the rough terrain. If we cannot fix the road itself, we can help each other traverse it anyway. We can support, uphold, and lean on one another as we stumble on, together.
~ We find rest areas for our journey. We recognize when we need a break from the news; when we would benefit from a time of respite. We listen to an inspirational podcast, enjoy a walk in nature, watch a humorous movie, or read an interesting book. We sit quietly with a mug of tea or glass of wine. We call a friend, journal our thoughts, relax in a warm bath, work in the garden, or make our favorite recipes.
~ We take detours. Yes, our planned route has been abruptly halted. What other routes are we being invited to explore? Could they be new adventures of learning and discovery? What new beauty might we find?
~ We live as signposts of Christ. Walking with a peaceful demeanor, a joyful spirit, a gracious generosity, and a trusting countenance, we may serve as reassuring guides for others to follow.
~ We look around. The imperfect road is not the only thing on this journey. There is the beauty of creation- sunrises and sunsets, trees and flowers and grasses, streams and lakes and oceans, hills and valleys and fields, skies and clouds and stars. There is the love of family and friends and beloved pets. There is the joy of creativity through art, music, photography, writing, and other imaginative venues.
~ Most of all, we keep looking ahead. When we look down at the road before us, we see the cracks, holes and ruts. But if we look ahead, we see the grand and majestic vista appearing in the distance, waiting patiently for our arrival. This road is, and will always be, a broken one, but it will lead us to our final and glorious destination.
Keep walking together, dear friends.
And watch for An Encouraging Word in the days to come. 🙂
April 14th- Have you anything here to eat?
Have you anything here to eat?
While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, Peace be with you.” They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence. (Luke 24:36-43 NRSV)
In yesterday’s post (What things?) Jesus encountered Cleopas and another disciple walking on the road to Emmaus. Just before today’s passage, we learn that Jesus stayed to break bread with them, and this meal became the eye-opening act the two needed to fully recognize their resurrected friend. Now, as he appears again to the eleven, they remain in wondrous disbelief even after he shows them his hands and feet. Jesus then asks if they have anything to eat. This act seems to be the preferred way Jesus chooses to reveal himself to his beloved disciples.
Isn’t this beautiful? Twice, Jesus is revealed in the breaking of bread, in the sharing of a meal.
The practice of sharing meals together or feeding one another seems to be very important to Jesus. All through his earthly life, Jesus often described kingdom living in terms of feasts and banquets. He ate with sinners, he fed the crowds. In the last meal shared with his disciples before his death, Jesus created a sacrament for them and for us to receive his presence and remember him forever. You may remember that he also fed the disciples again on the beach with fish cooked over a fire after his resurrection (Easter- Do you love me?). Jesus also told Peter to “Feed my sheep,” as a way to show his love for others.
This is the last of the season’s posts. We now move on to our “normal” daily living in the light of the Easter resurrection (at least as normal as we can be in these trying times).
Now, Jesus wants to know, “Have you anything here to eat?”
We do.
Jesus is our bread of life, our strength and our sustenance. Jesus continues to feed us today with his Word, his Spirit, and his meal. He is inviting us to join his banquet. This is our opportunity to invite others to share his feast, too. We are meant to gather with one another, to bring what we have to the table, to share our food and our hospitality, to remember Jesus and to welcome his presence. We are made to laugh and talk and love and listen and feed and be and dream and help and share, seated all together as one around the table, feasting on the love of Jesus.*
Are you talking to ME?
Today Jesus asks, “Have you anything here to eat?”
How do you need to be fed with the bread of Christ today? What will you bring to the table? Can you recall a meal that especially blessed you? What made it so special? Have you ever been excluded from a table? How might you welcome another? Could you help a hungry person today (whether physically or spiritually hungry)? Do you ever feel as if you are missing out on the fullness of the banquet Jesus is offering? Where might you need to open yourself further? What do you have to offer today?
Have you anything here to eat?
*I had written this post early in February, not knowing what would be in store for our world with COVID 19. At the time, it was such a joyful way to end the season’s meditations, with our invitation to gather, share and eat, together in the love of Christ…
We are sad that we cannot physically gather to do this right now. But how might we virtually or spiritually feed and gather with one another? May we do all that we can- through prayer, writing letters or cards, making calls, connecting via internet, and supporting agencies and individuals who are helping others in this crisis.
We are still connected in love, in Spirit, in caring thoughts. We are connected as the Body of Christ.
Thank you for reading. Peace, dear friends.
Photo by Kevin Schmid on Unsplash
April 13th- What things?
What things?
Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. (Luke 24:13-27)
Later in the day that Jesus was resurrected, he approaches these two disciples as they walk to Emmaus. His first question, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” seems like a logical and innocent one. They are surprised, but they reply, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?”
I love his second question: “What things?” Can’t you just imagine him inwardly grinning? Jesus obviously knows what all has happened- but he wants to hear the disciples tell the story. He wants to hear their version of all that has transpired. Perhaps he wants to know the things they understand clearly, and what yet remains to be clarified. He can fill in their gaps of confusion or doubt with assurance, peace, and hope.
What do we talk about as we “walk along”? How often in our daily conversations do we say words of encouragement or hope? Words of love and joy? Do we speak of life-giving ideas or are we the discouraged and disgruntled ones? Are we talking of trivial things- or perhaps even not talking? We have such a good story in Jesus, a story of hope and joy and love, to share in this world that desperately needs to hear it.
I see a deeper significance in Jesus’ question for the disciples, too:
He wants to begin revealing who he is by entering into their present story.
What things? becomes an invitation for us. Jesus knows our story as well. But maybe in our telling of it, he can help us clarify exactly what he was doing at different times in our lives. Let’s keep bringing our stories to Jesus and allow him to edit and hone them into ones filled with examples of his boundless grace and love. Let’s give Jesus a chance to increasingly reveal himself by inviting him into our version of our present story. He can craft our stories into ones of hope and joy. Stories that include what things Jesus has done for us!
Are you talking to ME?
Today Jesus is asking, “What things?”
What would you tell Jesus about your life? Are there moments that need clarifying? Are there moments of joy, grace, mercy for which you would like to thank him? Is there one moment of significance that you might lift to Jesus for better understanding today? In what area of your life would you like Jesus to reveal himself more? What do you need in order to share his story more readily? To share yours? What things do you need to know?
What things?
Easter! Do you love me?
(My Reader Friends,
As this Lenten season comes to an end with the joyful resurrection of Jesus, I am wishing you all the blessings of this Easter day! For me, these weeks have certainly had a Lenten feel, but not always a Lenten focus. I often found myself distracted by the fear, the isolation, and the uncertainty of this virus. But now, as I reflect on our times together, I feel as if we have journeyed with Jesus and one another through a new and unexplored wilderness. And so, I will count this difficult season as a gift today.
As we now celebrate, perhaps in simpler ways with fewer people, may we all feel a universal connection through the Spirit, and may we all experience the sheer joy of the resurrection. In Jesus, resurrection is guaranteed. After every death, every hardship, every loss, there will ALWAYS be a resurrection. I hope this helps you to rejoice today!)
Do you love me?
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. (John 21:15-17 NRSV)
Happy Easter! Jesus is risen!
What a wonderful, glorious, happy day for all of us!
We are jumping ahead just a little bit today with this passage. A week or so after Jesus has risen, the disciples find Jesus on the beach, cooking fish over a charcoal fire. He is making breakfast for them! I find this so incredibly beautiful. And on this glorious Easter Sunday, Jesus’ question seems especially meaningful. Three times he asks Peter, “Do you love me?”
Three times, Jesus is asking us, “Do you love me?”
Do you love me?
Do you love me for the life I lived as your teacher, your mentor, your guide? Do you love me for the stories I told, the parables I taught, the lessons I shared? Do you love me for the challenges and trials I took you through? Do you love me for the feeding, healing, touching, comforting and blessing I gave so generously? Do you love me because I became one of you?
Do you love me?
Do you love me for the terrible suffering I endured in these past few days? Do you love me because I never wavered from being God’s son, but continued to love and live as God wanted me to do, all the way to my death? Do you love me for forgiving even those who killed me? Do you love me for continuing to love you, in spite of all the times you doubted, denied, or lost faith in those awful and uncertain days?
Do you love me?
Do you love me because you have witnessed my glorious resurrection? Do you love me for the hope, joy, and salvation you can cling to because of this day? Do you love me because I live forever- and I live in you?
Jesus has been resurrected. After breakfast, Jesus resurrects Peter (from the grief and guilt of his previous denials) with his questions and his words. Now Jesus is also offering us new life- a present resurrection- as he asks us, “Do you love me?”
Are you talking to ME?
Today Jesus is asking, “Do you love me?”
Do you love Jesus for all of him- his life and teaching, his suffering and death, and his resurrection? Will you continue to love Jesus by loving others in our world? Will you do all you can to feed his sheep? Do you need to be resurrected from a certain loss, death, or pain today ? Are you ready for him to resurrect you into new life, right now?
Do you love me?
Photo by Kimson Doan on Unsplash
Easter Vigil- When the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?
When the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?
Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’ For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:1-8 NRSV)
So now we wait. Jesus has died, his body has been placed in the tomb. Sabbath has begun. Work ceases. All is quiet.
Imagine what the disciples must have felt. What just happened here?! We were just getting started. All the people praised him only a week ago. He taught us so much, he healed so many people. He helped us see a new way of kingdom living. Was it all for nothing? Why did our friend have to endure all of this? Why did we follow him, only to have it end like this?
Imagine what Mary must have felt. Did I misunderstand God? Did I give birth to my precious son, raise him in love, and watch him go off to follow God’s will, only to have his life end this way? Why did MY SON die? Nothing makes any sense.
Right now, as much as possible, try to imagine that we do not yet know the happy morning that is just ahead. How would today feel? The Easter Vigil is a powerful time of patient waiting. We sit in our own tomb-darkness and grieve the loss of this One we hold dear. We embrace the uncertainty of the day as a liminal space of “unknowing” in which God can do profound transformational work. As God transformed Jesus into new life, so too, we may ask God to transform our own lives in the darkness of this tomb-time.
The Easter Vigil brings to mind this parable of the judge that Jesus had once told his disciples. After the horror of Good Friday, as his dear ones spent the day in quiet bewilderment and terrible grief, could they remember Jesus’ story of the judge? Could they remember Jesus’ assurance that God would quickly help his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Could they trust that God was still working?
Throughout our lives we will have vigils, times of watching and waiting in uncertainty after a loss. In our darkness of despair and grief, do we remember these wonderful words as well? God will not fail us. While we trust and wait and work and pray and wonder and remain patient, we can carry this assuring hope of Christ in our hearts. So that “When the Son of Man comes…” he WILL find faith on earth!
Are you talking to ME?
Today Jesus is asking, “When the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?”
When your life is in turmoil with no clear answers in sight, are you able to trust that God is still working? Are you able to believe Jesus’ assurance that God will help- and quickly? In these times, are you able to just BE? Are you able to abide in God’s love, in quiet strength and trust? What gifts may come in the waiting? Christ is already here among and within us. Is he finding any faith on earth? In you?
When the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Good Friday- For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life…?
For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised…
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? (Matthew 16:21, 24-26 NRSV)
What a sad day.
What a treasured day.
One cannot imagine the agony of Jesus’ suffering. We can read the biblical gruesome details of his crucifixion, watch movies that reenact that terrible time, or imagine all of this at its worst possible depths, but we can never fully fathom what Jesus endured.
In the days leading up to this tragic day, Jesus had tried to tell his disciples- several times- what was going to happen to him. In this passage, he then extends a call to them and any others who want to become his followers: “Let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” We are his followers. His words are for us, too.
But what does “taking up our cross” mean for us? You may have heard different interpretations along the way. I most often hear people use the expression, “It’s the cross I have to bear,” to mean a burden they must carry or a suffering they must endure.
As I wrote in Preface to Holy Week (April 4th) , Jesus died on the cross because he would not give up living as God wanted him to live. He did not stop loving or challenging, healing or helping. He broke the rules that were not important, to ensure he lived the rule of love. He spoke against political and religious leaders while speaking of the reign of God. His cross of suffering and death came because he never stopped being the Son of God.
With this understanding, the cross we take up is our act of continuing the life and presence of Jesus in the world. The cross is our decision to embrace and imitate and live as Jesus did, as children of God. To choose the way of love. Of humility. Of surrender. Of generosity. Of servanthood. To keep standing up- for what is right, for justice, for others. To welcome the outcast. To help those in need. To feed, clothe and visit.
To live like Jesus. No matter what.
In order to take up the cross, we can imagine we would need to approach the cross with empty hands. There would be no way to grasp and bear the cross without being free of other things we carry. The cross of living and loving like Jesus is not a heavy one, but it does require our full embrace. And so the cross can bring a new lightness and freedom that come from letting go of everything else. As Jesus said, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). As we take up the cross, we let go of the things that distract, that encumber, that hinder us from following Jesus fully and well.
God’s love is so very good. The call to pick up our cross and follow Jesus may sound like a burden to carry, but we will soon discover the joy of the following, the freedom, and the surrender. Our trials will be grounded in peace. Our life will be filled with love and hope beyond our understanding. Our surrender will actually lead to greater freedom. We will receive more than we could possibly imagine. In losing our lives, we will find them!
Are you talking to ME?
Today Jesus asks, “For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?”
On this Good Friday, how is your soul? How have the events leading up to this terrible day affected your spirit?
What would you need to release in order to fully pick up the cross of love, of continuing as Jesus in the world? What path is taking you away from following him closely? Is there something you have felt called to do but have not yet pursued it? What worldly pursuit gets in the way of following Jesus? Are you ready to embrace the cross of Jesus- of living as the Body of Christ?
For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
Photo by Bobbie Wallace on Unsplash
Simply Soul Searching 