Easter has to be one of my favorite days. After the agony of holy week we get to celebrate the victory of Easter. In the chancel area of our church there's a cross covered with Easter lilies today. I saw crosses outside of other churches covered in flowers too. It's an incredibly beautiful reminder that God is victorious over sin and death through Christ.
The fact that the church chose the cross as its defining symbol makes sense because it was on the cross that Jesus won the decisive victory. But if you think about it from a first century perspective, it's an odd choice. The cross was a symbol of the most shameful kind of death a person could die. It was reserved for those who deserved a humiliating and excruciating end. Isn't it amazing the the Lord of Glory, the Creator and Sustainer of all gave up his life on a cross?!
Churches cover those instruments of torture with flowers on Easter Sunday. Why? Because that terrible symbol of suffering is transformed into a symbol of victory. Death could not hold him. Love wins - and not quietly or subtly - love wins with resounding shouts of victory. It's simply another example of God's exquisite sense of irony. Flowers covering the cross is a fitting picture of a great reversal.
That same victory - over sin and death and pain - is ours today. We all have wounds that have led to death - the death of some area of our lives, or of a relationship. We (like the disciples) may think that the story is over. But God, in Christ, is victorious. He is not content to see any part of you or me left in the tomb. In his resurrection appearances, Jesus' wounds were evidence of God's great power. Likewise, though we will certainly bear scars from many things, our wounds are transformed into evidence of God's great power, victory, and love if we will only allow them to be.
Ben Shive sings a song about the final judgement called "Rise Up". I think it's actually a great reminder that the Easter victory will one day be consummated, and on that day all will be made right:
Every stone that makes you stumble
And cuts you when you fall
Every serpent here that strikes your heel
To curse you when you crawl
The King of Love one day will crush them all
And every sad seduction
And every clever lie
Every word that woos and wounds
The pilgrim children of the sky
The King of Love will break them by and by
And you will rise up in the end
You will rise up in the end
I know the night is cruel
But the day is coming soon
And you will rise up in the end
All praise to the King of Love who's not content to leave us wounded and dead and alone in our shame; but who instead claims, redeems, and heals us; the One who causes those places of death to bloom with new life and beauty.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Dying Alone
I attended a couple of services yesterday (Maundy Thursday). In the first one the Gethsemane story was read, beginning with Jesus predicting Peter's denial. It is significant that this story appears in all four Gospel accounts. In the evening service I attended, passages from Jesus' final week on earth were read, beginning with the triumphal entry into Jerusalem and ending with Jesus' burial.
I'm struck by several things:
How dramatically and quickly the crowds turned against Jesus. Jesus spent three years preaching, teaching, healing, and befriending those who were left out of traditional "in crowds". In spite of all of the good he did for so many people, when Jesus disappointed their expectations, they turned against him, forgetting every good word and deed. People are fickle. I like to think that I'm a consistent person, but it's only wishful thinking. When things don't turn out like I expect, my constancy fades. How about you?
More surprising is how quickly Jesus' friends let him down. These guys were close to Jesus - sharing meals and travels. If any knew his heart, his worth, it was the disciples. One of them betrayed him, one denied knowing him, and they all deserted him when he was arrested. As I mentioned above, Peter's denial is recorded in all four Gospels. In Luke's account, Jesus not only foretells Peter's denial, says that he will turn back (toward Jesus) and that when he does, he should strengthen his brothers. Incredible words of encouragement for all of us who let our Lord down.
Jesus' face was set toward what he had to do, but he dreaded the suffering he knew he'd have to endure. In Gethsemane he struggled - and his friends slept. Again a description of people who loved Jesus - adored him, but couldn't watch and pray for him for even an hour. I think that these details, like the prediction of Peter's denial, are there for our encouragement. I don't know about you, but I'd have probably fallen asleep too.
I find myself in so many of the characters depicted in the Passion narrative. Jesus died for all of those faithless characters. He died for me too. I'm awed and amazed by the fact that he went through with it - even though he could have chosen not to. He could have come down from the cross instead of enduring the searing physical pain of crucifixion and the emotional pain of the insults hurled in his direction. Instead, he chose to give up his life for his faithless friends and the fickle crowds. For you and me. Thanks be to God!
I'm struck by several things:
How dramatically and quickly the crowds turned against Jesus. Jesus spent three years preaching, teaching, healing, and befriending those who were left out of traditional "in crowds". In spite of all of the good he did for so many people, when Jesus disappointed their expectations, they turned against him, forgetting every good word and deed. People are fickle. I like to think that I'm a consistent person, but it's only wishful thinking. When things don't turn out like I expect, my constancy fades. How about you?
More surprising is how quickly Jesus' friends let him down. These guys were close to Jesus - sharing meals and travels. If any knew his heart, his worth, it was the disciples. One of them betrayed him, one denied knowing him, and they all deserted him when he was arrested. As I mentioned above, Peter's denial is recorded in all four Gospels. In Luke's account, Jesus not only foretells Peter's denial, says that he will turn back (toward Jesus) and that when he does, he should strengthen his brothers. Incredible words of encouragement for all of us who let our Lord down.
Jesus' face was set toward what he had to do, but he dreaded the suffering he knew he'd have to endure. In Gethsemane he struggled - and his friends slept. Again a description of people who loved Jesus - adored him, but couldn't watch and pray for him for even an hour. I think that these details, like the prediction of Peter's denial, are there for our encouragement. I don't know about you, but I'd have probably fallen asleep too.
I find myself in so many of the characters depicted in the Passion narrative. Jesus died for all of those faithless characters. He died for me too. I'm awed and amazed by the fact that he went through with it - even though he could have chosen not to. He could have come down from the cross instead of enduring the searing physical pain of crucifixion and the emotional pain of the insults hurled in his direction. Instead, he chose to give up his life for his faithless friends and the fickle crowds. For you and me. Thanks be to God!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Building Bikes
This week I attended a leadership retreat with the company I work for. It's a yearly event where we focus on honing our skills and refocusing on the important task of guiding our company forward. Each year we attend meetings, share ideas and network, and of course, participate in a team building exercise. In the past we've hiked, toured The Biltmore House, done an "iron chef" activity... You get the picture. Fun stuff. Fun stuff designed to build the team.
This year, we did the usual meeting stuff, but the team building was different. We built 21 bicycles for orphans. There were team building exercises all along the way - business lessons - you know, to make us more aware of ourselves and our teams. There was also plenty of fun in the process. But in the end, we had built bikes for kids who needed them. It felt better than anything we'd done as a team before.
We (Americans) spend a lot of time worrying about self actualization in one way or another. Even though we may define it in different ways, we think we owe it to ourselves to be fully developed - fully actualized. It's pretty easy to fall prey to the idea that it's all about us - who we are and what we have. The bike building exercise points out an important truth: we can in fact become better developed people and serve others at the same time. In fact, the greatest leaders are those whose mission it is to serve. No one could say it better than Jesus, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."
This year, we did the usual meeting stuff, but the team building was different. We built 21 bicycles for orphans. There were team building exercises all along the way - business lessons - you know, to make us more aware of ourselves and our teams. There was also plenty of fun in the process. But in the end, we had built bikes for kids who needed them. It felt better than anything we'd done as a team before.
We (Americans) spend a lot of time worrying about self actualization in one way or another. Even though we may define it in different ways, we think we owe it to ourselves to be fully developed - fully actualized. It's pretty easy to fall prey to the idea that it's all about us - who we are and what we have. The bike building exercise points out an important truth: we can in fact become better developed people and serve others at the same time. In fact, the greatest leaders are those whose mission it is to serve. No one could say it better than Jesus, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Subject to Change
Terms & conditions (or T's & C's as we refer to them in my industry) define the specifications of restrictions for the use of goods or services. Whenever you sign a contract, it's wise to have a look at the terms and conditions so that you'll know just what you're getting yourself into - and what options you have to get out of it if necessary. Some folks pay no attention to the T's & C's until something goes wrong...
Life itself doesn't really come with terms and conditions. Sometimes we assume that we have legitimate rights to certain things, and when something goes "wrong" begin to look for redress as if a contract has been violated. What sorts of things do we tend to feel entitled to? Health, prosperity, blue skies, clear sailing, etc. Maybe you're not even aware you have these expectations until something happens.
That "something" could be: a job loss, illness, financial crisis, divorce, or the death of a loved one. Things like these happen, and we're tempted to think that the terms and conditions of our lives have been violated.
St. Patrick's Day is coming up in a couple of days. I was reminded about his life in some reading I've been doing recently. St. Patrick was the son of a British government official. When he was a teenager, the Roman Legions were pulling out of the western portion of the Roman Empire. Their absence set the stage for raiding, pillaging, and plundering by the very uncivilized Irish. Patrick was caught up in a raid and was taken as a slave. His life went from one of privilege to one of powerlessness. The terms and conditions changed dramatically for him.
Patrick met Christ while in the fields working as a shepherd. After a time, he found an opportunity to escape. He told God that if he was successful in his plans to get away, that he'd come back one day to evangelize the Irish. There just happened to be a ship laying at harbor which provide the perfect means for him to make his escape. The rest is history. Patrick did come back and under his leadership, Ireland became the center of a very vital and evangelistic group of Christians. Though Patrick had his struggles, he eventually responded positively to the changes in his life. It wasn't instant or easy, but in the end, great good came from his change of circumstances.
Eventually everyone will face what they believe to be a change in the T's & C's of life. When it happens you've got a choice. You can be bitter. You could adopt a new identity - that of a victim. You could bear up with quiet resignation. Or... you could live creatively. You could live into the new reality with an attentiveness that opens the door to adventure and meaning. It won't be instant. There's no fairy dust. Time and openness and trust are required. Time to heal, openness to change, and trust in the God - who's in control and means good for you.
On March 19th Greensboro College will host an art show called "Subject to Change". There are four artists who will show for the first time that night (5-7 pm). Each one of them chose to respond creatively to very challenging circumstances. If you're in the Greensboro area consider stopping by. Maybe you'll be inspired.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
When The Joke's On You
God has an amazing sense of humor. He has a keen sense of the ironic, and loves surprises. God likes to put little twists into the plots of the stories He tells. He revels in the unexpected. Often when humans think of God they think of words like dour and humorless. The biblical record reveals Someone very different.
Take the readings from the Lectionary reading for this Sunday: In Genesis 17 we find God’s third enunciation of covenant with Abraham. The first time God appeared to Abraham in Genesis 12, Abraham was 75 years old. God tells Abraham at that time that He will make Abraham into a great nation and that all of the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. Abraham believes and sets out at 75 years of age to settle in a new place many miles away.
In Genesis 15 God appears again to Abraham. This time God tells Abraham that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the heavens. Eleven years have passed since God first called Abraham. He still doesn’t have any children. He’s 86 for crying out loud! Abraham and Sarah figure that maybe they need to think out of the box. Maybe God wants them to get creative in solving the problem of an heir. So that’s what they do. They “solve” the problem with Sarah’s slave Hagar, and along comes Ishmael.
When Abraham’s 99 God appears to him again. God reaffirms His promises to Abraham – to bless him and to make him numerous. Kings and nations will come from Abraham. It’s now that God changes Abraham’s name from “Abram” or “honored father” to “Abraham” meaning “father of many”. God not only changes Abraham’s name, Sarai becomes Sarah, and Sarah is included as a full partner in God’s promises and plan. God tells Abraham that He will give him a son by Sarah. It is this son who will inherit the covenant. Not Ishmael.
What’s Abraham’s response? He falls on his face and laughs - at first. Listen to some of the verses that were not included in today’s lection: “Abraham fell face down; he laughed and said to himself, ‘Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?’ And Abraham said to God, ‘If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!’" At first Abraham finds God’s little joke funny. But then…… hadn’t Abraham and Sarah already solved the problem of an heir? Why, then does God insist on this complication?
Here’s the thing: God is working His plan out in His way. The plan’s very particular; and God doesn’t need Abraham and Sarah’s help to bring it to fruition. He wants to do the impossible in their lives. All the nations of the earth will be blessed through Abraham, but it’s really God’s work, not Abraham’s.
Abraham and Sarah are on the receiving end of covenant life with God and so are we. In Romans, Paul says that we who live by faith are all Abraham’s children. We too are heirs and are living in the presence of the God who brings the dead to life and calls into existence things that did not exist. God is still working out His plans: on the earth, in our church, and in our lives. We must remember, though, that the plans are His and He’ll work them out in unexpected sometime counter-intuitive ways. It may be that the very times we’re tempted to fall on our faces laughing are the very times we need to perk up and pay attention. So...What’s got you laughing?
Take the readings from the Lectionary reading for this Sunday: In Genesis 17 we find God’s third enunciation of covenant with Abraham. The first time God appeared to Abraham in Genesis 12, Abraham was 75 years old. God tells Abraham at that time that He will make Abraham into a great nation and that all of the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. Abraham believes and sets out at 75 years of age to settle in a new place many miles away.
In Genesis 15 God appears again to Abraham. This time God tells Abraham that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the heavens. Eleven years have passed since God first called Abraham. He still doesn’t have any children. He’s 86 for crying out loud! Abraham and Sarah figure that maybe they need to think out of the box. Maybe God wants them to get creative in solving the problem of an heir. So that’s what they do. They “solve” the problem with Sarah’s slave Hagar, and along comes Ishmael.
When Abraham’s 99 God appears to him again. God reaffirms His promises to Abraham – to bless him and to make him numerous. Kings and nations will come from Abraham. It’s now that God changes Abraham’s name from “Abram” or “honored father” to “Abraham” meaning “father of many”. God not only changes Abraham’s name, Sarai becomes Sarah, and Sarah is included as a full partner in God’s promises and plan. God tells Abraham that He will give him a son by Sarah. It is this son who will inherit the covenant. Not Ishmael.
What’s Abraham’s response? He falls on his face and laughs - at first. Listen to some of the verses that were not included in today’s lection: “Abraham fell face down; he laughed and said to himself, ‘Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?’ And Abraham said to God, ‘If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!’" At first Abraham finds God’s little joke funny. But then…… hadn’t Abraham and Sarah already solved the problem of an heir? Why, then does God insist on this complication?
Here’s the thing: God is working His plan out in His way. The plan’s very particular; and God doesn’t need Abraham and Sarah’s help to bring it to fruition. He wants to do the impossible in their lives. All the nations of the earth will be blessed through Abraham, but it’s really God’s work, not Abraham’s.
Abraham and Sarah are on the receiving end of covenant life with God and so are we. In Romans, Paul says that we who live by faith are all Abraham’s children. We too are heirs and are living in the presence of the God who brings the dead to life and calls into existence things that did not exist. God is still working out His plans: on the earth, in our church, and in our lives. We must remember, though, that the plans are His and He’ll work them out in unexpected sometime counter-intuitive ways. It may be that the very times we’re tempted to fall on our faces laughing are the very times we need to perk up and pay attention. So...What’s got you laughing?
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
The Last Enemy to be Destroyed
On Sunday we buried the remains of my ex-husband Mike. He died almost five months ago, but for various reasons, five months passed before his ashes were put in the ground.
I hate the graveyard. I hate it in spite of the fact that I'm a Christian and firmly believe in the resurrection. Knowing that your loved one is in a better place - is free from suffering - doesn't change the fact that they're gone from your immediate life. Every headstone in a cemetery represents an empty seat at some one's table. Tears, grief, and loss.
Our inner scream of protest when someone close to us dies (or when someone innocent is cut off too soon) is evidence that humans weren't really created to die this way. Ironically, I think that it's proof that another kind of life was intended for us: a life with no dying, disease, sorrow...
Christians believe that death has been defeated in the resurrection of Jesus. Defeated yes - but not yet destroyed. George Eldon Ladd uses the analogy of D-Day verses V-E day to talk about the difference. When the Allies landed on the beaches of Normandy, the war (in Europe) was essentially won. Many more people would have do die before it was over, but the outcome was assured.
Christ's victory on the cross ("victory" and "cross" - again a lovely irony) was D-Day for death. We can celebrate that fact as Christians -even in our grief. One day every tear will be wiped away. Every wrong will be set right.
I Corinthians 15:24-26 "Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death."
I hate the graveyard. I hate it in spite of the fact that I'm a Christian and firmly believe in the resurrection. Knowing that your loved one is in a better place - is free from suffering - doesn't change the fact that they're gone from your immediate life. Every headstone in a cemetery represents an empty seat at some one's table. Tears, grief, and loss.
Our inner scream of protest when someone close to us dies (or when someone innocent is cut off too soon) is evidence that humans weren't really created to die this way. Ironically, I think that it's proof that another kind of life was intended for us: a life with no dying, disease, sorrow...
Christians believe that death has been defeated in the resurrection of Jesus. Defeated yes - but not yet destroyed. George Eldon Ladd uses the analogy of D-Day verses V-E day to talk about the difference. When the Allies landed on the beaches of Normandy, the war (in Europe) was essentially won. Many more people would have do die before it was over, but the outcome was assured.
Christ's victory on the cross ("victory" and "cross" - again a lovely irony) was D-Day for death. We can celebrate that fact as Christians -even in our grief. One day every tear will be wiped away. Every wrong will be set right.
I Corinthians 15:24-26 "Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death."
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Reorientation
"I encounter such constant and widespread lying about reality each day and meet with such skilled and systematic distortion of the truth that I’m always in danger of losing my grip on reality. The reality, of course, is that God is sovereign and Christ is savior. The reality is that prayer is my mother tongue and the Eucharist my basic food. The reality is that baptism, not Myers-Briggs, defines who I am. The reality is, as Leon Bloy so poignantly put it, that 'the only sadness is not to be a saint.'" -- Eugene Peterson
Lately I've had lots of conversations about the current economic crisis. People are scared. How far will it go? How much money will I lose? Will I lose my job, my home, my retirement?
I was talking to my sister earlier today about a financial transaction she was going to do. She'd decided what to do with all but $1,000. She said that she'd been praying about it - what to do with that last bit of her money that she was undecided about... I told her that maybe she should ask God what he wanted her to do with His $1,000.
I talked with a friend of mine yesterday, who just got back from a short term mission in Honduras. She was deeply impacted by the people there and the poverty. She experienced a change in her heart that she wants to last. Her values and presuppositions about what's normal were changed - reoriented.
It's easy to fall into thinking that the way we live and what we have is normal. We forget that the VAST majority of people on the planet do not live the way we do. We worry about missing a meal when many won't eat at all today. My kids both believe that they're entitled to a car to drive (of their own), cell phones, whatever clothes or jewelry, video game, etc. that catches their fancy. Meanwhile there are kids who can't grow hair because they're malnourished.
God blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others. Period. Not so that we can have a McMansion, or a great retirement, the latest gadget, etc. While there is nothing inherently wrong with being rich, we shouldn't think that it's an end in itself. We shouldn't set our heart on it or put our trust in it (as the current financial crisis make abundantly clear). Our hearts should be set on God - knowing Him and making Him known.
Maybe this financial crisis is part of God's heart of love for us - His mercy. Maybe it's an opportunity to reorient our minds and hearts.
Lately I've had lots of conversations about the current economic crisis. People are scared. How far will it go? How much money will I lose? Will I lose my job, my home, my retirement?
I was talking to my sister earlier today about a financial transaction she was going to do. She'd decided what to do with all but $1,000. She said that she'd been praying about it - what to do with that last bit of her money that she was undecided about... I told her that maybe she should ask God what he wanted her to do with His $1,000.
I talked with a friend of mine yesterday, who just got back from a short term mission in Honduras. She was deeply impacted by the people there and the poverty. She experienced a change in her heart that she wants to last. Her values and presuppositions about what's normal were changed - reoriented.
It's easy to fall into thinking that the way we live and what we have is normal. We forget that the VAST majority of people on the planet do not live the way we do. We worry about missing a meal when many won't eat at all today. My kids both believe that they're entitled to a car to drive (of their own), cell phones, whatever clothes or jewelry, video game, etc. that catches their fancy. Meanwhile there are kids who can't grow hair because they're malnourished.
God blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others. Period. Not so that we can have a McMansion, or a great retirement, the latest gadget, etc. While there is nothing inherently wrong with being rich, we shouldn't think that it's an end in itself. We shouldn't set our heart on it or put our trust in it (as the current financial crisis make abundantly clear). Our hearts should be set on God - knowing Him and making Him known.
Maybe this financial crisis is part of God's heart of love for us - His mercy. Maybe it's an opportunity to reorient our minds and hearts.
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