Pinch Yourself

Certain expressions, proverbs, and well-worn sayings can be short-hand descriptions of life, and in some instances, deeper truths.  To this day, such words used by my parents continue to flow through my consciousness:  ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me’; ‘A day late and a dollar short’; ‘Your actions are speaking so loud I can’t hear a word you’re saying.’ Another expression that my parents used when the experience was just too good to be true was, “Pinch me”.

The good news of the resurrection was truly hard for the disciples of Jesus to fathom. The love and grace they so often heard Jesus talk about were greater than the powers that hung Christ on the cross and the empty tomb that followed.  The disciples were working to keep themselves grounded in reality; they were in need of a pinch.  In the scripture passages which we will consider on the first Sundays in April, there’s a sense that Jesus appeared to the disciples with full knowledge of their need to establish the fact that they were not dreaming.  And as much as they were in need of a pinch, there was also a sense, demonstrated by Thomas, that some of them needed to pinch Jesus as well!

One of Jesus’ appearances takes place on a shore. Some of the disciples had gone fishing.  They had returned to what they knew prior to their decision to follow Jesus.  After a celebration of Easter, it’s easy for us to return to our normal routines, too.  By early Easter Sunday afternoon…..after our spiral cut hams, daffodil bouquets, chocolate bunnies and cream pie…..few of us were probably reflecting on the full impact of the resurrection. We may need to pinch ourselves as a reminder that, as followers of Christ, we are now the physical representation of the resurrected Christ to the world.  We become the reality of the body of Christ on earth.  We have been given the same opportunity Jesus seemed willing to give his original disciples: to not only see but to be able to touch the resurrected reality of which we are a part.

Our pinch may also need to remind us of the faith we claim.  We cannot live in this new reality on our strength alone.  We must recognize and claim the presence and power of Christ within and among us.  “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2 NRSV)  May all our senses be alive to the love of God in our lives, our realities, so we may give others the opportunity to see the risen Christ in unmistakable ways.

Faith - Lent 2013

Advent.  Christmas.  Epiphany.  Lent.  I sense I need a longer time to live with the reality of God coming to earth before thoughts start moving toward the cross.  “And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)     If only carols could have echoed in our ears and hearts for a few more weeks, allowing us to dwell longer on the serene setting that the lyrics so often describe.

In the first recorded miracle of Jesus, saving a family’s embarrassment at the wedding they were hosting, we realize that the serene images we hold of the “word as flesh” conflict with the truth of what occurs when the powers of this world encounter God’s presence.  There is a tension that develops.   “He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.”   (John 1:11)

At Christmas, we receive and begin to live with the reality that “a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  (Is. 9:6) And then the tension becomes obvious.  This “child” calls us to follow a path of sacrifice.  To walk the road he walked.  “…if any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”  (Matthew 16:24)                      

It is within this tension that we are formed as disciples.  The coming of Christ and his death on the cross are inexplicably tied together to usher us into life…”in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”  (John 1:4-5) We want the glow of Christmas to be what generates light in our lives, but it is the difficult road to the cross that allows us to become reflections of that light.  May we live with the reality of both Jesus’ birth and death as we seek to be formed by the power of the cross and his resurrection.  

Faith

Finding a Seam in 2013

We all feel it no matter our age.  The assault of information we must process on a daily basis does not take a break.  It makes one day seem to flow into the next, our weeks into months, and one year into another without even a pause.  In the midst of the onslaught, we diligently work to handle the essentials and delegate our extra time and energy (if we have any) to worthy causes, with the added expectation that we can be reached, and are available, 24-7.  It makes for a seamless flow of activity.

As we know, many people in the tri-state area had lives completely devastated by ‘Sandy’.  In comparison, I’ve heard multiple references made regarding our local situation as a “minor inconvenience”.   But the inconvenience stopped the flow.  A seam was created.  Many individuals talked about schedule reductions imposed by the lack of electricity. Families reflected on time spent together talking and playing games.  And, an unexpected effect I heard described numerous times, was how well people slept.  Now granted, folks were heading to bed early to find warmth under a tower of blankets but, within the forced respite from the constant bombardment of noise and information, people found some needed rest.

God knows we need rest.  Jesus spoke it:  “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

But doesn’t ‘coming to Jesus’ sound like one more activity that could put us over the edge?  In actuality, taking time to acknowledge the presence of Christ creates that very place we crave, that seam, that place of much needed rest. The moments in which we allow the living presence of God, known in Christ, to cover us like warm blankets we find refreshment that can pause our lives. Rather than the expected load to become even weightier in 2013, life in the ‘seams’ with Christ can bring what we did not anticipate: a calming of our souls, a rediscovery of ways to build relationships, and strength for the continued journey.

Heading into this new year, I pray that we will seek and discover a life in the seams with Christ, those precious minutes – that turn into days, which turn into weeks, and then into months - when we intentionally allow ourselves to come into the presence of Christ. The thought of rest for our souls in the next year should be a big draw!