A Moment of Wilderness

Spring has “sprung,” the birds are singing, the sun is shining (that is somehow appropriate as this week in called Bright Week in some Christian traditions). That means the list of activities has just gotten longer – weeding, lawn mowing, hole digging, etc. 

We are in truly singular moment (which I hope remains singular) in history. For many of us, life feels radically different as we celebrated Resurrection Sunday virtually or only with immediate family. People are being furloughed, laid off or sent home to work virtually. Many stores are closed, some maybe to never open again. The impacts of this moment are yet to be understood. Some focus on the uncertainty – which is real, I might add (I feel it, too) – and concern over what is yet to come. Some focus on the frustration over how things are being handled. Some are celebrating the opportunity to slow down. Wherever you find yourself emotionally, which may more accurately involve vacillating back-and-forth between these, something new has happened for most of us.

I can’t help but think this must have been a little something like how the Israelites felt out in the wilderness between Egypt and Canaan. It’s worth a read or a listen (Exodus through Deuteronomy). As our experience of sequestering progresses, perhaps we can learn something from Israel’s experience. God met them in faithfulness, yet they got frustrated: with their circumstances, with their leadership, even with the blessings God gave them. We shouldn’t be hasty to condemn, instead we should take an inventory of our souls and see what similar attitudes and beliefs lurk within us. 

Perhaps the better example comes from another wilderness. Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days. What did he experience? Both great challenge and great blessing! Satan tempted Jesus severely and angels ministered to him. This season of “wilderness” provides the same opportunity to us. I hope that we will take this season to examine what we really value, the patterns that we have developed and the goals we have set and dive deeply into the opportunity to meet with God and recalibrate our lives around what is truly eternal.

Pursue Christ – He is enough,

            Pastor Jeff

Resurrection Sunday

CHRIST THE LORD IS RISEN! 

Someone suggested yelling these words out the window or from the porch this morning and listening to hear if there was an answer. At first, I thought this was a great idea. Then I thought how angry or annoyed my neighbors might be (read Proverbs 27:14) and decided maybe not such a great idea. Then I thought, “…but how cool would it be to hear those words being shouted across the community.” Way cool!  

Whether we yell or not. Whether we gather to eat a wonderful meal with family and friends or not. Whether we are in celebratory mood or not. Jesus overturned death through the Resurrection, and this is good…no glorious news. I love the line from The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, “Death itself would start working backwards.”

In Christ, we approach life as those who are going to be raised. Doesn’t this inspire a different perspective? Right now is not the whole story (or even the greater part of the story). If I am going to be raised to eternal life, shouldn’t I be thinking a lot about eternal things? So much of our attention gets focused on things that are only temporary. So many of the things that invite worry will not last. 

In light of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, what new and eternal thing are you being called to? In what way can you celebrate the Resurrection not merely by singing or shouting, but by investing in glory of God’s Kingdom? Jesus’s Resurrection from the dead frees us to pursue these things with confidence and courage.

HE IS RISEN INDEED!!

Grace and Peace, Pastor Jeff