Power

“…that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death….” Philippians 3:10

“Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good….”

I’m sure you read this saying (or one of its many derivatives) many times before.  In recent years I’ve wanted to find out who wrote this saying and confront them.  Only to find out it was written by a 16^th century Spanish mystic, Teresa of Avila.

I’m guessing I’m not going to be able to confront her.  At least not in this life.

I want to confront her because her because this description of Jesus makes him seem very weak.  And powerless.  I don’t buy it for one moment. I’ve known too many people who have by and through Christ alone had their lives changed, people whom the Holy Spirit has literally grabbed a hold of and shaken them down to the core.  Frankly, I am one of them.  I never would have become a Christian back in 1980 if it weren’t the power of Christ and his resurrection working in my life through the move of the Holy Spirit.   

Christ is not as powerless in this world as Teresa and many others would want us to believe.

Yet.

Christ wants to use us; he wants to work through us. You are not the only body Christ has; you are not his only hands and feet on this earth.  But you can be his body and his hands and his feet and his mouth; you can be his instrument.  Christ wants to use you.  And me. 

Here is a challenge for me.  Allow the power of Christ to really work through me.  Maybe this is a great challenge for all of us.  How is Christ going to use us today, tomorrow, next week and the rest of our lives?   Are we open to being his hands, feet, eyes and mouth? 

I pray so. It is why we are here.  As a church.  As individual Christians.  As part of his body; to be his body.  Let us be about the work of Christ, and may the power of his resurrection flow through us….

Prepared

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

Some things are done on the spur of the moment, led by the Spirit; these are moments to cherish.  Sometimes, though, the work we do requires preparation.  Paul likens this aspect to “a worker who has no need to be ashamed.”

In my prior life I was an electrician; worked in construction.  It took four years of apprenticeship and occasional continuing education to keep myself up on the trade.  If I were to re-immerse myself back into that workforce at my now ripe old age (after 13 years), likely I’d be lost. Technology has changed much, stricter codes likely exist, and frankly younger people could work circles around me.  Yep.  I would have to really work at presenting myself yourself as one approved.

Doing God’s mission often times is done by the quick prompting and leading of the Spirit.  They are done better if we are prepared ahead of time.  Getting into God’s word, spending intentional time in prayer, spending time with other like-minded, and in my case, frankly sharper Christians.  Intentionally preparing ourselves “as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

Approved.  By God.

There will be no bigger blessing; God will take delight in working through you. Be prepared….

Rose

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.”  - Matthew 18:21-22

Susie and I had the chance to see Pete Rose last Friday evening.  Well, from a bit of a distance anyway.  He was introduced at a reunion of the 1976 Cincinnati Reds “Big Red Machine” at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. We were there to see my Dodgers; unfortunately they fell to the Reds that evening.

Pete Rose.  Banned from baseball for life. Being cheered wildly by adoring fans.  Wearing a Reds jersey.  And.  Banned from baseball for life, for gambling on baseball games while managing the Reds.

The passage above is about forgiveness.  Not necessarily applicable to the Pete Rose situation; for we all have to pay the price in society for our sins.  I get that.  But the introduction of Pete Rose last week did get me thinking about forgiveness.

And grateful for the forgiveness I have experienced in my life.  And the struggle I have had in giving that same grace to others that Christ calls on his trusters and believers to give.  How many times am I to give forgiveness to others?  Once?  Seven times?

Jesus says I am to give it out seventy-seven times; or as some versions of the Bible read, seventy times seven. In other words, I am to give it out an infinite number of times, because Christ has forgiven me an infinite number of times.  What a struggle.

It shouldn’t be though.  If I really consider my transgressions and the pardon I have received…and countless number of times Christ has forgiven and continues to forgive… then seventy times seven really isn’t that difficult.  Consider it sharing forgiveness.  From God and through us.

You know, I pray that Pete Rose has found forgiveness. It is available to all; generously. I pray you have found that forgiveness too.  We all need it.

30

“…even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.” Isaiah 46:4

Ugh. Even in a month that I celebrate (yeah, right) another birthday; I need reminded?  That I am getting old.  30 years ago I might have thought such a verse was quaint.  Heck, 30 years ago, I probably thought being 30 was old. But now.

It’s becoming a reality.  I still have most of my hair.  20 years after finding my first grey one, the salt and pepper is growing on me.  Literally.

Time for a reminder.  That the one who create me has not let me go. The passage above says he will bear, carry and save.  Even to my old age.  And gray hairs.

You know, I’m OK with that.

If he gives me another 30 years, I know who will bear, carry and save me. Kinda makes the unknown of getting old, less fearsome. Even to my old age, I know who I belong to, he will not let me go. Today, do you know who you belong to?

Blind

The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes! -

Psalm 119:64

The darkness is pervasive.  I look around and everywhere I look I see destruction and anger and hate and hurt.

I am blind.  And I shouldn’t be. But it is what I’ve chosen.

The earth, in spite of my sightlessness, is full of God’s steadfast love.  It is everywhere to be seen in his creation.  Ubiquitously. Forgive me.  I am blind.

Teach me. Teach me Lord, to see.  Teach me how to live.  Teach me how to love.  Teach me how to create.  Teach me how to heal.

Help me. I’ll start small.  Help me to grow.

Now. 

I’m blind.  I want to see.