Resurrection

"So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

 Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way."

Colossians 3: 12-17, The Message

This Scripture in this version makes so much sense to me.  I have always liked how it tells us to put on love, our basic, all-purpose garment.  It is a reminder that sometimes we have to remind ourselves to be clothed in love, that we can choose to BE love, even when sometimes our attitudes may not naturally go that way.  

I'm not sure I should even be writing about this here, but I had the most wonderful opportunity this morning.  Early in the winter I met Brian and Tracey at church, they have been staying at Our Brother's Keeper and I really got to know them throughout our Sunday afternoon community gatherings at church.  Brian even became a regular snow-shoveler for our driveway when he noticed it needed it.  They asked me in February if I would be willing to do their wedding and they wanted to get married in April.  To be honest, with all of this social-distancing and doing church online I had completely forgotten about it.  They called me and asked if I'd be willing to marry them, and I told them I couldn't do it in the church.  So...the plan became to just have a small ceremony in the parking lot of OBK.  You know my mantra, blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape, so I said, sure!  It was set for 11am today, and if you live in Michigan, you probably know that it was really cold, windy, and even snowing at that point.  

You know we have all these rules happening, and the shelter has been very strict about not letting anyone new in since this all started.  But, grace abounds and so we ended up having this little wedding ceremony inside.  What's interesting is that these folks have been dealing with housing insecurity together, through this quarantining.  So, the spirit inside was filled with joy, support and eager expectation for these two kind hearts to be joined together in marriage.  

This was the Scripture they chose for the day, and I have thought about it all afternoon.  I have to admit that I was less than eager to do this wedding outside today, and I was concerned about all the details of this thing...and the minute I got into the midst of this family  of people, I realized that this is what truly claiming resurrection is all about. 

Proclaiming resurrection means finding hope in the midst of struggle.  It means holding fast to love when all the factors around you might seem impossible.  It means trusting when it seems like the odds are against you.  And there is this wonderful element of surprise to resurrection that....well surprised me today.  I thought of Mary, filled with grief and fear, crying and then hearing her name and realizing it was Jesus standing there with her that early resurrection morning.  God shows up in all sorts of fascinating ways when we are searching and open to His voice.  I KNOW this, and yet I am so often surprised by God's faithfulness to keep showing up. 

That's the thing about life right now.  Despite all the radical changes in how we do church, all the staying home, all the technological nightmares, all the illness and fear...God keeps showing up, and showing up big.  The wedding this morning challenged my perspective in such a way that all day long I thought of the many ways that God is blessing my life right now.   How is God blessing your life right now?  

Resurrection is an attitude.  Resurrection changes everything.  Resurrection isn't just something that happens in the future, it is something we live now, proclaiming that God's redeeming work in Jesus Christ continues in each and every one of us.  Resurrection claims the importance of love and commitment even in the midst of social distancing.  

How are you living into resurrection today?

It's a great question.

Rest well, friends.

Pastor Devon