We often hear secular advice about living life from some pretty unreliable sources. These include Facebook and other social media, news media, social discussions and agenda-driven political/social sources. We hear phrases like "live for today," "follow your heart," and "live in the moment." Each of these has a morsel of truth, just enough to get us hooked into the emotion of our response. But as we leave Easter and Holy Week, I am counting on you/us to desire more than just a few cliché phrases to guide us along. We learned, from the Resurrection Story, that there is more to life than just following popular societal trends. We SERVE a Risen Savior. We FOLLOW Jesus, "the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2)." We "STRIVE toward a goal (Philippians 3:14)." This is not "living in the moment" in which we are "tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14)." Let's unpack these.
Easter morning taught 11 disciples and others (especially the women that went to the tomb [Luke 24]) that they cannot stay in the moment ... they SERVE a Risen Savior. Jesus, and the angels at the tomb, called people to action. Jesus sent the women to tell the disciples what had happened. The angels and Jesus told the disciples to go to Galilee for further instructions. It would have been easy to revel in the resurrection moment, for this moment is the pinnacle of history. Mary holds on to Jesus in John 20:17, but Jesus says, "do not hold on to me." Jesus has things to do, places to be, and work to accomplish. We serve a Risen Savior, He's in the world today! Relish the moment, and move with Jesus as He writes the story!
Easter morning reminds all that encounter Jesus that God's plan is moving toward a planned and prophesied conclusion. Jesus wants to perfect our faith (Hebrews 12:2), but this is not possible when we insist on staying where we are. Last week I had the honor to be at the practice rounds and par 3 contest at the Masters. It was a high moment, and I will never forget being part of history as 3 hole-in-ones were made in a 20 minute span (2 consecutively by the same player). It was a once in a lifetime experience, and it was wonderful and very appreciated. But in the beauty of that moment, my mental picture of it all is something I will carry ... but they (the Augusta National management) won't let me hang out there. We had Maundy Thursday, Tenebrae and Easter Morning! There was work, preparation, prayer, cooperation with fellow workers (thank you all!) and there was the reality that my wonderful moment was not a place I could be stranded. Mary, the disciples and the story needed to move on, because there is a reality out there we must never forget ... Jesus will return! When that happens, I want to be serving and following!
Easter morning reminds us of something ingrained in the people called Methodists ... process. Process involves effort and striving! As I rode by the Henry County Fair (really??? on Holy Week???) I saw the whirling rides. They are fun for a moment, but then people move on for the next thing that gives them a rush of excitement. Nothing against fairs, rides and fun, but did you ever notice how much a fair ride is like our living of life? We want to move from one emotional, recreational and spiritual high to the next. Some of these experiences are exciting. Some are destroyers. Some are less than the dream. But life happens between those high ... most of life in fact! Paul (Philippians 3:14) reminds us to focus on the goal ... the prize defined by God. Hebrews 12:2 reminds us to focus on the savior, the one who draws us forward to life and that "great cloud of witnesses" at the end of our race.
Michael Card calls Jesus "eternity stranded in time." Maybe we forget that we too are created for eternity and that we get a little too comfortable (or hopelessly stuck) in the moment. We forget the goal, the race and the Risen Savior at the end of the journey. Paul and Jesus knew that the army of the Lord cannot stay in one place, making it easy for the enemy to locate us and pick us off one by one. The "process" and the "movement" is our calling, our goal, our anointing and our mental health. Because when you are focused on Jesus, it is hard to be focused on self. Get off the tilt-a-whirl and get into life. We were made to serve, follow and strive! Randy
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