let's blow the lid off...

For some reason, I always go to John.

The week or so before Easter, I re-read this gospel with a prayer that it would come alive in a fresh way… so that Easter wouldn’t pass by as just another holiday, so that I wouldn’t get consumed with all the activity at church and miss what exactly it is we’re celebrating. John brings me back, centers my thoughts on Jesus. It reminds me of the passion, of the sacrifice, of the hope… and that we all need resurrection in our life.

Yesterday I was reading John 9 and was struck by Jesus’ interaction with a man who had been born blind. It’s interesting to watch this man’s progression of faith as Pharisees and neighbors question him regarding how it was he could suddenly see after a lifetime of darkness. And while this whole story is incredible, it was really the first 3 verses that I couldn’t get away from.

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” John 9:1-3

Jesus’ response is a powerful enough statement as is, but if you look at what the word “displayed” means in its original Greek, it’ll paint an even more dynamic picture of Jesus’ intentions for choosing this exact response.

The word phaneroo means to make visible, to show openly. It’s synonymous and often used with another word though, apokalypto, which quite literally means to remove a lid. In relationship with each other, apokalypto must precede phaneroo... all that rambling to say- we have to remove the lid we’re keeping shut on our lives so that God’s incredible power can be put on show for others to see.

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How often do we restrain the power of God- keeping a lid on what He’s able to do in and through us? We keep Him in a safe little box, confined within the parameters and space that we’re comfortable with. We give in to our limitations, circumstances, status quo because we’re so quick to settle for ordinary.

But Jesus is able to radically transform our ordinary into something incredible.

God wants to blow the lid off of things and use US as demonstrations of what He can do… but that’s not going to happen if we hide out in our perfectly comfortable, predictable, controllable worlds {and trust me, I’m mostly saying this to myself… as I am an undeniable control freak for sure!} With the lid gone, there’s no barrier stopping the overflow of God’s grace and power.

I wonder what this once blind but now seeing man would think if he knew that his story would still be echoing two thousand years later, helping others to see what God is capable of?... How’s that for blowing the lid off of what we think is possible!

May we all allow God to strip us of our lids and barriers so that HIS works might be displayed in us too…

living with open hands...

Oh the truth in this statement… although living in the reality of this truth just doesn’t come naturally for most. Losing something we value isn’t easy. We are a people who live with clenched fists, holding tightly to what we deem is ours, protecting what we think should be. We don’t easily let go.

Learning to live with open hands is counter-intuitive… but then again, isn’t most of our spiritual life? Our instincts say make a plan, take control- but Jesus says to be still and trust in the unknown. Everything in us screams to try harder and earn approval- but Jesus says his yoke is easy, his burden is light and his love is complete.

Living with open hands makes us vulnerable to losing things, letting good slip through our fingers… but it’s a heart that trusts in God’s goodness that is able to say, “It’s ok, a better blessing is coming to fill my hands again.” CS Lewis understood this, but I have to say, I have a hard time with this sometimes...

We read that every good and perfect gift is from above… and that the Lord wants to prosper us, not harm us… and that in all things He’s working for our good. Sometimes I fear, though, that claiming these promises for myself means I’m buying into a prosperity gospel that values health, wealth, and happiness above true communion with our Lord. I never want to be in a place of choosing the gift over the Giver of the gift.

I'm learning that in the context of these promises, we need to redefine blessing, favor, prosperity, gifts… shatter what our world has made them to mean, and see them through the lens of how God intends them. Blessings don’t always come easy. Sometimes the blessing is in the struggle, the loss, the season of waiting, the act of surrender. We live in an instant gratification society- we want something so we go get it or we make it happen. But when I look at my life, the most meaningful things that come to mind are the things where there has been tension of some sort, or things that have emerged only when I allowed God to have His way rather than trying to do things my way…

When I’ve chosen to live with open hands and a heart of trust. These are the times I’ve learned that when I lose one blessing, another is just around the corner.

let us love...

I’m not a writer, nor do I pretend to be… but I do have an appreciation for words. Words have a way of stirring the soul and putting a voice to what is brewing within. Words have power. And every once in a while I come across words that strike deep… words I want to never forget… words I want to adopt & tattoo on my heart…

That happened the other day.

I don’t even remember how I got there, but I stumbled across a website and found this poem… a prayer, really, for us women… to live lives marked by the Lord’s authentic and genuine love. So, I’m sharing in hopes that others will be encouraged with me…

Let us be women who Love.
Let us be women willing to lay down our sword words, our sharp looks, our ignorant silence and towering stance and fill the earth now with extravagant Love.
Let us be women who Love.
 Let us be women who make room.
Let us be women who open our arms and invite others into an honest, spacious, glorious embrace.
Let us be women who carry each other.
Let us be women who give from what we have.

Let us be women who leap to do the difficult things,

the unexpected things and the necessary things.
Let us be women who live for Peace.
Let us be women who breathe Hope.
Let us be women who create beauty.
Let us be women who Love.


Let us be a sanctuary where God may dwell.
Let us be a garden for tender souls.
Let us be a table where others may feast on the goodness of God.
Let us be a womb for Life to grow.
Let us be women who Love.


Let us RISE to the questions of our time.
Let us SPEAK to the injustices in our world.
Let us MOVE the mountains of fear and intimidation.
Let us SHOUT down the walls that separate and divide.
Let us FILL the earth with the fragrance of Love.
Let us be women who Love.


Let us LISTEN for those who have been silenced.
Let us HONOR those who have been devalued.
Let us SAY ENOUGH with abuse, abandonment, diminishing and hiding.
Let us not rest until every person is FREE and EQUAL.
Let us be women who Love.


Let us be women who are savvy, smart and wise.
Let us be women who shine with the light of God in us.
Let us be women who take courage and sing the song in our hearts.
Let us be women who say YES to the beautiful, unique purpose seeded in our souls.
Let us be women who call out the song in another’s heart.
Let us be women who teach our children to do the same.
Let us be women who Love.


Let us be women who Love, in spite of fear.
Let us be women who Love, in spite of our stories.
Let us be women who Love loudly, beautifully, Divinely.
Let us be women who Love.

 

My soul screams amen as I read this… seriously, every line has a challenge and an encouragement in it… could you imagine how radically different the world would be if we lived this out? How radically different the Church would be? The part that really gets me is the part about singing the songs in our hearts, saying yes to the unique purpose God has planted within each of us, and then inviting others to do the same.

I’m realizing, especially as I’ve recently started a new chapter in life and ministry and friendships, that I often get excited for the song in other people’s hearts- for celebrating and believing in their callings, their gifts, their dreams… all the while turning the volume down on my own song, avoiding the process of discerning the unique purposes God has intended for me. And I love being a cheerleader for everyone else- my heart wants nothing more than to encourage others in their spiritual journey. But I’m realizing that one of the best ways I can boost and inspire others, is by living a passionate life in tune with the “beautiful, unique purposes seeded in [my own] soul.”


So… to whoever might read this… which line speaks to you?

May you find boldness and power to let it be so… and together, may we as sisters in Christ learn to be women who love like this.

rest...

Last night I found myself with some much needed quiet and much needed space… so of course I decided to fill it. Because that’s what I do. Ironically, I filled this time and space by listening to a message from our old church called “An invitation to rest.” I figured, since I don’t know how to rest, I might as well listen to a sermon on it… logical, yes?!

In his message, our pastor shared a conversation he had had with his wife where he asked her what she thinks of when she hears the word “rest”…

Her response: the cross.

Say what?! Now, I have to be honest here. When I hear the word “rest” many things come to mind, but the cross is not one of them. Far from it in fact. This pastor’s wife thinks of naps, a good book, breakfast in bed, a day with absolutely no obligations… so I was intrigued by why she thought of the cross instead…

It was on the cross that Jesus uttered his last words this side of the resurrection, “It is finished.” These are powerful words if we stop and think about it. There is nothing more we can do to add to our salvation and there is nothing that can be done to take it away. In this phrase is our invitiation...

We live in an overworked and distracted culture that doesn’t prioritize rest. We never cease striving and doing... whether in work, in life, or in faith... which speaks to the reality that deep down we look to our achievements and accomplishments for our worth and value.

Learning to prioritize rest goes against the grain of culture… it’s shows an understanding that we are not defined by our performance, but rather we are defined by who God says we are. And God says that we are loved, we are provided for, we are made strong in our weaknesses because of Christ in us… the same Christ who said, “It is finished.” Stopping the striving and learning to rest shows that we admit we are not gods and that the world will go on without us. It’s humbling to recognize our limits… but it’s also incredibly freeing.

In John 6, Jesus is asked “What must we do to be doing the works of God?” And Jesus’ answer is this: “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” The word believe means to rely upon and rest in. God wants us to just stop and be sometimes. Rest is a holy thing.

God Himself exemplified this for us when, after creating things for six days straight, He chose to rest on the seventh day. The rhythm of Jesus’ life demonstrated rest as well… He would rise to the demands of the crowds that sought Him, but the gospels tell us repeatedly that He would then retreat for rest.

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Prioritizing rest honors God and His image in us. May we learn to see the value of rest and allow ourselves to press pause on occasion. And when we do find the courage to rest, may God use that time to renew and refresh our spirits...

love... a day late...

There have been many contemplations this week regarding what love is and what love looks like in our lives…

To me, this is love…

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." matthew 11:28-30

No hoops. No expectations. No demands.

Just an invitation to be with One who loves unconditionally. Regardless of where we are or where we’ve been… regardless of who we are or who we’ve been…

True love offers an invitation into grace… into learning to live freely and lightly…

And for that, I am thankful.