journey onWord with us

A time or three in the past we have followed up our Holy Week writing with a “What now?” sort of post on the Monday after Resurrection Day. It was an opportunity to acknowledge and stand opposed to the potential perils of “day after’s” in seasons of reflection and celebration. The time when our tempter wishes for things to quite immediately return to “normal.”  A week’s worth of those days have now come and gone. What shade of “normal” is your life on this first Lord’s Day after Resurrection Day?

I never write with the hope of teaching. I do not wish for my reader to learn, or come to know more deeply, as measured in units of knowledge. I pray that any knowing comes by way of experience and observation. That anything learned is caught more than taught. In that way, I did not write last week so you would simply see more facets in the story of Jesus’ dying. I did not pray for you to see or learn something you hadn’t before. I did not write so you would know (period). My prayer and desire in all of it was that you’d see something, be something. That, in the end, you would not just see more facets in the precious diamond you already had in your hand (heart), but that the Spirit might begin to use them as you “wear it and share it.” A diamond is not meant to be treasured so much that it is hidden away in the fear of losing it — neither is the truth and love of Jesus.

My mind goes to the story Jesus told of three servants who were given a portion of their master’s possessions just before he left on a journey (Matthew 25:14-30). I think of the great consequence given to the one who buried his portion. As we grow in our knowing of God and the depth and breadth of all Jesus did for us, it should have the ultimate effect of pouring out in our “being” and serving. Our hearts and lives should not be like a starved sponge that simply retains the Living Water poured over them. They should, rather, be like a full pitcher whose life-giving contents cannot help but be displaced each time God pours into it.

I pray this past Holy Week was not just a time when our diamond was seen more deeply and truly for the treasure it is. I pray the facets will be used of the Spirit in a way that first nourishes, and then spills out into loving our neighbors and enemies even just a little bit more like Jesus loves you and me.