Merle

This week has been tough. Less than five minutes before going in for the worship service on Sunday morning, Jen handed me a note from a phone call she had just taken in the office. Merle had fallen on Saturday, hitting her head on the sidewalk, and resulting in massive injury to her brain.

That afternoon, as Maggie and I stood around her bed in the ICU with those of her family who had been able to get there so far, all of us agreed that if Merle had been able to speak she would have said, “Don’t worry about me; go take care of someone who really needs it.”

As we prayed together, reaching out to touch her, it was clear to me that Merle embodied what we are to be as followers of Jesus. She has been a sign pointing to God’s kindom among us; she has been a foretaste of what it would be to live more fully in the kindom; and she has been an instrument in helping bring God’s kindom more fully into being here and now.

Of course, I know that Merle would have waved off any such hifalutin words—after all, as far as she was concerned, she was just doing what needed to be done for people in need. And that is exactly why Merle is an image of what God has called us to be, people who serve the least, the last, and the lost. In serving them, we are serving Jesus himself.

Philippians 2:5

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus…

Unbind Him; Let Him Go

Sunday evening at our Bible study, I had an epiphany, a sudden realization. We had a round-robin rehearsal of the story of Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus. This can be found in John 11:1-44. If you do not know or remember the story, Jesus is good friends with this family. He gets word from Mary and Martha that their brother Lazarus is extremely ill, and they ask him to come to restore their brother to health. Jesus intentionally delays going to Bethany. In the meantime, Lazarus has died. He is already in a burial cave. The mourners are gathered around the sisters. When Jesus comes, they each confront him with accusations—if only he had come sooner, their brother would still be alive. After some theological conversations, Jesus goes to the tomb, and commands Lazarus to come out. Lazarus comes out, still wrapped in grave clothes. Jesus commands those gathered around to “Unbind him. Let him go.”

As we got to that point in our round robin, I was suddenly struck by the realization that this is the point of the story, at least for those of us who stand around observing. Yes, Jesus is the power of life over death; he is the Resurrection; he is the Life. Yet, even as Jesus has called Lazarus to come forth into the Light of the resurrection, there is still a role for us. We cannot bring someone back to life, but we can be a means by which Jesus unbinds those who are wrapped in grave clothes, in restraints that keep them from the fullness of life.

Oh, this is the mission to which we are called! How many folks do we know who are bound up? How many of us are bound up? Jesus calls us to Life; and he calls us to unbind and let go. What if we really took this to heart as our mission? What joy it would be to be a part of helping set people free!

I’m in. Are you?

Snow Secret

Shhh. Don’t let my secret out. I kind of like snow days. I do not really want to get out in it; I do like to watch it from inside. The best part of a snow day is that suddenly there is s-p-a-c-e and t-i-m-e in my life. It feels almost as though time comes to a stop or at least slows down. Knowing the night before means that all my alarms can be turned off and I can sleep until I wake up--a true luxury.

Last night at our small group, one of us talked about being on that treadmill of going, going, going and not being able to get off. Wilderness time, like snow days, can help clear some space for reflection, for being, and for getting clarity, if needed. I hope you can find some of this t-i-m-e and s-p-a-c-e in your day.

With my secret safe, I can grump around and stomp my feet, but I will enjoy the day as I use it to get things organized that often get neglected in my life.

I do have this to say, however, okay, that’s enough. After this, I will be ready for spring, so this Saturday, I will set my clock ahead one hour as we SPRING FORWARD, and I fully expect Spring to be warming up in the bull pen.

Proverbs 25:13

Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest are faithful messengers to those who send them;
they refresh the spirit of their masters.

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