Connect @ Grace

I feel compelled to apologize to all the cat lovers who attended the Easter Service last weekend.  Of all Sundays, I picked Easter to pick on cats; and I heard about it.  Reminds me of the difference someone once pointed out between cats and their counter part; dogs.  A dog will look at you, wagging his tail thinking; you pet me, you house me, you feed me, you love me:  you must be God.  A cat will look at you, purring, thinking; you pet me, you house me, you feed me, you love me:  I must be God.  I got to thinking about that for human beings.  Someone once stated that God created man in his own image and ever since man has sought to return the favor.  We sometimes get confused concerning who is the transcendent being, center of the universe and worthy of all praise.  God sends rain on the just and the unjust, the sun rises like clock work, the seasons show up consistently year after year, the oceans are overwhelming, the mountains and canyons are breathtaking, and the miracle of birth leaves one speechless.  David wrote, “What is man that you are mindful of him?”  Wouldn’t you agree, too many times we act like cats as if God were obliged to pamper us?

  And what’s more, to the consternation of cat lovers everywhere, cats would not be my first choice when looking for happy, joyous, fun filled creatures. On the other hand, there’s a reason why dogs are “man’s best friend.”

Pastor Tim

It seems all my years of being a Christian I’ve had an intense love/hate relationship with “the church.” There have been seasons of intense affection for the body of believers I call my church family. Many times they have demonstrated a power to love far beyond the realm of human capabilities. I have seen members of the church give, and serve, and reach out in ways that made me cry with tears of joy. I’ve also witnessed and have experienced most personally the damage believers can inflict on one another. I’ve cried then too. I’ve loved the church so intensely that I’d give up everything for her and I’ve hated her enough to walk away – never to return. I don’t think that this makes me fickle, it is just an honest reaction to what I’ve experienced in regards to “the church.”

But just last week I finished reading a book that left me head over heels in love with the church. I don’t think I’ve ever caught such a breath-taking view of the body of Christ before – I am totally captivated! The author was unknown to me (Frank Viola) and the book’s title (From Eternity To Here) didn’t clue me in to the mystery is was about to unfold.

The first third of the book explored the depths of what it means that the church is “the bride of Christ.” What an amazing love story! Part two spoke of the church as the “dwelling place of God.” All stuff I’ve heard before yet never grasped quite like this. The last section (just when I thought it couldn’t get any better) highlighted the church as “the body of Christ and the family of God.” I closed my book when I finished, went right over to my computer and ordered 10 more copies to share. Do I agree with everything the author says – no. But I have fallen in love with the church like never before.

The church is more than I ever imagined. No wonder Christ loves her so.

Holly

The other day I was listening to a program and they mentioned that the word “Easter” has pagan origins an isn’t really a good word to describe the day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.  They suggested calling it Resurrection Sunday.  That might help in that many people now really don’t remember what Easter is all about.   I remember as a teacher using the clue “Easter” to help children understand the significance of Aslan coming back to life in “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.”  The clue didn’t really help them at all because to them “Easter” meant bunnies, eggs, and candy. 

I used to be really excited about Easter and Spring.  It was my favorite time of year when I thought about Jesus conquering death and then watched nature all around me come back to life.  Then I had the unfortunate experiences of losing two of my children in the Spring time of the year.  Now I find that this time of year brings with it feelings of sadness.  I’m trying to get excited about Resurrection Sunday.  I know in my head that it’s a wonderful thing to celebrate, but my heart just won’t cooperate.   It’s not that I don’t highly value what Jesus did in dying and then rising to defeat death.  That is the hope I cling to- that death is not the end and I will see Jesus and my children again someday.  But some days waiting for resurrection seems to drag.  I’m tired of this life and it’s sorrow.  I want to see Jesus and be done with this broken and sinful world.  I want to see my kids. 

This year I was introduced to the entire text of the Serenity Prayer through a study called Celebrate Recovery.  It deals with how to live out this not so wonderful life with peace and purpose.  God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.  Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as a pathway to peace: taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next.”   Reinhold Niebuhr

So please excuse me if I’m not all bubbly about Easter.  About the best I can do as this moment is to be reasonably happy; in the next life I’m going for supremely happy and bubbly.

Jan