The Easter Resurrection Births a New Church

We are now in the season of Easter until the Day of Pentecost.  During these upcoming weeks we’ll hear stories of Jesus appearing to His disciples, assuring them of His Resurrection, comforting them from their distress, chastising them for their disbelief, warning them of the dangers ahead, praying for His disciples, giving them hope with the promise of the Holy Spirit, and then ascending to Heaven before their eyes.

On June 12, we’ll celebrate Pentecost as Jesus delivers to us His Holy Spirit, but in between we’ll walk with our risen Lord as He lives among us.

Imagine the joy!  All of creation wanted to cry out when Jesus conquered death and rose victorious on Easter Sunday.  With Jesus’ Resurrection there is a New Creation….the Church…God’s Holy People, made of flesh and bone but born again as REDEEMED Children of God.

The Church is made new in the Resurrection of Christ!

Christ is risen, Alleluia!

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To-Do List Failure

Everyone has days when you screw up. Sometimes you do it big and other times no one will notice but yourself. Today was one of those days when only a couple people will notice that I accomplished only a few of the things on my “to-do” list. Luckily, they love me anyway.

After yesterday’s blog about trying to do my best all the time to the glory of God, this is pretty condemning, isn’t it? It isn’t like my “to-do” list was too far-reaching. It was actually a pretty conquerable list…well mostly. Unfortunately, I didn’t get much of it done. So I’m left to wonder why? Why didn’t I get to those tasks I deemed important? Happily, today is not the way my days usually progress.

I look back on today and I think I know some of the reasons for my less than productive day. First off, I didn’t start the day by putting God first in my thoughts. I didn’t ask God to set me on a path that He designed; I thought I could plan it myself. I tend to find this a major fault of mine and it has been made very clear to me what happens when I skip this important step to the day: lack of focus, primarily.

Secondly, I didn’t ask God for help to get me back on track. I was too busy doing other stuff to even realize I was off track. I did start a number of the tasks on my list, but only finished a few. Bouncing around like a rubber ball, I forgot I had set out a plan for the day. The reason I probably couldn’t set upon a path for a successful day was because it wasn’t God’s plan for me today, but my own.

Fortunately, I did recognize, though a bit late, that I have dropped the ball on another day. There are still a few hours left in today and I could buckle down and attack that list. However, I think that the more productive course would be for me to take a few moments, confess my pridefulness to God and ask forgiveness for stepping off into another day thinking I was going to conquer it on my own.

I truly do believe that God has given us the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and to guide us in our daily journeys. If we let our self-confidence, pride or our laziness usurp our thoughts, however, we will not hear that quiet voice of the Spirit guiding us to the path we should travel each day. We will wander further afield from the path God has planned for us. We will lose our focus and wander aimlessly, like the Israelites in the desert. Like following the wrong to-do list.

Fortunately, God forgives me daily because of Jesus. Just by taking a moment to pray and listen for the Holy Spirit to provide direction for my life, I can turn around and find my way back to the path I should be following. There I will find the focus that God wants for me. My to-do list may look different, but I should be able to conquer it more easily.

I just need to end each day the way I should have started this one…with God at the forefront of my thoughts.

Are you feeling Spirit-filled?

May 23 was Pentecost Sunday. Did you feel the fire of the Holy Spirit move in your heart?

I love Pentecost. I totally get it and truly believe that when Jesus left the disciples to return to the Father, he sent his Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to be with us all the time. There have been times in my life when circumstances are just too wierd to believe, and I know the Holy Spirit has had a hand in my life.

This past Sunday, May 30, was Holy Trinity Sunday. On this day we reflect upon the triune nature of God...God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This concept can be really hard to believe and to reconcile with our 21st century brains, but multiple Bible passages point to this unique understanding of God.

These two Sundays, paired so closely together in the church year, help remind us that we are never alone. God the creator, father of all things, is always with us. Whether we see and feel God through the created world in which we live, feel his presence because of what we know of His Son, Jesus, and how He suffered and died for us, or suddenly find ourselves moved to doing something we didn't plan to do because of the Holy Spirit guiding our hearts and minds, God has made it clear that He is with us in one shape or another.

I think the timing is pretty neat. Here we are, about to embark upon vacations and summer travels that will likely take us away from our home congregations and support systems. And yet, the Holy Spirit has moved the powers that be in the Church that designed the liturgical year and church calendar to conveniently smack us in the face with this reminder, "You are never alone, I am always with you, for the Father is sending you the Advocate, the Holy Spirit" (paraphrase John 14:15-21)

So enjoy your vacations. Your travels may take you to some incredible vistas that will re-connect you to the awesome creative power of God. But if you feel somehow homesick, remember that the Holy Spirit is with you and let your travels be Spirit-filled. When you shine with the love of God and let the Holy Spirit guide your life, others will take notice that your life is somehow different. It is different, because you were made holy in your baptism and the Holy Spirit lives in you.

And you, child of God, are never alone. Do you feel it?