Last week was Holy week, beginning with Palm Sunday and ending with what many call Easter Sunday. I was fortunate to attend church services this past week in three different locations, yet all about Jesus. I shared some of my thoughts about worshiping in a variety of settings with some of my family while we were eating together. How wonderful that as "the church", a body of believers, we can gather in many places - some small, some big, some beautiful, some not, some with loud praise music, some with softer hymns, some with caffeinated pastors, some with decaf pastors, sometimes standing up, sometimes sitting down. Yet what unites us is Jesus. His life, His death, His resurrection. And what all of that means for each of us as children of God.
Easter Sunday was clearly defined by the pastor I listened to this year as Resurrection Sunday. The pastor is a dynamic guy who makes "the text" come alive. He reminded us that the reason we celebrate Easter is because of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. He shared that sometimes people complain about their spiritual life being boring. Wake up believers! The power that raised Jesus from the dead is alive in us. If we are truly living a regenerate life, our lives will not be boring.
The pastor said "God's dreams for me are straight up crazy". This may mean that I'm not comfortable. It may mean I take big risks. It may mean I'm vulnerable and I may get hurt. It may mean that I risk everything for a relationship, knowing that the other person has no idea how to be a friend or to love. It may mean other people think I'm crazy. But it's ok. I'm surrendering the old me, for a new me - one completely crazy for the One who died for me. And He did it because of LOVE. I want to live alive for love, Jesus. I don't want to settle for boring. I'm good with crazy. I desire to see with His eyes, hear with His ears, be His hands and feet in this world and have a heart and mind like Him.
Colossians 3:1-4 The Message (MSG)
3 1-2 So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.
3-4 Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you’ll show up, too—the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ.
Continuing my gratitude list, here are 10 more things I'm thankful for:
11. God's dreams for me are bigger and crazier than any I can imagine for myself
12. A wonderful Easter weekend with family
13. My older son's joy over mastering a pogo stick
14. My dog's delight in having his head and ears rubbed and wagging his tail in response
15. Worshiping in new and different places
16. Reconnecting with an old friend over a yummy lunch
17. Knowing that hard things are good
18. The hum of my dryer drying my family's clothes
19. Spring flowers blooming in their bright colors
20. Living this new resurrection life with Christ!
Warrior Sisters, Say That Again -- I'm thankful that the power that raised Jesus from the dead is alive in us. May we live in love and in His resurrection!
