Be Like Jesus

{For the past several months I have been working with a small group of folks at my church, defining what a Creative Writing Team might contribute to worship. In part we have been in conversation about beginning a blog designed to compliment each sermon series for the contemporary service. This post was first shared on that blog.}

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“God decided from the outset

to shape the lives of those who love him 

along the same lines as the life of his Son.” 

Romans 8:29 MSG

God’s fervent intent, His deepest desire, is to make us into Jesus’ image; for us to be like Jesus. The concept may seem daunting. Here are some thoughts that point the way.

Lauren F. Winner, Duke Divinity School Assistant Professor reminds us, “Jesus specialized in asking people to steep themselves in the words of the scriptures and then to look around their ordinary Tuesdays to see what they could see about holiness and life with God.” In her book, Wearing God: Clothing, Laughter, Fire, and Other Overlooked Ways of Meeting God, Winner explores multiple Biblical metaphors that symbolically illustrate the nature of God. From such symbolism we gain insight to ways that we can be Christ-like. For instance, Colossians 3:12 NIV tells us, “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Put on Jesus’ nature each morning just as you put on your day’s attire. Wrap yourself in His character as you engage in those ordinary days that are every day of the week. Be like Jesus, for His interaction with the people was not just on the Sabbath and did not happen behind the pulpit of a sanctuary. His conversations with seekers occurred across the tables of a meal, down the street around the local well, on lake shores in the midst of workday chores, on the road during travel, in homes and on hillsides, as well as in the congested thoroughfares of city streets. To be like Jesus, to love people as God loves us, we must wear our faith into every venue that we frequent. 

To be like Jesus, Christians simply have to show up. Jesus showed up in the hard places of human life. He showed up when people were diseased and dying. He sought out the poor, the widow, the orphaned, the marginalized, and the felon. Jesus offered food when the crowd was hungry. He washed feet to express His love. As Shelly Miller describes, “... God often shows up in the messy, broken, ordinary, complicated of the mundane.” In the foot steps of Christ, with the love of Christ, we are given compassion and courage to show up, to be His ambassador of hope for people who are struggling.

“ He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; 

and greater works than these he will do.”

John 14:12 NKJV

In the course of our efforts we’ll encounter people with deep questions regarding faith. It’s helpful to remember that Jesus repeatedly engaged in conversations with people who doubted His divine nature. But His followers knew Him to be approachable. Strangers knew Him as a teacher; ever patient, prepared to illustrate again, within the context of daily life, a new metaphor, a new story, of how God lovingly pursues His children and how faith can be nurtured. We can follow His example in the varied circumstances of our contemporary lives by being authentic about our own moments of doubt and our own committed journey to a stronger faith. Christian writer, Shannon Martin wrote, “...(Jesus) keeps showing up for us, often disguised as each other. He reveals himself, quite improbably, through humans who struggle ...”

Try it on, this garment of Christ. Perhaps a few alterations might be made, in keeping with the unique talents and spiritual gifts that God created in you, even though the composition of the cloth is His. Step into your ordinary days permeated with the variances of God’s people, wearing the heart and mind of Jesus.

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Dear Lord Jesus,

You spent your life here on earth caring for others.

You reached out to the homeless and the hurting with compassion. 
You forgave those who insulted you and tried to destroy you. 
Seeking hearts found answers from you. 
Weary hearts found rest. You lifted up those who were beat down by life.

Your kind heart broke for the entire world.

May we follow your example and spend our lives reaching out to others. 
When we are tempted to turn away from people,

let us show your love instead. Amen.

Max Lucado

Sources:
Lauren F. Winner, Wearing God: Clothing, Laughter, Fire, and Other Overlooked Ways of Meeting God
Shelly Miller Blog - http://redemptionsbeauty.com/2016/06/27/what-if-the- spirit-descends-like-a-pigeon/
Shannon Martin - http://www.incourage.me/2016/07/the-purpose-of- church.html
Max Lucado, Live Loved: Experiencing God’s Presence in Everyday Life
Photography by Lisa Moreland

Authentically Marked

Once pristine architectural elements bear witness to decades long past. 

A worn sheen etched by the passing of generations.

Peeling layers curl back, breaking free of walls long attached.

Flakes, chips, lost pieces of life lived in the past. 

Color aged, turned across years, 

burnished and shredding 

until sanded surfaces are revealed. 

The story is not lost with the surface. 

It is deepened by the layered revelations of wear.

Character is transformed, 

authentically marked by existence; 

serving a purpose 

across days strung by time.

At our best,

we are called to live a similar story.

~

Linking with Tell His Story, Coffee for the Heart, and Give Me Grace.

Honor the Endurance

In the morning light we walked the grounds of the charming rural inn before traveling the next leg of our trip.

An expanse of spring green pasture spread out in front of the lodge, circled round by a narrow farm road bordered by fields of wild flowers dotted among the brambles and dense woodlands. 

We walked the rutted road to get a closer view of lambs in the pasture, of hens freely ranging the grassy places, and of the fresh faced Daisies spreading in the sunlit edges of the forest. 

I whispered prayers as we rambled the road. 

We would, that day, continue our long distance travel, deeper into the rural areas of this region to visit loved ones. Loved ones, soul sore burdened by illness, disability, the vigor of health stilled by incomprehensible injury. 

We two people, two threads binding together to gain strength from each other and from our faith, in order to move past our own sorrow to meet the greater needs of those we love.

Claiming sabbath quiet as we walked, I gathered refreshment for the soul. 

In the company of lambs I whispered prayers under the sweeping clouds and across the clustered heads of Daisy growth, inviting holy Lord to bless the visit that lay ahead, to guide our words, to fulfill our hope to do only good and offer encouragement through our presence. 

That He would guard us against making careless dismissive statements, insensitive platitudes, or sweeping comments that the heartbroken can gain no solace from.

I whispered prayers that we would honor the struggle, come along side the challenge, and that we would be able to extend caring concern. 

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, 
but only such as is good for building up, 

as fits the occasion, 
that it may give grace to those who hear."

Ephesians 4:29 ESV

Epilogue:

God covered the visit with our dear ones, with much Grace, a depth of loving effort on everyone’s part, and He provided strength through compassion that we hoped for. My heart swelled with unending admiration for the endurance and effort of our loved one and the fortitude of the devoted family who are providing constant care.

 ~

Sources for understanding chronic illness:

What Not to Say to Someone with Chronic Illness

The Challenges of Living with Invisible Illness

Open Letter from a Person with Chronic Pain

Time Filled With Quiet

Busy hands,

working over simple tasks,

leads to time filled with quiet meditation

and musing over God's ways.

It's a still day.
I've spent several hours creating notes of encouragement for the women who will attend Christian retreats this summer. These are three day weekends that will serve 40 or so women; those who are pilgrims and those who will serve as facilitators of the retreat. It is part of retreat tradition to shower the participants with scriptural reminders of God's love. Many volunteers muster their talents to create and donate dozens and dozens of these mementos of love. 

As I work through the process of selecting a verse from scripture, envisioning the design of the item, and assembling forty of each one; their is an internal conversation with the Lord about what the recipients might need. As the printing is designed I muse, "Where should the font be highlighted for HIS best meaning?" 

As the pieces are assembled I ponder how the selected scripture will nurture the many different circumstances that the recipients process in the course of their retreat. The burdens that will be laid down, the wounds that will begin healing, the call to service that will be clarified, and so on.  

I wonder if the memento will perhaps, be shared, passed on to someone else because women encourage each other that way. "Here, I thought of you. You need this hanging on your fridge to remind of God's care." or "This touched my heart and I knew it would have sacred meaning for you too." The hours melt away. 

By the time I turn the finished work over to those who will carry it into the hands of women seeking a deeper understanding of God, I sense deeply that God has already been invited to guide the message that each woman will receive.  




Take a bit of time to visit the communities over at Holy Experience and STILL SATURDAY.