Day 47: (4:24) the road ahead

4:24: the road ahead

I cannot believe No, I can believe… that I am this late in posting my Easter photo–the final photo for “Journey to 4:24″. I took the photo on Sunday, and yet, here I sit… Wednesday morning, posting. Oh well. That said, here’s my post.

Easter is the ultimate example of hope, of life, of possibility. It is God’s unimaginable love for us, reconciling himself to humanity through Jesus Christ. It is God forgiving our sin, and giving us life, so we can live abundantly.

Easter is about the road ahead, full of possibility. Let us live into that hope-filled life, empowered by the empty tomb. (Even when we’re running behind.)

Day 31: listening ears

listening ears

Kajsa started in a dance class a couple of weeks ago at the YMCA. She loves it, of course. And she’s thrilled that her teacher is someone she already knows. It’s so fun to watch her dancing around the house now, trying out new moves that she wasn’t so much trying a few weeks ago.

Each week after dance class, the kids get a sticker on their card, if they brought their “listening ears”. Great idea, Miss Amie! Kajsa’s 2 for 2, now, thankfully!

In the John 11 passage, Jesus has this slightly strange prayer to God, before he called Lazarus out of the tomb: “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” (John 11:41-42)

Jesus is clearly talking to God about God listening. And though the prayer seems a bit strange, it’s also comforting that Jesus talked to God like this. But let’s think, for a moment, about our own communication.

How good are we at bringing our “listening ears” along in our daily routines?

Where is there room for improvement?

And if we aren’t taking time to listen to God on a regular basis, what needs to change in order for that to happen?

Day 27: the big question

the big question

I’ve only read parts of the book, Is God to Blame? (by Greg Boyd), but those parts I’ve read were helpful. Helpful enough that I’m counting on the rest of the book being just as good and helpful.  So I recommend it frequently.

This Sunday’s Gospel text, John 11:1-45–the story of Lazarus, and his sisters. Lazarus dies, his sisters grieve, as does Jesus, Jesus acts a bit weird by not showing up right away, Jesus is blamed for his death, and ultimately, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead.

This Sunday’s Gospel text is also in John—Chapter 11, verses 1-45. The story of Lazarus. Read through it. It’s long, it’s a bit frustrating at times. It brings up lots of questions. And, Jesus is blamed for a death.

Is God to blame? I don’t know the answer to that question. I don’t even know how the book Is God to Blame? answers that question. But what I do know is that God is present when humans suffer. I know that God is present whether or not we are aware of God’s presence.

And, for that, I give thanks tonight.

is God in their tummies?

The other day Kajsa flustered me. Completely out of the blue, she asked something about God. I forget what the question was, but my answer was, “God is inside all of us.”

“What?” she asked…

“God is in all of us.. in our hearts” I said.

“Oh. That’s weird,” she said, running off to something else.

The next night she and I were watching “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse”, and again, out of the blue, Kajsa brought up God: “Is God in their tummies, too?”

“What?” I asked… 

“God. Is GOD inside THEIR tummies too?”

“Whose tummies?” I asked.

“Goofy, Mickey, Pluto!!! Is God inside their tummies?”

Oh dear. Do I tell her now that Goofy & Co. aren’t real? Nope. How could I do this without lying, and without crushing her….? I thought quickly, that hey, God created the creators of these wonderful characters… so.. I could cover. Maybe not the most theologically accurate decision, but hopefully not heresy. “Well, you mean their hearts? Is God in their hearts? Sure, God’s inside them, too.”

“Yeah”, she said.. “‘Cause there’s not enough God for all those tummies!”