I saw Christ die today. I followed the soldiers and saw the beating. I heard the cries of Mary mingled with the shouts of the people.
The catholic church in my neighborhood walked the road to Golgotha tonight. The teenager who was chosen to portray Christ carried a cross, he was beaten with ropes and mocked by soldiers. The cross was made of wood and heavy. The whips were rope, but the soldiers who used them were not afraid of skin. The crowd that followed sang "Perdona su pueblo Senor, Perdona su pueblo perdona le Senor". (Forgive your people Lord, Forgive your people, forgive her Oh Lord).
He was placed on a cross with two others beside him, one who mocked and one who begged forgiveness. Above his head was "INIRI" or "King of the Jews". Mary wept with the other women and the disciples followed at a distance. There were varying degrees of concern and attention among the crowd, much the same as two thousand years ago.
It was powerful in its liturgy. The discrepancy between acting and the reality of Whips, Pain, and all that was Suffered by Christ became invisible as I caught a glimpse of Golgotha.
The Blood was real.
It is Given freely.
The Suffering was real.
It was Chosen.
It was the Choice to be obedient unto death, that the forgiveness of sins for all people might become a reality.
May I never forget the Reality of the Cross. May I not take lightly my Salvation. May I not be an unconcerned bystander when the Blood of Christ is given and his Body broken.
"With a loud cry Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said,'Surely this man was the Son of God.'" Mark 15:37-39
Friday, March 21, 2008
Monday, March 3, 2008
On Assignment
I became a part of Community last night. There was no subtle transition, no getting my feet wet. It was simply a plunge. Full submersion. A myriad of kids speaking as many languages were running/ tricycling through out the house. Adults were sharing a meal and again, speaking various languages. I missed the sermon, but it had been translated from English to Swahili. Unaelewa kiswahili? Welcome to our house church!
I am living with a family that has 6 kids, one puppy and one dog. After work I read Dr. Seuss to a 3 year old and took turns reading Nancy Drew aloud with a 9 year old. (the classic Nancy Drew, in front of a fireplace listening to the rain!) We were host to a group of college "kids" tonight who are working in the neighborhood for the next week. Along with chocolate chip cookies and milk they were learning about my host family...ie why a white doc and his family would live in the hood of Memphis. Why does he work in a clinic that serves his neighbors for a fraction of the salary he would make elsewhere? Fascinating really!
I started talking to recruiters last week. We talked about salaries, bonuses, opportunities to do scopes, c-sections and vacations. We did not talk about Christ, Community or Service. As I listened to the vision of the community tonight I had to ask myself- Am I serious about living in community or is it something that is more convenient to talk about rather than do? What do I want my practice to provide-a cush salary or training in how to die to self and serve the poor?.
I am tired. It was a busy weekend and I am emotionally and spiritually drained. I would like nothing more than to curl up with a book and lose myself in the pages. Yet, I think this is when true community happens. It is when Self is exhausted and I can either break down and cry or cry out to Christ for the peace and strength to continue. I might still break down, but I pray that the spirit of anxiety, busyness and self would be gone. I pray that self would die (often a painful process!) and I would become more Christ like. May I learn more than medicine this month.
I am living with a family that has 6 kids, one puppy and one dog. After work I read Dr. Seuss to a 3 year old and took turns reading Nancy Drew aloud with a 9 year old. (the classic Nancy Drew, in front of a fireplace listening to the rain!) We were host to a group of college "kids" tonight who are working in the neighborhood for the next week. Along with chocolate chip cookies and milk they were learning about my host family...ie why a white doc and his family would live in the hood of Memphis. Why does he work in a clinic that serves his neighbors for a fraction of the salary he would make elsewhere? Fascinating really!
I started talking to recruiters last week. We talked about salaries, bonuses, opportunities to do scopes, c-sections and vacations. We did not talk about Christ, Community or Service. As I listened to the vision of the community tonight I had to ask myself- Am I serious about living in community or is it something that is more convenient to talk about rather than do? What do I want my practice to provide-a cush salary or training in how to die to self and serve the poor?.
I am tired. It was a busy weekend and I am emotionally and spiritually drained. I would like nothing more than to curl up with a book and lose myself in the pages. Yet, I think this is when true community happens. It is when Self is exhausted and I can either break down and cry or cry out to Christ for the peace and strength to continue. I might still break down, but I pray that the spirit of anxiety, busyness and self would be gone. I pray that self would die (often a painful process!) and I would become more Christ like. May I learn more than medicine this month.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Living Hope
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. I Peter 1:3-9
The past few weeks have been difficult. Friends suffered heartache, I felt the acuity of my loneliness and work was emotionally draining. I was reading favorite passages and came upon verse 6 "In this you greatly rejoice...though you suffer trials of many kinds". Why is it so hard for me to rejoice during a difficult week? What allows us to rejoice in the midst of sadness and stress? What is the "IN THIS" that Peter is referring to?
Looking back a few verses I find answers. The first few verses of this passage are rich with reasons to rejoice.
God has great mercy! We do not get the punishment that our sins deserve!
New Birth is a result of his great mercy-not only are we not punished, but the record is wiped clean and we are given a new identity, a new way of interacting with the world!
Living Hope is a part of our new birth. Not only do we get a fresh start as Christ followers, we have a continued relationship, continual hope that is validated by the resurrection of Christ!
Eternal Inheritance is the second result of our new birth. It is an eternity of security and belonging. It is something that cannot be destroyed.
We are shielded by God's power until salvation is complete. God's power protecting us. WOW.
This is the source of our rejoicing. This is the TRUTH that transcends suffering.
My trials are small. I am blessed beyond belief and still I find it hard to rejoice. In the same way that fire purifies gold, trials have the purpose of proving our faith and bringing praise, glory and honor to God. I am ashamed that I can not rejoice when I have merely the smallest embers in my life.
In the past few weeks there has been much dissatisfaction. I was bemoaning singleness, my married friend was feeling like a stranger among friends and others are longing for children. While it is natural for us to want husbands, children etc, how much of our dissatisfaction is the enemy preying on our desires? As we label these circumstances "trials" how do we choose to rejoice? Do we choose to rejoice or just do we commiserate with each other and feed our dissatisfactions and longings?
I WANT Inexpressible Joy! I want to know Christ and rejoice in the reality of his provision for me! I do not know how to do this. Can I acknowledge the reality of loneliness and at the same time rejoice in God's provision for me? I am not sure exactly what that looks like.
Holy Spirit, May I be ever aware of your presence this week as I live in my world seeking to rejoice and bring honor to your name. May I rejoice instead of wallowing, may I praise instead of complaining. YOU are GOD. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you. You alone are worthy of praise!
The past few weeks have been difficult. Friends suffered heartache, I felt the acuity of my loneliness and work was emotionally draining. I was reading favorite passages and came upon verse 6 "In this you greatly rejoice...though you suffer trials of many kinds". Why is it so hard for me to rejoice during a difficult week? What allows us to rejoice in the midst of sadness and stress? What is the "IN THIS" that Peter is referring to?
Looking back a few verses I find answers. The first few verses of this passage are rich with reasons to rejoice.
God has great mercy! We do not get the punishment that our sins deserve!
New Birth is a result of his great mercy-not only are we not punished, but the record is wiped clean and we are given a new identity, a new way of interacting with the world!
Living Hope is a part of our new birth. Not only do we get a fresh start as Christ followers, we have a continued relationship, continual hope that is validated by the resurrection of Christ!
Eternal Inheritance is the second result of our new birth. It is an eternity of security and belonging. It is something that cannot be destroyed.
We are shielded by God's power until salvation is complete. God's power protecting us. WOW.
This is the source of our rejoicing. This is the TRUTH that transcends suffering.
My trials are small. I am blessed beyond belief and still I find it hard to rejoice. In the same way that fire purifies gold, trials have the purpose of proving our faith and bringing praise, glory and honor to God. I am ashamed that I can not rejoice when I have merely the smallest embers in my life.
In the past few weeks there has been much dissatisfaction. I was bemoaning singleness, my married friend was feeling like a stranger among friends and others are longing for children. While it is natural for us to want husbands, children etc, how much of our dissatisfaction is the enemy preying on our desires? As we label these circumstances "trials" how do we choose to rejoice? Do we choose to rejoice or just do we commiserate with each other and feed our dissatisfactions and longings?
I WANT Inexpressible Joy! I want to know Christ and rejoice in the reality of his provision for me! I do not know how to do this. Can I acknowledge the reality of loneliness and at the same time rejoice in God's provision for me? I am not sure exactly what that looks like.
Holy Spirit, May I be ever aware of your presence this week as I live in my world seeking to rejoice and bring honor to your name. May I rejoice instead of wallowing, may I praise instead of complaining. YOU are GOD. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you. You alone are worthy of praise!
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