"And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation."
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
Ah, those sentimental Christmas words always bring a familiar carol to mind and I start humming before I've realized it. But, seeing as how it's not even Halloween yet, this isn't a Christmas post. This is just a random day when I'm excited at the grand and hopeful expectation of seeing sentimentality become reality. It really is happening and we're all invited to participate in this amazing party that is mysteriously spreading across the globe! We're beginning to realize that when Jesus gave "The Great Commission" in Matthew 28, he gave us a message that was so thrilling, so surprising, so wonderful that we would almost be compelled to dance it into all the nations!!!!! It's so much more exciting than what we've previously believed "missions" to be. We do not have to go into all the world telling people that they are in the wrong with God or on the "outs" with him, but that if they'll just pray this prayer, they can be part of the "in" group that he loves. That they can "get right with him" by believing and confessing a certain set of principles. BORING!!!!!!!!!
No, no, no. We carry the truth of a grand romance. A romance about a loving Father who has always loved us, always cared for us and sent His son, the truest man to ever live, to reveal this truth to us. And in the bosom of the Son, he held us and baptized us into his death and raised us into a new life! A life where we know we have been fully reconciled to our Father who has always been FOR us. So now, we get to just go out and love people, get to know them, hear their stories and, together, discover Christ in us.
Seriously guys, peace on earth is not some crazy, whacked out idea! It's our portion in the Lord, given as a gift. We've all been given life in this world, born of our mothers into time and space. We also have an even more substantial origin in our Father. He has birthed us from above, born of the Spirit, and made us partakers of divinity so that our every moment can be filled full of eternity and purpose and significance!
The resurrection of Jesus raised up a WHOLE FREAKIN' new humanity!!! Faith gives us the eyes to see it. Faith gives us the eyes to see every man's TRUE life, TRUE identity that is hidden in Christ with God, whether that man is living in this reality or resisting it. Whether he has received the Spirit that cries out from within him or ignored it. The truth is still the truth and it pleases our Father, by His spirit, to reveal his son in us.
St. Paul knew this so well. He said that he could no longer regard ANYONE from a mere human perspective because he was utterly convinced that if one died for all, then all had died! What glorious revelation!!! What freedom to love another without reservation or exclusion!
I feel like I've been a bit of a broken record on this point, but I'll say it again because I need to hear it again: Truth doesn't become true WHEN we believe it. Rather, truth is true SO that we can believe it. This is the beauty of grace and unconditional love. There is zero transaction. Zero. Belief isn't our trading card that we cash in to receive grace. Grace just is. Believe it or believe a lie. Let go and trust it, or keep resisting. But to trust or believe is to finally experience reality. It is Dorothy walking through the door from Kansas into the wild and unpredictable land of Oz. She stops seeing the world in black and white and sees the beauty of technicolor!
I was prompted to write today as I was reading about a beautiful group of folks, they call themselves "The New Ecstatics". They went into the garbage dumps of the Philippines this past week and brought an absolute PARTY to the poor and marginalized of society that are currently living there. They threw them a love feast and a wedding celebration for the couples living there just for the fun of loving!
It may be tempting to say, "Yes, they provided for them for a day, but what did they really help in the broader scope of things?"
I used to think this way. What a completely faithless frame of mind to have! But here's the thing. An opportunity to show someone that they are worthy of a feast, or worthy of a hug or kiss or smile or our time and to share that with them as friends and equals with no other agenda than to simply enjoy life together...well that is a moment that can never ever ever be lost or wasted! Why not? Because love is absolute substance. It's the most real substance that exists. Love builds and reveals something so substantial that nothing temporal can ever tear it down. It's the unshakeable Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.
There may be wars and rumors of war. Earthquakes may have their way with the land. Governments may shut down and economies be shaken. Meanwhile, there's a small party happening in a garbage dump in a remote part of the world. People with nothing to give back are being adorned with jewelry by messengers that are full of faith in the revelation of Jesus Christ. And though we may not see the full scope of it yet, they have changed the entire world. Forever.
This Kingdom is real. It can be seen by faith in your every present moment. In fact, let's try something contemplative together.
Just take a second and ponder the Father who loves you. Feel wave after wave of his love as the tender touch of the Spirit warms your heart. With every inhale and exhale, he sustains your life and embraces you in the Beloved. Imagine drinking his love like it's a glass of wine. Taste how good it is! Let your mind get all woozy for a second as you just enjoy his immediate presence and the intoxication of his goodness. If you're outside, look at the freedom of his personality expressing itself in creation. In the birds of the air, the swooshing leaves of the Weeping Willows, the light sprinkling of the rain, the subtle parting of the clouds that lets the sunshine seep in, the wind sweeping fallen leaves into a dancing funnel. Delight in his delight.
Now, if you're in a place where people are present, take a second and watch them while believing that Christ is alive within them. If it's your kids, see how they play with such determination and energy. If it's strangers in the coffee house, see how they take the first sip of their drink with satisfaction or smile and laugh as they converse with friends. If it's your co-workers, notice how they take such care in what they do. Even the annoying guy that you try to avoid, look at the way he hangs the pictures of his family throughout his office and works to provide for them.
Now picture our loving Father taking delight in each of them. Each one he has created so uniquely. He's working in all of their choices and busyness to show them that he's there with them and IN them.
Now, notice what's happening in your heart. Your fondness for your neighbor is growing. As you see how much love is flowing toward you and toward them, your worries begin to disappear and all that seems to matter is relationship and this enormous revelation.
Now that's some fun meditation, right? I've been practicing it more and more and I tell you, it changes your perspective! To begin to see as He sees is powerful and he is continuously teaching us to see better!
This is how the peace of Jesus is made manifest. As we see TRUTH by faith and act accordingly. Because, guess what, if what we see is a lie, we will also act accordingly. The truth is WAY more fun. What could be more enjoyable than a life of love? Even when the love isn't returned, it doesn't ruffle or shake us up the way that it once did. The nearness of God is too beautiful to be overshadowed by anything else. Paul said that "To the pure, all things are pure". It's such a pleasure to live in that kind of innocence. To believe the best about people and about the world and to get to rejoice in the manifestation of it!
All praise to the Father, Son and Spirit! This life is heavenly!
P.S. Be free from any obligation to listen to the naysayers...especially the Christian naysayers who claim that they are hearing from God and use world events or politics to prove their judgments. You are hearing from God too! Don't be yoked with any teaching of fear or weird tales about the "terrible times" we are living in. There's a higher reality and a better realm where Jesus says "I have overcome".
P.S.S. If you'd like to read more about the New Ecstatics in the garbage dump, click here to read the article.
P.S.S. If you'd like to read more about the New Ecstatics in the garbage dump, click here to read the article.
