myopic pilgrim

Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43).

If you’re hanging on a cross, a capstone to a life of struggle and suffering, Paradise is a place of peace and rest. If I have to rely on God for whether or not I will receive my daily bread, literally whether or not I will eat today, Paradise is a feast of abundance. What if my life is one of ease and comfort? What if I worry—not about whether I will eat, but what I will eat (Mexican, sushi, mac and cheese)? What is Paradise for me? By the standards of the poor, the stranger, the widowed, the orphan, I am already in Paradise.

Now I know the big sell Christians give to people is that the gospel gets them into heaven, but if we’re already in the land of milk and honey what does that mean? In heaven it’s like you’ll have two TVs in every room. In my life it’s more likely that I’ll need healing for my broken heart or spirit than my broken back. Or even that I’m just plain broke.

More and more my motivation as a Christian isn’t the life to come, but how I’m able to draw that life to come into my life today. It’s less about having my tears wiped away than being able to wipe the tears of others away. It’s less about escaping this world than it is escaping my own selfishness.

+ Dear Lord, do you tell me even now that I will be with you in Paradise today? My life is more than just twiddling my thumbs waiting for the life to come.

Who are the ones around me that are really looking forward to Paradise? Show me what I can do to help them get a taste of it now. Amen.

Father, forgive them; for they do not what they are doing (Luke 23:34).

Father, forgive them. Forgive them. Jesus isn’t talking about himself forgiving those who were crucifying him. Doubtless, he already has forgiven them. But he asks his Father to forgive them.

Throughout his life, Jesus declared to sinners who have to come to him in faith that their sins are forgiven. He says it in a passive voice. Not I forgive you for your sins, but Your sins are forgiven. Maybe because forgiving sin that didn’t appear to be committed against him was already audacious. In the shock maybe they wouldn’t have heard the truth of the statement he made. They might think who does this guy think he is? instead of I have been set free from my guilt.

But on the cross, Jesus makes a special petition to the Father as if the forgiveness of the soldiers wasn’t sure yet.

Father, forgive them. They’re just obeying orders, following the law, submitting to the authorities you have set above them. They don’t know they are killing the Son of God. They don’t know they are killing Life.

How many times have I sinned without knowing it? I’m sure I have spoken words innocently that have nevertheless cut someone. (It’s happened often enough to me). How many stray words would I want to take back?

How many actions are there in my life that withheld love or kindness (or, worse, have caused harm) because I wasn’t paying enough attention? I was just going through the motions. I was only doing my job.

+ Dear Lord, forgive me for things I have done and the things I have left undone that were sin against you or your creation. I was clueless. I didn’t know what I was doing because I was just going through the motions of my day, fulfilling my responsibilities, but not being watchful for where your will could be accomplished through me. Open my eyes. Make me less of a lifeless automaton and more like your Son who is full of life. Amen.

So wrap our injured flesh around you
Breathe our air and walk our sod
Rob our sin and make us holy
Perfect Son of God
Welcome to our world

Chris Rice, Welcome to Our World

[edit: written for the conference we had about storms of life.]

Dear God
Do you hide from us?
We’ve tried to find you, but we don’t
We’ve looked for you, but you won’t be found
We have people in our lives that gossip about us
Who spread false rumors about us
Loved ones lie broken around us
We want to help them, but we can’t
They need you; they need your healing
We just want to know, how long will we have to wait before you show yourself

And yet God
And yet we believe you want good for us
We believe you care for us
I know you still move and act
I’ve heard about it
I’ve seen it for myself
Even if our prayers seem to stop at the ceiling
We believe you hear us

Did I mention the planets aligned for us? Pray God continues his work in creation.