“The Beauty of the Broken” from Jesse Giglio (@jessegiglio)
“Mother Letters” (the uncut back story) by Seth Haines
(book releases today…pick up a copy)
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“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature—trees, flowers, grass—grow in silence; see the stars, the moon and sun, how they move in silence … The more we receive in silent prayer, the more we can give in our active life. We need silence to be able to touch souls. The essential thing is not what we say, but what God says to us and through us. All our words will be useless unless they come from within—words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness.” — Mother Teresa
(repost from Easter 2010)
I think we take for granted that we know what tomorrow holds, and we risk hurrying through today unaware of what this day must have been like 2,000 years ago.
2,000 years ago this day must have brought great fear and great doubt.
As the disciples awoke, they found themselves scattered and in sorrow.
I can only assume that doubt raged in their minds.
I can almost see their faith fading.
One question must have haunted them.
The memory of Jesus asking them, “but who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8:29)
Imagine the questions they may have been asking themselves…
“Was yesterday real or just a dream?”
“How did I end up here last night?”
“Where are my friends?”
“…maybe it wasn’t a dream?”
“Why has this all happened?”
“Why didn’t we stop it?”
“Why did I not do more? Is this my fault?
“Why did Jesus not defend himself?
“Why did Jesus just let himself die?”“Could He really have saved himself?
“Was he really God or am I just a fool?”
Picture the morning as the followers awoke, prepared a meal, packed their belongings and began to set out on their day.
Can you hear the silence?
For three years they awoke with a mission and with a purpose. They had a place to go, sick to heal, a message to be shared, a Way to be followed, a kingdom to establish, someone to follow.
But today?
Today they experienced the absence of Jesus.
Today the loss sets in.
Today the pain is real.
Today the loneliness is deafening.
Today the faith is weak and failing.
Today the mission is over.
Today the promises were not kept.
Today the Messiah is gone.
Today a dream is crushed.
Today my God has failed me.
Today the answer to Jesus’ question of “but who do you say that I am?” is very different than before.
Today I do not know my purpose.
Today the kingdom is not at hand.
Today I am lost.
Today the tomb is not empty.
…why is it so easy to put myself in their place?
Those haunting nets…
The last time I held those nets, a man came to us and spoke words that I’ll never forget. Words that ultimately led me here.
So, how can I return to those nets?
But, I’m a fisherman, so how can I not return to those nets?
Am I still a fisherman? I don’t feel like a fisherman anymore, but all that I had hoped for and believed is now gone.
Where do I go?
What do I do?
But all of this was real, it really happened…didn’t it?
Again I hear the echo of Jesus asking me today…
“but who do you say that I am?”
The Next Christians by Gabe Lyons
…it took me too long to get to this on my reading list, but it was absolutely a breath of fresh air for me. The central theme of the priority of recovering the Gospel & the work of restoration was huge encouragement.
Must read…
“…the next Christians are a counterculture for the common good that is centered and immoveable. They don’t concern themselves with popularity, what they can achieve for themselves, or whether the masses are following. Instead, they boldly lead.” — Gabe Lyons, The Next Christians
Spring is here and life is bursting forth all around us.
It is an amazing time to be outside engaged in the work of caring for our community, and I find there is always a renewed enthusiasm at The Farm as we plant our first crops of the season.
However, it is easy to miss the work that took place over the winter to ensure that the spring planting is possible.
Over the winter, we planted wheat to serve as a cover crop for the soil. These crops serve to manage soil fertility, water, weeds, pests, diseases, and all kinds of other things while we prepare for spring.
Then when spring comes these cover crops are plowed under before reaching full maturity in order to complete their work of providing nutrients for the soil.
The fruit they are capable of producing does not become the end of the story; it becomes the beginning of another one.
It becomes the source of life for other plants as they use the wheat’s potential to produce a richer harvest.
As believers and members of faith communities, we often view the fruit that we are capable of producing as the main point of the story.
However, can we pause for a moment to consider a larger view of God’s restoration story that is taking place in the world?
Could our entire life’s labor be spent for the sole purpose of being a source of life for others?
Can we live out the small and humble work of the gospel every day and be okay to let our contribution never be fully known?
Are we willing to walk through the winters of life to ensure that those who come after us have a rich soil from which to build?
Can we commit our lives to prepare others to cross over into God’s promise for their lives?
Can we find hope in a life that feels as if it may never bear the fruit we desire?
…and in the winter wheat can we see the kingdom as God does?
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
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“All is Grace” by Brennan Manning
…so powerful & so real. After a lifetime of searching, this is a testament to the grace received by a man who has learned how to rest in grace alone.
Now there’s no more crowds and no more lights,
still all is grace.
Now my eyes are wrapped in endless night,
still all is grace.
Now I pace the dark and sleep the day
yet I still can hear my Father say —
“all is grace.”
It was easy as a younger man
To squander in the far off land
Where sin was sin, like black is black.
But older brother sin is white,
this doubt that creeps me up at night- “does Jesus love me still?’
Now I take my meds and hear the game,
still all is grace.
Now old friends drop in and bless my name,
still all is grace.
Now a prodigal I’ll always be
yet still my Father runs to me.
All is grace.