There are a lot of things running through my mind today. I have no idea where this blog may or may not go. I just know I needed to write. It was an emotional week, there were ups and there were downs, there was no consistency to the days and that was even true of today.
I had a busy week, PantherPack prep session and stuffing/delivery took place, I had a nice chat about boundaries with friends who are dependent on my being there and "helping" them with their problems (which turned into a discussion about why I should be angry?), and then I drove 4 hours to Urbana, IL for a Synod meeting. I heard a great sermon on Friday with a beautiful one this morning as well. I had a friend turn 21 yesterday and I had some heartfelt discussions about things that frustrate me in this world which reminded me of the discussions my Papa and I used to have.
The amazing thing about this entire week was how much God's word was made alive and brought to light and sent into passion through two great ministers preaching. The first was from the outgoing moderator of the Synod who preached from Romans 12:1-2. He preached a sermon titled "Why must we Change?"...the highlights of his sermon were that we change because it is God who is at work reforming and renewing us with God's own word. It is not that we change ourselves but that God transforms us to be like Christ. The context in which it was preached was in a Synod that is doing great work to be relevant and active, but the sermon also spoke to us as Christians in churches and in our lives where we get caught being complacent and comfortable scared even terrified of change.
This mornings sermon was a beautiful reminder that while Christ was at his lowest God was strong in Christ and the same is true for us. While we are low, vulnerable, and weak God is strong in us.
What I have found absolutely awesome about this entire week is that the message of the cross is not a horrible death because God didn't let it end there. The message of the cross is power because it ends in resurrection and new life! It is power because it breaks barriers of age, race, gender, and social class (unless we get in the way). It is power because it speaks when we cannot. It loves when we cannot. It carries us when we cannot carry ourselves.
On Friday afternoon I sat along side an 83 year old woman who I just love. She told me story after story of her fighting for rights of those who could not fight for themselves. Of sheltering those who needed a place to sleep. Of breaking social barriers that were in place for no good reason. In the eyes of this woman, I saw Jesus Christ. I saw the power of the cross at work through her life, and this gave me great joy. The more I think about my new friend the more I think about Christ and the more I want to follow the theme of telling the story. We all have a story, it may not seem as great as Millie's but God is strong in each of our stories and that makes them worth telling.
This week may have been a struggle, but how great is God to remind me that the darkness does not overcome the light. I think there are 5 or 6 sermons in this weeks lessons on life. Maybe I will have to keep telling the story.
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