This week begins on the same note we ended last week - with Tuomo Mannerma's look at Christ as Gift.
Luther develops his idea of Christ as a gift...
Therefore a Christian, properly defined, is free of all laws and is subject to nothing, internally or externally. But I purposely said, "to the extent that he is a Christian" (not "to the extent that he is a man or a woman"); that is, to the extent that he has his conscience trained, adorned, and enriched by this faith, this great and inestimable treasure, or, as Paul calls it, "this inexpressible gift" (2 Corinthians9:15), which cannot be exalted and praised enough, since it makes [people] sons [and daughters] and heirs of God. Thus a Christian is greater than the entire world. For in [one's] heart [one] has this seemingly small gift; yet the smallness of this gift and treasure, which [one] holds in faith, is greater than heaven and earth, because Christ, who is this gift, is greater.
This gift shapes us. Nothing else can define us in all the world. No matter how much pressure there might be...the Christ brings us into the fullness of our lives. We are no longer in need of becoming someone because of what we have been doing or who we know or the power that is given to us by the powers and movements of this world. We are the heirs of God's Reign. All else is considered nothing at all. When we are handed this freedom in Christ, it is within the blessed reality that the Christ is eternally for us and that makes us be able to resist all things in any time. Part of the reason for this is that we live within a community that is responsible for reminding us of this gift - this freedom. Therefore, each time we are reminded, we are liberated and we begin again to live within this "inexpressible gift." Life is then wide open and we are invited to be this gift that we have received...because we are in union with the gift. I think that means we become the gift that is now available to other in, with, and under our daily lives. This is a discipline of hope.
Connection: Why not live the day on the edge of giftedness? Take a look at who we are and then take a look at how we become more fully who we are today as we accept the gift of Christ who provides us with the ground upon which we can take on the day.
Come, Lord of all Hopefulness, and be with us as this day is transformed by your gracious gift to all your people. We give you thanks for how we each are invited into such a gifted life simply because you choose to abide with us and be in union with us through all things. Amen.
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