I decided to look at this material from yesterday. Much to chew
Furthermore, as it became clear that the whole purpose of raising Jesus from the dead was to make forgiveness possible (i.e., none of this happened for the benefit of God, and all of it for the benefit of humanity), so it becomes clear that that forgiveness stretches into our human death. That is to say, the forgiveness which flows from the resurrection affects not only such acts as we may have carried out, but, much more importantly, what we had hitherto imagined to be our very natures. If death is something that can be forgiven us, we were not only wrong about God, but we were fundamentally wrong about ourselves.
The resurrection bids us to live within the realm of God's eternal forgiveness - God's always. I know I don't allow myself to go there very often. What a fool. Instead, I can manufacture a long list filled with reasons to buy into death and its power to make a fool of me. Will I fall apart if I go full-board into the realm of God's always!?! When death is recast as Alison notes, the simple answer is no. Rather than fall apart there is re-creation - there is an unknown (thought exposed in the resurrection) that can and will re-shape all my biases and answers in which I place so much confidence. The result will always be the power of new life that is fundamentally ours for the taking.
Connection: Having heard all about this life of promise, how is it that it is always so difficult to step out and live within that domain that is already in God's hands. Does holding back forgiveness make life better? We all know that answer - No.
O God of life, walk with us as we face this day and begin again to contemplate the wonder of your saving Reign. And then, take us out of our contemplative ways and bring us to life within your image again. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment