Alive Together With Christ

2 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

This is what characterizes followers of Christ.

A New Commandment

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children,yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:31-35, ESV)

Today is Maundy Thursday, traditionally the day of the Last Supper. It’s called “Maundy” because the word maundy means commandment, signifying when Jesus gave us the “new” commandment to love one another as he loves us. This is not pink hearts and valentines folks. This is the total giving of ourselves for the other, even those who despise us. This is what characterizes followers of Christ.

The world tells you many lies about who you are…

“First of all, you have to keep unmasking the world about you for what it is: manipulative, controlling, power-hungry, and, in the long run, destructive. The world tells you many lies about who you are, and you simply have to be realistic enough to remind yourself of this. Every time you feel hurt, offended, or rejected, you have to dare to say to yourself: 'These feelings, strong as they may be, are not telling me the truth about myself. The truth, even though I cannot feel it right now, is that I am the chosen child of God, precious in God's eyes, called the Beloved from all eternity, and held safe in an everlasting belief.” ― Henri J.M. Nouwen, Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World

If it were only common sense, it was not worthwhile for Him to say it…

The danger with us is that we want to water down the things that Jesus says and make them mean something in accordance with common sense; if it were only common sense, it was not worthwhile for Him to say it. The things Jesus says about prayer are supernatural revelations. – Oswald Chambers, from My Utmost for His Highest

A prayer for Palm Sunday

Eternal and ever blessed God, you sent your son Jesus into the world to be an example for us. Help us to ever walk in his steps. Help us to walk in his humility, So that we too may be among our fellow men and women as those who serve. In his forgiveness, so that we may forgive, and hope to be forgiven. Help us to walk in his courage, so that nothing may ever deflect us from the way we ought to take; in his endurance, so that nothing may daunt our discourage us until we reach our goal; in his loyalty, so that nothing may ever seduce our hearts from our devotion to him. Help us to share the life that our Lord once lived on earth that we may also share the life he lives in his risen power. Grant that we may always do the will of our Father in heaven. Grant us to take up whatever cross is laid upon us and gallantly and gladly to carry it. Grant that we may share in his cross so that we may share in his crown; as we share his death, so we may also share his life. And so grant that having suffered with him we may also reign with him. This we ask for love’s sake. Amen – From A Barclay Prayer Book

“We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary…

“In the Christian community thankfulness is just what it is anywhere else in the Christian life. Only he who gives thanks for little things receives the big things. We prevent God from giving us the great spiritual gifts He has in store for us, because we do not give thanks for daily gifts. We think we dare not be satisfied with the small measure of spiritual knowledge, experience, and love that has been given to us, and that we must constantly be looking forward eagerly for the highest good. Then we deplore the fact that we lack the deep certainty, the strong faith, and the rich experience that God has given to others, and we consider this lament to be pious. We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts. How can God entrust great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things? If we do not give thanks daily for the Christian fellowship in which we have been placed, even where there is no great experience, no discoverable riches, but much weakness, small faith, and difficulty; if on the contrary, we only keep complaining to God that everything is so paltry and petty, so far from what we expected, then we hinder God from letting our fellowship grow according to the measure and riches which are there for us all in Jesus Christ.” ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community

Hurt is not to be accepted as normal

Compassion constitutes a radical form of criticism, for it announces that the hurt is to be taken seriously, that the hurt is not to be accepted as normal and natural but is an abnormal and unacceptable condition for humanness. ― Walter Brueggemann