The Love of God
Dear First Pres SLO Family,
Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus, the one who walked into Jerusalem hailed as a King, only to be arrested and killed. We have to find our own role in that series of events, even if it takes us to dark places.
It’s that idea of darkness that catches me today. Holy Week is a name we give to the last few days of Jesus’ life—from his entry on Palm Sunday to his burial on Good Friday. We know the events along the way—they come to us again every year at this time. We know the events, but we can’t escape them as we close the season of Lent and enter into the joy of Easter.
Not so fast, though.
It’s the betrayal of Jesus by a friend, and the unjust sentence carried out upon him, that plunge us into the darkness of the last days of Holy Week. In darkness we can’t see, and even worse, in darkness we can’t be seen. It’s good for us to pass through a few days like this so that we truly understand what happened, and what’s happening. It’s good, but it doesn’t feel very good.
Hiding in the darkness is our default position—it’s been like that since the story of the Garden of Eden. We hide when we don’t want our worst places to be seen by God or anyone else. We hide in the shadows so that no one sees things we think will ruin us in their eyes and separate us from God. Again, it’s good for us to pass through a few days like this, if only to remind ourselves of just how far Jesus went to redeem us fully—to cleanse us from anything that would try to keep us from the love of God, even when it’s us.
Henri Nouwen gets at this idea of seeing, and being seen, in his Lent devotional for today:
I gradually realize that I want to be seen by you, to dwell under your caring gaze, and to grow strong and gentle in your sight. Lord, let me see what you see—the love of God and the suffering of people so that my eyes may become more and more like yours, eyes that can heal wounded hearts.
Wait, what?
It’s not just seeing and being seen that this journey with Jesus brings, it’s seeing in a way that extends God’s healing to anyone we encounter. As with most things, God’s version of this is deeper and more meaningful than our simple wish to be restored. We’re not put back in place or set back on our feet. No, we ask to see again so that our eyes are more tuned to the people around us who hurt, who despair, who need. We ask for our healed eyes back so that we can become agents of that healing for others.
The Bible has a theme, and it runs from start to finish with reminders along the way. God blesses us, and sends us out to be a blessing to others. We say it here almost every week: Love God, love others, and do things. It’s in that blend of loving God and each other and doing something about it—it’s in that mix that we experience resurrection.
In these last few days of Lent, pray the prayer that Nouwen writes so beautifully. Pray that God will take away the darkness—that God will see us and restore our own capacity to see. I wonder what God could do with a restored congregation of people who have eyes for the needs around us. I wonder… Pray that God will restore the light of your faith, and the faith of your neighbors.
Part of our celebration of that dawning light is our Easter Sunrise Service, held again this year at the home of Garett and Amy Stapp. We invite you to come and see the sunrise as we worship together and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus once more.
Blessings to you this Holy Week,
Pastor John