17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Romans 8:17 NIV

We avoid suffering, or at least try to, as much as possible. We run to and cling to comfort. And much of our comfort is found in our stuff. Closets, garages, and basements bursting at the seams with all the stuff we’ve accumulated. Never enough. Always more.

What if the opposite of suffering isn’t comfort but glory? Specifically, sharing in the glory of Christ. Are we missing sharing in his glory because we are so comfortable? Are we suffering BECAUSE of our comfort (and all the stuff of our comfort), but we don’t even know what we are missing? Do we fail to see, know and share in his glory now because we are so satisfied in our comfort that we don’t even realize what we are missing?

Is the stuff part of the suffering?

Without warning
– a king is born
– a king appears
– to teach
– to heal
– to love

Without warning
– a king is arrested
– tried
– convicted
– killed

Without warning
– the king is alive
– teaching
– restoring
– loving

Without warning
– a helper comes
– to empower
– to indwell
– to testify

Without warning
– the world is changed
– mercy is offered
– grace received
– life eternal

Without warning
– A king will return
– to remove sin
– and hardship
– and pain
– to make all things new
– to reign forever
– with those who call him King

A response to Acts 2:1-4 from The Message –

When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force—no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks, and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted them.

Eugene H. Peterson, The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2005), Ac 2:1–4.

You appeared
after the cross
after death
after burial

Seen
by disciples
by multitudes

Visible
so all could know
you are alive

Appear today
Be seen in our neighborhoods
Show yourself now

I want to and will
but not through my physical body
but through my body – the church

I’m waiting for the church to make me visible
to reveal my heart and passion to the world
to speak words of life and touch your communities with healing

Appear today?
I will when my church stops playing at religion
and stops cozying up to power
I will when my church realizes it is not in their cleverness or accumen
but by my Spirit
I will when my people
look, speak, and act more like me.

Be my visible representation in the world.
Show them I am alive
and that I bring life.

Go – in my name – in the power of my Spirit
Show the world the real Jesus
not some cheap imitation
not some impotent guru
Jesus – the Christ – the Promised One
The Savior of the World

Christ has no body but yours.
No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes
with which He looks compassion on this world.
Yours are the feet
with which He walks to do good.
Yours are the hands
with which He blesses all the world.

Yours are the hands.
Yours are the feet.
Yours are the eyes.
You are His body.

Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

Remember as kids, being introduced to something new, possibly something risky or unknown
when faced with taking that first step…
hesitation…
resistance…
uncertainty…
sometimes followed by those two little words
YOU FIRST

Here, try this strange, new food!
You first
Take a drink of this weird-smelling concoction!
You first
Go into that dark, musty abandoned place
YOU FIRST!

It’s always a bit easier to be the second person somewhere
To see the steps of the person who has been there,
To hear their story of survival
To know they’ve been there and were able to return to tell you all about it.

Even in faith, the call to follow Jesus can seem daunting, frightening even.

Love God with all your heart.
You first.
Loe your neighbor has yourself.
You first.
Seek first the kingdom of God.
You first.
Love your enemies.
You first!
Take up your cross and follow me.
YOU FIRST!

The challenge is that even as we look at Jesus and say “You first,” to him
He never says that to us.

Hey Jesus, seek first the kingdom.
Done.
Hey, Jesus, love YOUR enemies
I already have (and still do).
Jesus, take up YOUR cross.
Been there, done that, and I’ve got the scars to prove it.

Jesus never asks us to go somewhere he’s never been.
He never asks us to do something he’s never done or is unwilling to do.
Including love.
Jesus says, “Love me.”
“You first!” we reply.
“You got it. You love because I first loved you.”

You first said to Jesus becomes I have.
Will you?

I feel the pressure and activity of the day waiting for me outside the door.
Do I go? Do I dive into the day? Or do I stay for a few more minutes with you?
But there are things to do!
Stay with me.
People are waiting on me!
Stay with me.
But I’ll get behind!
Stay with me.

Breathe deeply in my presence
Experience the shalom I want for you
not the anxiousness
not the hurry
not the flurry of activity
Shalom, wholeness, peace
Stay with me and experience the shalom of my presence.

You have given yourself to me
What does this even mean?
Stop
Think on this for a moment

You – God
have given – as a gift, freely, unreservedly
yourself– Godself, all of You, Creator, Almighty, Immanent
to me – who am I? why me?

So undeserved
Far too often underappreciated
Sometimes, even rarely acknowledged

You have given yourself to me
Who am I that you are mindful of me?

What can I do to keep this?
Receive it
What can I do to lose it?
Turn away from it
Why?
Because I made you in my image, to be with me, and I love you

You have given yourself to me
And even though there are many challenges
Worldly pleasures and concerns
vying for my attention
desiring the place that only you should be
whispering to me “more”
want more
need more
achieve more
be more

Your love says “enough”
you are enough
grace is enough
Christ is enough

Show me your grace, Lord
Lavish on me your love, Lord
That is enough for me

He calls my name
You can’t stay here
Go
at the empty tomb
Go
in the upper room
Go
at the cross
Go
Waiting for Pentecost
Go
in Jerusalem
Go
in your isolated space
Go

But before I go, God move the stone
in people’s hearts and minds

Restlessness in the waiting
Let’s go
Let’s get a move on
Wait
There are things to do
Wait
Chop-chop
Wait
I don’t have time for this
Wait
This is stupid
Wait

I’m here
in the waiting
Calling you to sit with me
In the stillness
In the silence
Resist the urge to run ahead
Fight against your natural desires
to push ahead
Wait
Look
Listen
For I am found in the waiting

In the waiting
silence
pain
unmet expectations
questions
sorrow
doubts
wondering
HOPE

Hope in the silence
in the questions
Do you remember what he said?
What did that mean?
What if?
What if this isn’t over?
What if there’s more to come?
What if he isn’t done?
Could he?
Would he?
Will he?

My mind keeps thinking about fear. Not that I am fearful right now. But the power of fear and how fear is constantly used to manipulate and control people.

There’s an eclipse, so be afraid because this is God’s judgment. Oh, and Jesus is coming back to “get you, my pretty!” An earthquake in New York – be afraid. God is angry with you, and an earthquake is his call for you to repent. NOW!

The loudest voices get the most airtime and spread the most fear.

They’re coming to get you.
They’re going to destroy your way of life.
They’re going to change things.

Peace, be still.
These are the words of Christ that calm the anxious storm within.

Turn off the voices that are fear-mongering
And listen to the words of the Master. The Creator.

Peace, be still.

No more fear. For perfect love casts out fear.
And I know perfect love.
His name is Jesus.