Saturday, March 29

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 145; Isaiah 43:8-13; John 20:1-18; 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10; Psalm 138

One of the members of our congregation shared with me the power of a sermon she heard roughly ten years ago. The sermon was delivered one Easter morning and the gist of it was if something bad happens to you, wait three days before responding. The obvious parallel was with the time between the crucifixion and the resurrection. The individual who recounted the sermon told of what a difference it had made in her life since the Friday before she heard the sermon something bad had happened to her at work. She was completely devastated by the event. By the time she got back to work the following Monday, however, things had turned around. She has kept the essence of that sermon with her ever since. In many ways, Paul is suggesting a similar point in today’s passage from 2 Corinthians. In that passage Paul wrote: “These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 – The Message). Paul’s words are good reminders of how easy it is to become fixated on the day-to-day events right before our eyes – especially the “bad” ones. Instead of doing that, however, Paul’s words encourage us to step back and allow ourselves enough space to gain a sense of perspective. Think of how many times that has happened in your life. Think about the time, for instance, when you were fired or denied a promotion at work and thought it was the end of the world – only to have another opportunity present itself that you would have otherwise missed out on had you had another position. Think about the time you were consumed in a devastating struggle with an injury and illness – only to gain insights into the human experience and compassion toward others that you might not have known had you remained “healthy”. Think about the devastating loss you experienced that made you want to give up on life – only to realize over time the value of life that led you to a greater appreciation of your loved ones around you. Each of these experiences remind us that there’s indeed “far more here than meets the eye.” Each of these are manifestations of grace in places you would least expect. May God’s generous and gracious spirit help up see beyond the limitations of today so that we can see those things that are truly lasting. Til next time…