I am going to buy a purple t-shirt and some of those iron-on t-shirt things... The slogan on the t-shirt will say. "Year of Grace 2005: Fullest Lent Ever!" All around me chains are falling off, people are being set free, tears are falling. My own life feels like I am being sculpted... God is just banging and banging away at me, one sore place after another. Oddly enough though, I feel myself starting to take shape... and I am not afraid. I trust this sculptor, I know his work.
In fact, today I saw his work in my friend Peg, who spoke on forgiveness in chapel. I saw it in a community that surrounded one another in love and I see it more and more in God's Word in depths and dimensions I never have before. I see the work of the sculptor in my roommates and in the life of my friends, and in the life of my church. I am getting ready to graduate and all I can think of is how the community at ATS has changed me. How God has reached through my years here and through these people to show me who he wanted me to be, and then, without my ever raising a finger, seeing to it that his desires for me are fulfilled.
I simply cannot believe what happened in chapel today... the more I replay and replay it in my mind the more surreal it seems. Right now as I remember it in my imagination I feel like the room was filled with light, I see in my heart demons fleeing in the face of Jesus, his face filled with anger at their ministrations against his children... I see the Holy Spirit hovering over those at the altar surrounding them with his wings, protecting them in his love. I see saints singing in the choir loft and angels dancing upon the altar. I see holy love in touching and holding, God's children loving one another... I see heaven dancing, I see many waters flowing from heaven... I see orchards and butterflies, and horses, and lions and freedom as tangible as fresh fruit. As I rethink and rethink what happened the story gets fuller and fuller in my mind. I wish I could paint what happened today but somehow any earthly painting would fail. Michelangelo himself would fail to do it justice. It is too much, it exhausts and excites me too much to think of what God has done in our lives as a community, in history, IN CHRIST. Yet I cannot shake the images from my mind of how salvation history played out in our midst today.
Oh Happy God that is such love that even in the wretchedness of our sin you would choose to reach into the murky waters of our existence and bring forth joy. O Happy God who is Father to many children. Oh Happy God who showers down on us light and love and hope even when we seek to find shelters in darkness and hate and luxury. O Happy God who chose us not only to be servants but Brothers (Sisters), Friends, and Children as well. O Happy God we love you, we love you, we love you!
God gave me a special gift today that I will treasure for a lifetime.
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