Since Easter, this
blog has looked at ways we can be refreshed. The telling and hearing of the
Story of God’s work is one way. Having fun, laughing and singing are others.
When we tell one another what good things God has done we are also refreshed.
As noted in the last post, we are now entering the Season of Pentecost or
‘Ordinary Time’ when there aren’t major feasts to celebrate. We are simply
called to do God’s work.
This week starts a
series on ways we are Blessed to do that work.
First we are Blessed to BE.
Miriam McKenney in 50 Days of Fabulous said, “So
as I continue to live into the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus,
remaining mindful of the gift of Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension, I
consider God’s message about seeing as mortals see; seeing from the outside
instead of looking inside into people’s hearts. We must believe that we can do
this. If we are children of God, and God lives in us, then we can see into each
other’s heart. Even if it’s just a glimmer. Jesus preached, taught, and lived a
life of love. [and] taught us that God
has something in store for each of us that we may not understand or comprehend in
ourselves, or in each other.”
McKenney
notes that each of us is blessed to be who we are, and each of us is blessed to
bring out the best in one another. We
are Blessed to Be the ones who witness to God’s love in our lives. As St.
Francis is said to have urged, “Preach the Gospel, if necessary use words.” It
is in the way we live who we are meant to BE that we witness.
As we live the life we are formed for we are
promised that “The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives
victory; he will rejoice over you with
gladness, he will renew you in his
love; he will exult over you with loud singing” (Zephaniah 3:17) Isn’t it wonderful that God
rejoices over us. No matter what happens, or what we do (or don’t do), God
loves us and in fact, praises our life and work!
Sometimes we think it is only by Doing something big and
important that we can Earn God’s favor and make a difference. That is not true.
It is a lie produced by our world, which we too often believe. The only way we
can really live as we were meant to be is to Be Held [by God]. In the Casting
Crowns song Just be Held we are reminded that God is present in every moment and that we don’t have to ‘hold
it all together’. Instead we can ‘just be held’.
Jesus points to the birds and
flowers saying “Look at the birds of the
air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly
Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? …See how the
flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin...” (Matthew 6:26-28)
Think
about some ways you can BE-yourself and in Be-ing you: Be-come a witness to
others:
Be
Present
Be Strong
Be Filled
Be Changed
Be Open
Be-Come
Be Whole
Be New
Be Holy
Be Broken
You
can probably think of other ways to BE as you live your life in Christ and as
witness to the power of God. Remember you can BE-Loved and you are Beloved!
God
says “I AM who I AM”. God tells us to Just
BE who I created because that is enough.
For the next several weeks, we'll continue to look at ways we are Blessed!
