Easter-ing Faith ~ Re-Formed Again...and Again...And Again

 

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.  Matthew 28:19-20

This week, we have celebrated our human-size-ness.  That we don’t have it all figured out.  That life cannot be solved like a math equation.  And yet, Jesus still calls us as partners.  Jesus still invites us, with our faith and doubts, to the mountain and empowers us to go out to be embodiments of God’s love. Gulp!  Not so sure I am up for this. 

Yet, I trust this is not an individual project, but a group one.  I don’t go alone but with God ~ Christ before me (remember on Monday we spent time practicing that Jesus is already there before you show up) and the Spirit surrounding us.  We go together, just as the eleven did centuries ago. 

To be clear, you don’t “make” disciples the way I once molded a bowl in art class.  To “make” implies that I have control of someone else.  A better translation here is, “Go forth, discipling.”  Go forth showing and sharing how God’s love makes a difference and makes you different.  Go forth embodying or living God’s love as present in your life.  This is at the heart of an Easter-ing faith to show up and share God’s presence.  We let God have the first, middle, and last word, rather than our own good intentions and agendas.  We disciple (yes, it is a verb) not by fixing or saving or advising someone else ~ after all you really cannot control another person.  We disciple by prayerfully being/living the way of Jesus.  It is a day-to-day; hour-to-hour; minute-by-minute intentional decision.  That the words I speak/share; the ways I walk into the room; the actions I take would be inspired/infused by God.  Or to return to the definition of Spiritual Formation from Tuesday, we are “being formed” ~ that God is not finished with us.  We are both teacher/student.  We are both helper/needing help.  We are both light/in need of light.  When we live the both/and parts we start to get a sense of the already/not yet.  We live in the light of Easter, but realize God’s realm isn’t fully here yet.  Good Friday defeated evil, but didn’t put it out of business.  We continue to listen and show up and be formed and reformed and reformed again by a grace that will never let us go.  When we seek this prayer posture, we begin to sense/live/embody an Easter-ing faith.  Amen.