Resilient

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

Like the oyster pearl

produced by irritation

yet emerging as a thing of great beauty

so there is opportunity

to use all the discomfort

of being put down

of being falsely accused

of having integrity questioned

of being disrespected

or overlooked

to build up resilience

and the ability

to know the nearness of God

even in those

who would do us harm

and, in discovering God there

to give thanks

for a new way of seeing

an insight

not afforded

by easy times

but a saving grace

of trial.

To see Jesus

John 12:20-22

Some Greeks Wish to See Jesus

Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

To see Jesus

Among the crowds

At the festival

In the disciples

In places of worship

On our streets

In our places of work 

In the coffee shop

In the garden centre

On the High Street

Downtown

Huddling on a bench

Sleeping in a doorway

Holding out a cup for  loose change

Selling newspapers

Driving the bus

At the school crossing...

To see Jesus

in all whom we meet today.

The least of these

Matthew 25:40

And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’

A cup of cold water

A kindly word

A look of understanding

A brief smile

All conveying a depth of love

Love that doesn't stand on ceremony

Love that doesn't intrude

Love that conveys a shared empathy

but does not overwhelm

Love that acts as a shelter

or a safety net

Love that restores dignity and autonomy

yet waits in the wings

poised and ready to act

in the wobbly moments

Love that gives and receives

valuing shared action

that enables gifts to emerge

and resilience to grow

Love that recognises

that we are the least of these

The family of God united in love.

The kingdom belongs...

Mark 10:14

But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.

The Kingdom belongs to children

To those whose maturity

does not stifle their spontaneity

To those whose experience

has not rendered them cynical

To those whose exuberance

has not been damped down

To those whose optimism

sees beyond the present reality

To those who squander love

as though there was an endless supply

To those whose smile is contagious

making every day much brighter

To those who see the rainbow

at the end of every rain shower

The Kingdom of God belongs to children

Just one thing

Mark 10:21

Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”

Just one thing

Not very far

But not quite there

Yet Jesus loved him

That is the good news

All those times we don't quite cut it

Still we are loved

All those moments we don't quite measure up

Still we are loved

Because Jesus meets us on the road

He doesn't wait until we reach him

He doesn't hang back to see if we can make it

He comes out to meet us

And he greets us with love

Wouldn't that make you want to find that one thing

And spread the love

Just one thing

But still there is love.

Without shame

Genesis 2:25

And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.

When shame crept in

innocence checked out

For shame is insidious

Winding its way around

what is innocent

Choking the life out of

what is pure

Stunting growth

and potential.

Shame steals and changes relationships 

And it is hard to imagine that time

before shame existed.

When humans knew pride

and security.

When the need to compete

was less prevalent

and all were valued

in their diversity.

All with a place

and a purpose.

With esteem not hard won

but gifted

valued

accepted.

Perhaps it would be enough

for redemption

to recapture

that time

before shame.

Recovering the gift of God

for creation.

Naked.

But not ashamed.

Breath of God

Genesis 2:4-7

Another Account of the Creation

In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground; but a stream would rise from the earth, and water the whole face of the ground— then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.

No remoteness

No aloofness

But a living, breathing, life-giving God

Hands on with creation

Forming the dust

Breathing life

Setting free

Gifting autonomy

No puppeteer

Rather, a companion

A co-creator

who shared the privilege of naming

the birds of the air

and the fish in the sea

and the wild creatures

that flew and swam 

and roamed and prowled.

Sharing the power

to shape and define

and determine character.

A God who, even after all this

saw the vacuum

that could only be filled

by human relationship.

A God who realised the potential

of human love

and created the possibility 

of community.

Just another account

of creation.