No Time Like the Present to Start Over
First, let me say Happy Easter. Well, after all, Easter is not a day, but a season. You can make the case that Easter is not just a season, but a way of life. However, I think I can safely say that yesterday was an Easter like none other for so many of us, including, unfortunately, those in our area and region, who on top of dealing with COVID-19, had a deadly tornado rip through their lives.
How unsettling isn't it to think that death and destruction coming on the very day that life triumphed over death and the resurrection of our Lord. Yet this is precisely where we find ourselves, proclaiming hope and a future amidst of so much terror and distress in the world. The question we must ask ourselves, I believe, is not only about dealing with the here and now, but also looking ahead to what comes next when this current crisis passes.
We find some help with this matter in some of Paul's words as recorded in his letter to the Colossians. Let us hear from Colossians 3:5-11, which are as follows:
Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly, fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. On account of these, the wrath of God is coming to those who were disobedient. These are the ways you also once followed when you were living that life. But now you must get rid of all such things, anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another. Seeing that you are stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the creator. In that renewal, there is no longer Jew nor Greek. There is no circumcised and uncircumcised. There is no barbarian, Scythian, slave and free, but Christ is all and in all.
A few things to think about as we hear those words. You notice the word therefore in verse 5, implying that since there has been a change, there are things that must be set aside if we are to be people of faith moving forward. This begs the question for hearer and reader both, what is it in my life that must be set aside so that I can move forward as Christ disciple?
Another thing to note is the call to acknowledge those things in which we engage that are not part of the calling of a disciple. As part of moving forward as people of faith, Easter people, if you will, we must be humble and self-aware enough to set these things aside so that we make room for Christ's work to be done in and through us. The last verse of this passage, Paul uses the word renewal and times such as ours and well, all times, part of the hope to which we claim, involves us embracing the opportunity we have through Christ to not just patch up those things in our life that are not of Christ but to be totally renewed with a blank slate.
May part of our Easter hope, be the hope for renewal. Over the past week or so, and even more intentionally starting today, understanding that our present situation is not likely to come to an end anytime soon, I've started thinking about how to come out of this when the time comes. As well, I've been thinking about what life might look like moving forward. One thing we have seen through all of this is what is truly essential in all aspects of our lives, whether it is as individuals or as a church or community or a world. Let us take advantage of this golden opportunity to cast aside those things we know we should not, or need not, be doing. Let us focus like a laser on only the most essential things to being those who love the Lord, our God, with everything we have and our neighbors as ourselves.
Let us pray. Lord, all that we have and all that we are is yours and to be used for your glory. Lord, help us to follow you, help us to accept renewal that comes from being your disciple. Help us to set aside those things that are not of you, so that we may be transformed by you. Lord, this is our prayer. In the name of Jesus. Amen.