Easter Interrupted

This Easter will be difficult for many because of the lack of traditional Easter morning services. Some will feel that it just isn't Easter without the normal routine, but what did Jesus say about worship?

Samaritan Woman: "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”

Jesus: “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

-John 4:20-24

According to the one we worship on Easter Sunday (or any Sunday for that matter) location is irrelevant. We can worship at any place at any time. He also taught us that man-made traditions aren't very important. What is important is who, how, and why we worship. Take time this Easter and throughout our time of distancing to find new ways to appreciate God and what he is doing for us. Worship him in spirit and truth and see if something good doesn't come from all of this.

Be blessed and be safe.

John 6:39-40

"You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life."

Sometimes, as we seek an answer to our questions or a solution to a problem, we enter the search with preconceived ideas about what that answer will look like.  These ideas can originate from a number of sources.  Our education, life experiences, and the opinions of others will often shape what we believe to be true so much that new evidence is overlooked simply because it does not fit how we see the world.  This is what happened to many of the Jews that Jesus came in contact with during his ministry on Earth.

The common belief among the Jewish people was that the Messiah would be a political/military leader to deliver his people through might and strength.  When Jesus showed up preaching love and forgiveness he in no way fit the mold of what was expected; therefore, he could not be Messiah.

To make the situation even more difficult was a common view that it was the holy texts themselves filled with rules and regulations that would lead to eternal life.  When Jesus made it clear that life had more to do with a relationship based on faith than following the rules this turned the theology of many upside down.  He would say in Matthew 5:17, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."   What Jesus was beginning to teach the people at that moment was the idea that the rules were important, but not for the reason that had been taught.  The Law and the Prophets were not meant to provide salvation; they were meant to point to the one who would provide it.  Those who could hear this and allow their thinking to change would be able to see the truth in what Jesus taught, while those who held tightly to their preconceived notions would be unable to hear anything that didn't fit their expectations.

This same thing happens today.  Our view of the world can get in the way of seeing how it truly is.  If a person is taught that a certain group of people is "bad" or "evil" then there will be an invisible wall up when that person first meets someone from that group.  All of the previous ideas will get in the way of any communication.  Likewise, when we believe that science holds all of the answers to reality we will disregard anything that contradicts what we believe that science teaches us.  This is a major stumbling block to faith.  We can scour the universities and libraries searching for the ultimate truth without ever realizing that all the research in the world only points to the truth.  It doesn't contain the truth.  God the Father is the truth, and God, through the Bible, points us to Jesus.

Humanity never really changes.  We, like the Jews of Jesus' time, search our new, modern version of the scriptures looking for truth while the truth is standing right in front of us for all to see.

Wow

So, as I was digging around to re-familiarize myself with Blogger I found comments from people who had somehow found this page. Sadly, I can't figure out how to reply. Until that is resolved I wanted to take a moment to say "thank you". Your kind words mean quite a bit to me and have helped in my resolve to continue this page. God bless you guys.

It Seems I Forgot

With all of the uncertainty in the world right now I have been looking for ways to reach out and help others understand that life is not as bleak as we may think. Social media has been an excellent method to speak into the lives of those that I already have a connection to, but there has been a feeling inside me that there may be a better way. A way to shine a broader light into the darkness.

About five minutes ago I remembered this blog. I set it up years ago, posted a few thoughts, then quit. I can't remember if there was a reason, but I do know that a lot has happened in my life since then. The past six years have been especially hard. Fortunately, hard times can bring enormous growth and I am not the same person I was before. Where I had a strong intellectual knowledge of God and his goodness in the past, I now FEEL God's goodness much more. It is more of an experience for me rather than knowledge.

If I had an apple in my hand, I could explain everything about the apple, what I know of it as well as what I believe about it. But until I bite into the apple and taste it I will never truly experience the apple. Before tasting it everything is just theory.

With this in mind, I will be trying to get back to this page for a time because life is not as bleak as many of us fear it is. I can honestly say that in my own life there have been many good things to come from the response to COVID-19 and its spread, as well as many difficulties. I want to share the hope and joy I have found while never minimizing the concerns of other people. Your concerns are valid. But so is hope.

Be blessed in your walk.