Maundy Thursday.
The purpose of this blog is to keep a record of my journey towards Yahweh, my Creator after determining to go 'all in' as I seek Him. I assume that most of the entries will be the spiritual experiences that impact me, changes that I see in my life, or records of my interaction with the community around me. Since I've never kept a blog, or even a diary, time will reveal its' benefits.
On Maundy Thursday this year, our church had a service that was remarkable in its' impact on those there. It was simple and solemn. There was no sermon. Just four people on stools up on the stage leading us in singing and reading scripture or an interpretation of scripture. But somehow, it transported me to Jesus' last days on this earth. I 'saw' Jesus standing in the midst of the chaos as He was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, questioned by the high priest, mocked and beaten. When I 'saw' Jesus, I was struck by how calm He was. I could sense He knew that this was the beginning of the process that would lead to His death by crucifixion and separation from His Father. And yet, I 'saw' how He accepted, even embraced His suffering as being what was needed to reconstruct mankind into the image of God. Later in the service, I 'saw' Him exhausted and stumbling down the streets carrying the very cross to which He would be nailed. Here again, I 'saw' Him fully accepting this torture as what was needed for mankind's redemption. Finally, as He was taken down from the cross, I could 'feel' His very skin split open from the lashes and beatings. (Since that service, I've been able to at least picture myself accepting the plan God has for me. I can at least 'see' myself in the midst of turmoil, knowing that Yahweh, my Creator, loves the people I'm interacting with, and that He will use whatever happens to fulfill His plan in our lives.)
As I experienced this deeper understanding of what Jesus went through, I could sense myself 'feeling' differently about everyone I would meet. Really seeing people for who they are. Speaking with people with the certainty of knowing the Holy Spirit would provide the words of life they needed to hear. As I'm writing this entry, I'm listening to Chip Ingram and the series "Doing Good". He speaks of a 6'4" man that always came to church in high heels and a bright red dress. Chip states that he always made it a point to greet the man, and tell him he was really glad he was there, and that God loved him. When I heard Chip's story, I had the same 'feeling' I did on Maundy Thursday. It drove home the point that the words Jesus spoke in Luke 4:18 really do sum up why He came and lived among us. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord."
Ever since I've gotten married and had kids, I've avoided 'dangerous' people. And I'm sure my internal judgement of those 'different' people was sensed by them. I might have tolerated their right to be different, but I never 'felt' love towards them. I pray that the Holy Spirit takes me where I am, with the small spark of love towards others, and that a metamorphosis will take place, changing me from a man who cares mainly about his own needs / judgements, into a man who sees people through Jesus' eyes and intervenes as He leads.
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