Today I was reminded again that we, the followers of Jesus, are neither optimists or pessimists but rather Jesus Christ is risen. Our condition our identity our well-being is not defined by how we feel about ourselves or by self-awareness but rather by our relationship with Jesus, who by grace through faith saved us. Nothing we could possibly do could earn that grace it comes as a gift – and so we get to live a gifted life as we acknowledge and live out our faith in His faithfulness. So often we let our opinions of ourselves define us – we let others opinions of us define us. However our nature as sons and daughters of the Lord of Hosts needs to be held in high regard. Jesus paid an incredible price to lock in our identity. When the Father sees us he doesn’t see us as we are but rather he sees his Son, his righteousness, his holiness and his faithfulness.
The times in which we live and the circumstances we face can seem like a train ride where you are going in and out of tunnels, and from where you sit on the train you just can’t see when the tunnel is going to end. All you can do is with patiently to come out into the light. Does our condition, our status, or our identity change just because we have gone into yet another tunnel. Not at all! Jesus Christ has risen and that changes everything for those who believe and live out that belief.
The world needs the same bright hope that defines you. That gives you hope. That renews your strength. The solution to the darkness is the Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus brought near. You are part of the solution as a bearer of the Kingdom.
Throughout this strange year we have at times been courageous, compliant, complacent, confused, conspiracy theorists, compassionate and concerned. This year has brought out of us the best and the worst and everything in-between. It seems we can find ourselves living daily with frustration and fear. Yet during the height of our struggles with COVID, which might come again, I saw amongst us a heightened awareness for the well-being of those around us and a level of compassion for our neighbour that could only have flowed from the presence of the Holy Spirit within. The less we relied on someone else to love and care for our neighbour the more we engaged in the application of love through care and compassion. My observation has been that as we moved out of crisis ( the tunnel) into the light the less we engage in the application of love. The more we moved into the light the more we act as ‘victims’ looking for a rescuer to come and meet our needs instead of looking to meet the needs of others – be the light for others.
Jesus journey through life was filled with moments and seasons like ours – but he lived with a purpose ‘ to institute a covenant of love’ that would guide the image bearers of God to live out that same covenant. Jesus is evidence that we too can live continually with the condition of others in mind in deference to our own condition. Jesus was never a victim, never powerless, always looking to the Father for vision. We are called to imitate Him.