A Concord Pastor Comments: Monday Morning Offering: 4/22

Good morning, good God!

It's Easter Monday, Lord,
and I'm remembering yesterday's story...

I'm thinking of the women who came to the tomb
expecting to find you dead
but finding that you had already risen
from the dead...

I'm thinking of the apostles
hiding in fear behind locked doors...

I'm thinking of Peter,
finally making his way to the tomb
and walking away in amazement...

I'm thinking of the two disciples
walking with you on the road to Emmaus
and not recognizing you until...

Seems like your closest friends
didn't get it right away, Lord:
even when you were right in their faces
they didn't immediately or completely understand
all that had happened...

It took time for it all to sink in...

It took time
for them to wrap their minds and hearts
around what had just happened...

It took time for them to believe -
and more time for them to act
on what they came to believe...

It takes me time, too, Lord...

All these years,
and the message of Easter
is still sinking in, still making itself known,
still making itself real in my life...

And I still don't understand everything about Easter, Lord:
sometimes it seems I get the dying part
much better than I get the rising part...

I want you in my life
but sometimes I hide from you
because I'm not sure what having you in my life
will cost me...

Although I believe you're always with me
I know there are many times when I miss you,
even when you're right in my face...

So this Easter Monday morning, Lord,
I offer you the ways I hope I'll begin to live Easter
more this year than ever before...

I want to learn to wrap a towel around my heart
as you wrapped a towel around your waist:
I want to have a heart wrapped in your love
and ready to serve others' needs before my own...

Help me to see how my sins added
to the burden on your shoulders
on the cross:
help me know how my sins
made your burden heavier...

And help me learn, Lord,
that you are always just ahead of me,
drawing me out of myself,
out of my darkness into your light,
calling me to be closer to you,
beckoning me to follow where you lead
so that I will find you
even though I know you
are always right by my side...

Help me understand
when I don't understand, Lord;
to "get it" when I'm confused;
to take the time to let the Easter story sink in
into the depths of my mind, my heart, my life...

And because I so often miss you
even when you're right by my side, Lord,
open my eyes and ears and heart
to those in need around me
and help me to find you in them,
to serve you in them...

It's Easter Monday, Lord,
and I'm looking back:
draw me out of my darkness into your light,
to see your risen face,
your beautiful risen face,
shining on my own...

Amen.