Making a splash

To have faith is to trust yourself to the water. When you swim, you don’t grab hold of the water, because if you do you will sink and drown. Instead, you relax and float. –Alan Watts


There’s a powerful image in Scripture: John baptizing his cousin Jesus. At first John balks, but Jesus insists, and as Jesus comes up out of the water, the heavens open; the Spirit, like a dove, descends, and a voice is heard, loud and clear:

This is my son, my beloved. In him I am well-pleased. (Luke 3)

It’s a pretty amazing passage, meant to remind us of our own place in God’s family as beloved children of the Most High. But I recently read a different interpretation of what happened in that moment, and it has set my mind to musing—and set my heart on fire.

We tend to look at Jesus’ baptism the same way we view our own baptism: as an outward sign of God’s holiness within, affirming Jesus (and each of us) as God’s child. But what if that’s not what was happening here, after all?

What if, as Jesus enters the water, the humble presence of God (in human form) enters the River Jordan, as well—and from there, flows out into all of Creation, restoring holiness and purity, healing and wholeness? What if baptism is really about joining the family, not to ensure a seat at the Table, but to actively empower and engage us in the work of preparing for Reign of God?

Salvation is about so much more than “Jesus and me for eternity.” What if baptism is really about Kingdom building? Are you in? What gifts and talents will you bring to the effort?

Monday Winter has arrived. Nature’s vitality has slipped away into the appearance of death. Take a short walk today and notice the beauty that continues. Ezekiel 37:3-6

Tuesday Not everything “goes dark” for the winter. Look around with new eyes. Where do you see freshness and hope in the midst of frozen? Daniel 6:25-27

Wednesday Do you see homeless men or women (or families) in your neighborhood? Winter is especially difficult. How can you help those you see—and those you do not see? Matthew 25:42-43

Thursday Have you heard of the Mountain of Butterflies? January marks the anniversary of the discovery of this amazing monarch migration. Learn more about God’s “snowbirds.” Psalm 103:1-5

Friday Pause today and listen to your heart. Is it trying to tell you something you’ve not wanted to hear? What’s holding you back from moving forward? Joshua 5:13-15

Saturday Continue the pause from yesterday. Ask God how God would best be served in your life. Rest for the journey ahead. 1 Samuel 3:1-10

Sunday Is your heart glad this morning as you come to worship? Take time to reflect on what you brought to the altar—and what you took away. 1 Kings 19:41-45


Keep close to Nature’s heart . . . and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean. –John Muir

 Image result for water splashing

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Stepping back. . . .

Image
Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and with a calm spirit.  Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever,  even if your whole world seems upset.  –St. Francis de Sales This week, I invite you to simply sit in a quiet space with words of hope and promise, and to remember, as Julian of Norwich knew, that all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well . It has been a long, difficult season. Advent and the coming of the Christ is just around the corner. Peace and comfort to your spirit. Monday   “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” Matthew 11:28-30 Tuesday  “Is this not the kind of fast I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” Isaiah 58:6-9 Wednesday  “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the
Read more

It's that time again. . . .

When the seasons shift, even the subtle beginning, the scent of a promised changed, I feel something stir inside me. Hopefulness? Gratitude? Openness?  Whatever it is,  it’s welcome. –Kristin Armstrong No matter what part of the world you call home, this time of year brings big changes. While my friends Down Under are watching sings of new growth emerge from the earth as temperatures rise, here in Ohio, the leaves are turning from green to gold and orange, red and brown. The winds have taken on a chill; clouds hang heavy, like soggy cotton, reminding us that soon and very soon, we are going to see the snow . Always different, yet somehow, the same. We depend on God’s eternal ways, and trust that again this year, winter will follow autumn, just like it should. So why is it, as we anticipate and appreciate changes like these, when it comes to so many things in life we pull up short, wrinkle our noses and say No! No change! I like things just the way they are! It’s t
Read more

Starting again

“This, then, is how you should pray:" --Matthew 6:9a I have been really sensing lately that there is another blog inside me, one focused on prayer.  Oh, I know-- those elephants are all about prayer. Heck, they  are  prayer. And I will continue there, as well. But what I've been feeling is that people-- maybe you--  have always been told, "You should pray," or "Pray about that." But maybe you feel your prayers aren't "good enough," or that it's just too hard, too embarrassing, too [fill in the blank] to pray. Maybe it feels like no one really talks about how  to pray-- except, of course, for Jesus, in Matthew 6 and a couple parallel passages where we are given what's come to be known as The Lord's Prayer. And it is a great prayer. And there are other great prayers, and other ways to pray that do not involve rote. So "my plan" here is to share, hopefully on a weekly or semi-regular basis, a lot of
Read more