Saturday, February 27, 2016

Journey to Jerusalem: Reset our Priorities

The Journey to Jerusalem is seeking after God. Each step one closer to seeing the fullness of God revealed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Some have called it "scandalous" -- God's true self revealed in suffering, death, and resurrection. Certainly it defies our expectations.

Isaiah 55:6-9
Seek the LORD while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake their way,
and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Lord,
we had NO IDEA.
How could we?
We dream of
height and strength,
power and majesty,
honor and fame,
glory and victory.

And you are all that and more...
But your thoughts are not our thoughts,
nor are you ways, our ways.
Your idea of  height and strength
is a cross on Calvary.
Your idea of power and majesty
is suffering and compassion.
Your idea of honor and fame
is death and resurrection.
Your idea of glory and victory
is fullness of life now and forever.

We had NO IDEA.
How could we possibly understand?
And honestly,
it still baffles us.

We still seek for ourselves
power and majesty,
strength and height,
fame and honor,
victory and glory.
And instead, you give us
grace and forgiveness,
compassion and serving,
humility and contentment,
peace and well-being,
healing and reconciliation.
Indeed,
your ways are not our ways,
nor are our thoughts, your thoughts.

On the journey to Jerusalem,
reset our priorities
putting the Cross of Christ on our shoulders
and Easter's Empty Tomb before us.
Through the Lord who is Risen indeed!
Amen.

________________
At Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church, we are committing to journey the 6,150 miles from Elizabethtown, NC to Jerusalem, Israel in our walking, running, swimming, cycling, etc.

Track your miles, share them here, and join us on the Journey to Jerusalem.

We will post those miles online and on our banners in the sanctuary and in our fellowship building.  Together we will make our journey to Jerusalem!


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