Monday, May 9, 2016

WMTRBW 39: Whatever the Hardship, Keep Rising Up!

This morning, Nancy Lively sent me an email that made me realize something I've never thought about before: the word "Pentecost"--the day we will celebrate this coming Sunday, the day the Holy Spirit is poured out on all people and the Church is born--has the word "cost" in it. Yesterday, we talked a great deal about the cost of following Jesus--the hardships we will inevitably face if we walk in The Way of Jesus. So, as we move toward Pentecost this week, it seemed right to read this prayer/poem that Nancy sent this morning, by Maren Tirabassi (https://giftsinopenhands.wordpress.com):

God, I understand part about fifty days,
but it’s the “cost”
hidden in the holiday
that worries me on Pentecost.

It costs my anonymity as a Christian,
all my pet preconceptions
of who belongs,
the loan of my mouth,
my reputation for sobriety,
towels for the baptisms of strangers.

And for all of these,
I come away with something
oddly sweet –
bright feathers and shook foil.


This seemed a good prayer/poem to hold in hand and heart and mind this week as we read the We Make the Road chapter on hardships this week, and as we continue reflecting on these very challenging questions, slightly adapted from the ones with which we finished worship yesterday:

What has following Jesus cost you in the past?

What is following Jesus costing you in the present?

What cost are you willing to pay to follow Jesus in the future?


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