Maybe it's the Hope

The day is dark and I feel emotion, but in a good way and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's that I feel like something good is about to happen. I anticipate something beautiful as soon as the clouds part...(and even as I type the sun is peeking through.) You know the feeling. As a child perhaps right before your birthday, Christmas, and even for a bride the eve before her wedding day has a sense of eager expectation. That sensation you get in your tummy is incomparable. That's how I feel.

Last Sunday, a fill-in pastor preached at Parkview. Taken from Ephesians 1:15-23, his message pointed to power that was placed into Jesus' hands and what that means for those who are in Christ.

18 We have hope and Paul prayed that our eyes and our hearts would be enlightened that we would be able to better understand and see the hope to which he has called us and what we have as inheritance in the Saints. It's incredible really...

 19...because that Power, is the same power the Lord exerted when he raised Christ from the dead! 

20 Then he seated Christ at His right hand, far above ALL rule, authority and dominion and EVERY TITLE that can be given now and later,...

Christ-who calls me friend is above all that. He has ruler ship over all that. 

22 Then God placed all things literally under his FEET, appointed him to be head over everything for the church...

23 ...which is us, His body, the fullness of him who FILLS everything in EVERY WAY. 

I'm in awe right now.

How does this not stir me every day? 

Every time I question my 

worth,

my calling, 

or my purpose. 

Honestly, this is why I can't keep from singing his praise.

The fact alone that he CONQUERED the GRAVE...for me.

I'm swept up in a holy romance, folks, and so are you. You are somewhere in here, whether you're being held, fought for, or desperately pursued, you are a part of a Holy romance and the one pursuing you is undignified as ever. He's hardcore and he's done and is doing POWERFUL THINGS to win your heart.

I hate that I'm too blind to see it. I love that Paul prayed for our eyes to be opened. (Eph.17-18). He could sense what we were missing.

Sometimes I wonder about us. 

You know how when people lose their eye sight, it's said that their hearing is increased? I feel like the opposite happens the further the human brain develops. We lose the ability to feel, think, see and hear with our hearts.

That's why I love kids. Kids tell it like it is. They don't care about very many things. They care about their basic needs and they find joy in the fact that the sky is blue and the sand feels funny in their toes--the kids I know do anyway.

There are two brothers that attend my home church both mentally at the age of about 5 or 6. They are two of the coolest people I know. Almost every week they ask for prayer in the middle of the service and once, they even toasted their communion cups to my dad: "To You Pastor!" (You can imagine the horror, but after it being carefully and gently explained, they got it.)

Last Sunday, I wondered if they could follow the Pastor's exegetical sermon. The older, sat quietly through most of it and I was fairly sure he was bored out of his mind. But when the Pastor got to the part about the power of God, briefly commenting (with little enthusiasm) on the stars, my friend couldn't help himself from blurting out "THANK YOU GOD!!" 

He gets it. He sees it.

Hope--He has it. Unashamed love- he lives it. This man inspires me. I want to emulate his excitement for who my awesome God is in a way that is unashamed and  undignified. Why am I not constantly saying "Oh my GOD in heaven!!! Have you seen the stars?! What on EARTH! I can't believe you MADE that?!" Or first thing in the morning squealing with DELIGHT when I see that the sky is the most beautiful clear blue...

God, open my EYES. Enlighten me so i don't miss out on all the BEAUTY.

For the HOPE to which you have called me,

Thank you for reminding me...again. 

Of a child-like faith, of my honest praise, and of my unashamed love--Ten Shekel Shirt

Copyright: Autumn R. Anderson (2011)