Mark Your Life in Faith


 

It is hard to believe that I have walked through another season of beautiful blooms on the neighborhood Magnolia trees. In spite of the heat, these grand flowers literally glow in their whiteness. The scent easily spreads the length of the block on the evening breeze. These are stately trees that are, to me, one of the primary markers that Summer has come.
We mark our lives in many ways. Many of these ways are happy: Birthdays. Graduations. Baptisms and Confirmations. Proms and driver’s licenses. There are other markers that are sad to us, yet they delineate time as we look back. Before the diagnosis. While our parents were still alive. When our family was together.
In some of the older stories of the Bible, people would pile up rocks to mark important places and important times. They did so in hopes that their children and grandchildren would ask about the strange sight. This would provide the opportunity to retell the stories in order that those who were coming after might learn the importance of marking their lives as well.
The disciples of Jesus in the Bible, and the disciples of Jesus today, are joined in fellowship by the way they mark life. The bread and cup. Lent and Advent. Sunday gatherings. Prayer and service. Scripture and devotion. If we mark our lives in such ways, we will be asked about it as well. Then we get to tell our stories to those who follow us. Who knows? They may choose to mark their lives in faith as well.
Peace.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

God is at Work

Image
In the early morning I was struck with this image. It seems to have it all. Green leaves. Red leaves. Clouds. Blue sky. The cross high and lifted up to the sky. It seemed to me that there was the stuff of several good photos in this one place and at one time. So I took the picture. Life is like that more often than not, isn't it? Good and bad. Happy and sad. Calm and chaos. Peace and turmoil. The season of Advent and the celebration of Christmas acknowledges this reality. The people of old resigned to their fate, yet hoping in the future. John the Baptist bringing the good news that the time had come, yet thundering away at one and all. Mary afraid, yet faithful. A baby is born that changes everything, yet the world remains still weary and violent. But, in the midst of all this, in the midst of the whiplash of everyday life, God is at work. God is present. God is calling. In all of it. In every bit of it. Through it all, God is with us. During these holidays, when joy can be mixed
Read more

Quiet Surprises

Image
This little friend decided to pause and stare at me as long as I was willing to pause and stare at him. It was a beautiful moment of silence and calm and peace. I'm not sure how long we enjoyed each other's presence, but it seemed like quite a good while. I sensed no fear at all in this deer. Of course, I was on his turf and was armed with only my phone. I was driving when I spotted him, so I pulled over and parked. I thought he would rush back into the woods before I could take a photograph. What a pleasant surprise it was. Sometimes surprises burst into our life loud and big, like a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday" at a surprise party or in a humming crowd at some huge event. But at other times, surprises slip into our consciousness, subtle and understated. A deer at the edge of the woods. A card with words of love when you need it most. The smile of a friend long missed. A feeling of peace when life is anything but peaceful. In fact, it may be that those quiet
Read more

Live Out Loud

Image
This is one big Woodpecker! I was visiting some friends who live in the mountains and saw this bird right outside the window as I sat in my chair and read. It is a Pileated Woodpecker, a bird that grows to be up to 19 inches long with a wing span of 30 inches, weighing 14 pounds. I still feel the same excitement when I see one today as I did as a boy. They are spectacular creatures. I'm sure that one reason I like them so much is that they remind me of Woody Woodpecker, a favorite cartoon of my boyhood. But another reason they catch my eye is they seem so strong and self-assured. They carry themselves with a sense of confidence. When they go to work on a tree, they are loud and proud. When they swoop in and out through the woods, they own the airspace. These beautiful birds live out loud. I have a feeling that when we live out loud, we might exude that same kind of confidence. When we know who we are, and more importantly, who we want to be, it shows. Not in bravado or arrogance, b
Read more