What Else Will Change?
April 24, 2014
Read
Jesus himself appeared and stood among the eleven and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence. (Luke 24:36b-43)
Reflect:
Why do doubts arise in our hearts? Because you were dead, that’s why! Not only merely dead, but really, most sincerely dead. May I say it again? Dead. Not resting. Not stunned. You had passed on, ceased to be, expired. You were bereft of life, you had kicked the bucket, you had shuffled off this mortal coil. You were dead and buried, and we were never going to see you again. That’s what death means, you know. It means separation. It means all last chances are gone. It means there’s no chance for anything to be any different between us.
And now here you are, and it’s not a delusion, and you’re not a ghost, and you’re eating a friggin’ fish. So forgive me if I’m a little wigged out here, but that’s not how life is supposed to go. It’s supposed to go in a certain direction. It’s supposed to allow for no revisions. What’s past is past, what’s done is done, what’s gone is gone, what’s dead is dead.
I’ve got to tell you, Jesus, you have broken those rules so badly I don’t even know where to put them anymore. I don’t think there’s any charity that would take them, you’ve messed them up so badly. And now that those rules about the past and the future, death and life, you and me, are in the rubbish, I’ve got to ask you, what else are you going to change?
Respond:
What is a situation or relationship in your life that you believe is never going to change? Sit and imagine the situation as it is right now, and then imagine the risen Jesus appearing there. How do you feel when that happens? What does he say? What does he show you? What does he ask you to do?
-Laura Darling
Paul Kelley
That is a good question which I will have
to ponder.
Tom Pugh
This was a very powerful message, thank you very much.
Glenis Elliott
I agree with Paul. We discussed this reading at our Bible Study group yesterday and the discussion was lively and now I will continue to ponder and “hopefully” have a good response later today.
Ruth Bratton
Wow. 🙂
I’ll be thinking about this all day.
aleathia (dolores)nicholson
I love your use of “the King’s English” as I interpret it and frequently employ it to the amusement of some, the annoyance and disapproval of others, and the approval and understanding of the like minded who are often few and far between. Guess which group I align with quite naturally. I have always found it alternately amusing and puzzling about peoples’ fear of using the word DEAD as if it’s a “bad” word. The terms “expired”, “passed away”, “left us” “gone to be with…” just don’t cut it ! Thank you for hammering away the actual word since being repetitive might help the uncommitted understand that “dead as a doornail” is an accurate description of what DEAD really is.
George E. Hilty
Yesterday, in pondering the Gospel from John 20 for next Sunday, we grappled with the reality–so well expressed here–that Jesus, here you are thru locked doors, BUT you are dead. Luke and John have slightly different perspectives, but the broiled fish here resembles the fish He ate in John 21. What we thought we knew doesn’t hold true–we can’t lock you out, but we see the marks of the nails and you eat right before our eyes.
Anne
Spot on! Great question. I’m sensing the beginning of movement in my life, and thanks to this I’m going to seek advice from the risen Lord, even though he is famously hard to recognize right about now.
Maria Kane
This is beautiful, Laura! Just what I needed to read today.
Bob
A really helpful reflection today. Thanks.