"The Way Forward"- Blessed are the merciful...

Last week was full! We had a special treat on Sisterhood Thursday and a fun time with all our campuses at Sisterhood United on Friday night (click here for Pastor Janis' audio of that night)- free mugs for everyone in attendance!

On Thursday Pastor Brynlee spoke on mercy. If you have ever had the opportunity to talk to her, spend time with her for more than a few minutes you know her love for Jesus and her passion for his people runs deep. She's a treasure. Just to hear her talk about God's mercy is encouraging. If you were unable to listen in on Thursday morning, click here to hear the entire message. I walked in doubting the goodness of God, but left a little more sure that his goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life. Maybe you're like me and you doubt or maybe you're not and you don't. Regardless, Jesus passes us each other to encourage, to stand, to celebrate. I'm grateful he passed me Brynlee. My favorite thing she said that morning was, "God is the only one righteous to judge, but he sits on the mercy seat." Think on that.

A portrait of Jesus at the Last Supper from
The Jesus Storybook Bible written by Sally
Lloyd-Jones and illustrated by Jago. 

I've been doing a lot of reading this week- reading, meditating, sharing my thoughts with friends, praying, lather/rinse/repeat. One of the things I read (three days in a row) was Luke 24. This recounts Jesus' resurrection, appearance to Mary, walk on the road to Emmaus, appearance to the rest of the disciples, final instructions to believers, and ascension. So, a lot happens here, but I want to focus on the time Jesus spent with two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus.

I've always loved this story, in fact several years ago I painted verse 32, "'Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?,'"and look at it every day. But something new, something I never noticed before was Jesus' care and concern for his friends. The Living Bible says in verse 28 that "Jesus would have gone on." He would have done other things, appeared to more people, ate some dinner- who knows?!- but he wouldn't have stayed except that his friends insisted. I imagine it's because he loved them so much that he stayed. I imagine it's because of his merciful nature that even though he spent time rebuking them on their walk for not believing all the prophets had written about the Messiah in the Scriptures, he stayed. And then something amazing, something really beautiful happened. Jesus blessed the food. He took the bread and broke it. And as he passed it to his friends they immediately recognized him (they hadn't before, read the whole story starting in verse 13 for context). He did an ordinary thing, something he had always done. Is that why they remembered?  Did they remember the Last Supper and all the countless meals they had shared together? Did they remember that day with the loaves and the fish when Jesus broke the bread and offered them to take part in the miracle with him? Jesus took something as ordinary as breaking bread and made it sacred. That can't be overstated. Sacred, beautiful, inspired moments take place around tables, in homes. You are the church wherever you go. You have agency to make disciples wherever you go. Jesus expects it. I love the challenge Luke 6:36 offers, "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."Ask Him to shape your character today, to make you more like him. Ask Him to show you what he's up to in you and the world at large today. Take part in the great treasure hunt. Call the treasure out of each other and pursue mercy so you will be shown mercy.

***For further reading on mercy read the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15. I love the image of the father running to his son while the boy is still a long way off. He can't wait to scoop him up and embrace him and forgive him and care for him. He can't wait to show him mercy. Be like the Father.

***And, for your listening enjoyment this Amanda Cook song "Mercy" which is another one of my favorites right now.

Share your thoughts and reactions here or with some friends in real life. Engage your faith this week. Engage your Father this week. You'll be surprised with what he has for you.

I love you, girls!

P.S. A few things regarding the Sisterhood blog:
Last year I piloted the blog. I tried a format which was largely summary of messages and a short reflection following. I thought I might go back to that format after my last post, but I probably won't do much outlining this go around. If you'd like to listen to the messages again and fill in the missing pieces in your notes, please use the link provided for the podcast in each post. Going forward I would like the blog to be a place where you and I engage our faith, ask hard questions, pray for one another, seek our Father. I would like it to be an avenue of community. Honestly, I enjoy these things infinitely more than summarizing.