"as we consider God's re-Orientation of Christianity, bear in mind that is a movement, not statement. It is more about exploring than about ensconcing. Jesus asked his closest followers: "Who do you say I am?" Each of us, if we are to follow him today, must answer the same question. And as we seek the answer, we find that it is less a question than a quest. The yoking of relationship and quest is deliberate...Part of the uniqueness of humanity, beings created in the image of God, is our instinct to seek and enjoy the pleasures of seeking. It is born in us to dare, to desire, and to delight in the Quest. Questing-made-possible is who we are. Some say it's our solo advantage as a species. But the Quest is not a set of questions. The Quest is the mystery of getting lost in the GodLife relationship." (p. 10)
i guess yesterday afternoon i started to think about this whole idea of questing (or journeying). i suppose it began as i listened to pastor preach a message about the Son of Sons. i thought so much to myself about how much mystery is packed into the man called Jesus as the pastor spoke of the Wonderful, Counselor, Almighty God, Prince of Peace. i thought to myself, how am i currently experiencing the man Jesus.
i think the best way i can see Jesus right now is my friend. this is a two-edged sword. it contains incredible implications, but it also increases the level of risk. recently, i have been finding that in my friendships i am constantly overwhelmed with uncertainty. i think i attempt to predict both people's friendships and even Jesus' with my "relational prowess;" but what i am finding is mystery interwoven in every relationship. i just don't ever know what to expect. i am totally overwhelmed and blown away simultaneously by both the error of my process and the exceeding of my expectations.
at first i was very disturbed by my unsettledness and then i realized that Jesus was saying something different. he said, "jason, this mystery is not a bad thing, it's the beauty of relationship. it never ceases. it is endless. it is always a pursuit. it is always a new revealing. it is heart disclosure. et cetera." when i hear Jesus speak like that i immediately began to think about emmaus (see luke 24.13-35) and that they were with Jesus on this journey and didn't even know it was him because he didn't disclose it. he wanted them to recognize them and to know how it "feels" to be with him, by their sensing and discernment.
i just want to be able to discern better on this journey. i want to know when my friend Jesus is doing something or not participating. i want the mystery. i want the revelation. i want Jesus. i want the heart of the "emmaus-ites" when "they urged him strongly saying - Stay with us...did our hearts not burn within us while he talked to us on the road..." i am pleading for Jesus to stay with me and to burn in my heart. hope you might do the same.
embracing the friendship, the journey, the mystery.
- peaks out
1 comment:
Great post--right back to you. Love the journey theme...Amazing just how many times Jesus took his buddies for a hike, then when they were a bit winded, sat them down and began to teach. The hills are part of the pedagogy.
Crucial thing to remember about the Emmaus pericope is that the revelation occurred when the disciples entered in to the sacramental...the ordinary became revelatory; the simple became profound because of His revealed presence.
Do we remember to live sacramentally on our journey?
Keep up the good thoughts meine freunde.
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