Into Something

The beautiful about redemption, is that it can turn something that appears to be nothing, into something.  Our darkest parts, when met with redemption, can be used for good.  My deepest darkest hurts, can be used to bring others with similar pain into the light.

Jesus is the cause of redemption, perfection housed in a human body.  He took our sadness to the grave, and rose victorious on the other side.  It helps me to rest from my own work, knowing that someone has already done the work for me.  Then my life becomes about incorporating his work into me, his freedom to take the place of my bondage.  He went before us, to heal us of our hurts, to turn death on it's head.  And now death no longer has mastery, it must bow before him who conquered it.  What a gift!  To have someone innocent suffer on behalf of all humans, that our death might be buried with him, that we may share in his resurrection on the other side.  And a gift freely given, not under compulsion but out of love, to rejoin his creation back into unity with him.  He sought us, travelled to where we were, ate with us, and died for us.  To realize this, to believe it, is to have our burdens loosen their load on us, to have the demons breathing down our neck to be put back in their place.  It is to believe that love works, that it is real, that it transcends the now and lasts until eternity.  Jesus went before us that we might be with him, that we may enjoy his fellowship.

Believing this changes everything.  All of the sudden, it's not about who's right or wrong, not about who has the right beliefs, not about our differences, all that matters is shedding light where there is darkness.  In this new world, love is shown to all, we mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice.  We are connected, each person longing for the other to be free, knowing that someone went to the grave in order for us to live.

In this new world body, mind, heart, gut and soul are all united.  We lose our strange mistrust of ourselves, our fear of each other.  We don't live only in the head, dutifully trying to analyze all that is and fitting all into categories.  Our head sinks down into our heart, and both together illuminate the soul.  This is heaven, the living in love, pure love, that we are all meant for, which was our original destiny.  In light of a love so great, I less want to convince someone of beliefs, more want to relieve their pain.  It helps me to see and be grateful for those who have blessed me, who have sought to release me from my own burdens, those who have selflessly encouraged me to enjoy life.

In this love, I'm encouraged to let down my masks, to be authentic, to sing, to dance.  Celebration comes to life, and my worries and all that I thought was important, gets swallowed up in celebration.  Lord God, give me the grace to live in such a way.