Carried to Glory

The Journey to Jerusalem Reflection

I remember as a little girl riding home in a car after being out of town late at night. Inevitably, I would fall asleep. When my dad would pull into the driveway, I would wake up just enough to remember my dad picking me up and carrying me inside. Grace. I had gone as far as I could but my dad would make up the difference. 

Friends, when we started this journey to Jerusalem, we had no idea what the road would look like. Who would have guessed that we would be told to stay at home? Who would have guessed that we would be recording services and connecting on conference calls and daily listening to news of a spreading virus? Who would have thought we would be sitting in our houses watching an Easter sunrise service on a computer, phone, or TV? (And sunrise at 8:30 and 11:00 am!) 

I know that I have been leaning in to Jesus during this time. In fact, a better description is I have done a trust fall into Jesus' arms and He is now carrying me. And it is funny, I think he is carrying me right to the place I wanted to go all along...the glory of his presence. That was never in Jerusalem. It was right where I was. 

We went as far as we could. We read our Bibles. We did our "one things". We wrote our Statements of Hope and took on some challenges. And we made it most of the way. Then Jesus did what He always does. He took our offering, our efforts, our miles, our attempts, and he met us right were we are. He made up the difference. That cross He died on? That stone He rolled away? That death He conquered? It was for you and for me. It was for all the miles we could never travel. It was for all the goodness that we wanted to be and fell short. We could never reach the holiness of God. So God? He reached down for us. 

We're done counting miles, dear friends. Join me in letting our Father God carry us. Let's receive the grace of God -- who takes what I have, adds his mercy, strength, goodness, and glory and makes it enough.

Have you received Jesus? Have you given him what you have and let him add his glory and goodness? Have you found glory in his presence? Is Jesus big enough to meet you on your journey? 

Join us online this Sunday as we finish looking for glory in the gospel of John. The title is "But I Thought..." Then April 26 we begin  a new series "Spirit Steps: 8 Weeks in Acts". Look below on how to prepare and participate in this study of the Holy Spirit guiding our steps. Our journey continues...one step at a time. 

Pastor Joanna