Connections…

The sign carved into to marble street entering Ephesus. It is the sign that let visitors know there were Believers in this town during the early church years. It began as the Ichthus (the fish) but was added to as that symbol became known by those who were persecuting Christians.

The “rose window” designed into a church in Rhodes, Greece

CarpetWheel — The design of a carpet made for Holy Week in Guatemala, 2017

HS window — Notice the window in the center above the doors of this 1868 design of Franklin First United Methodist Church (Historic Sanctuary) in Franklin, Tennessee. Curious? Go visit the Main Campus of this same church (120 Aldersgate Way) and look for the design.

What connects us, I believe, is largely lost on us. I am self consumed. Every generation has the latest answer to the world’s questions. I confess to be much too quick to add my answers too. But in the context of what I’m seeing, and have been seeing over the past several years is that God is reaching out to reveal more and more of the Holy to us. We use the words “kingdom of God” to describe the world as God created it to be. And in that sense…what I see is that the “kingdom of God” is advancing. Quickly. In beautiful ways. In ways that shake us to our core. In ways that occasionally feel like the road is being wiped out in front of us. This “revealing” challenges our foundations and traditions and hopes. I am all for the “holy” being revealed until it means I have to do something different! Like step out of my comfort zone and into the place where I have few answers and have to become like a child again. Seeking divine help so not to harm as I walk along the way.

When Jesus walked on earth his path shook the foundations of many. And it welcomed those who had long been determined to be excluded from the “holy” for one reason or another. It all seemed to make sense…until it didn’t. When I saw the design in the marble street in Ephesus my heart skipped a few beats. And since then, I’ve been looking and watching for all the things I have not seen before, although they have been here all along. God is mystery. God is concrete. God is justice. God is mercy. God is love.

The resurrection of Jesus reminds me that God is so much more than I will ever conceive God to be. And when I need to see what the Holy might be like, I have been given Christ to show me the way. And I trust Jesus.