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| Our stories are important. The good ones, bad ones, joyful ones and those drenched in pain. They are all important. One of my favorite stories in the entire Bible (which is a very sizable collection of books and stories!) is from Luke and will be read this weekend at digital churches in many places. It’s about two disciples walking toward a place called Emmaus. They are walking in “Saturday mode.” Saturday mode = sometime between Good Friday and the realization that the Resurrection has actually occurred. They are right there. Been there at all? There now? Anyways, they are sad, confused and have a certain lostness about their current situation. Wandering. And Jesus walks up next to them (this is the super-alive-no-longer-dead Jesus, no longer on the cross, having sprung from the tomb…that Jesus). “What’s up boys?” he asks. They respond – “Have you not heard what has happened?” (“Have you been hiding under a rock?” – church joke – see what I did there?) Then they proceed to tell their story and Jesus listens. He walks along side them and listens. After hearing where they are at, he shares his story (God’s story really). And they listen. They don’t fully comprehend, but they listen. And in the listening to one another’s stories, healing seems to begin. They end up building enough relationship with this guy on the road (Jesus, whom they never do recognize while walking together) that they invite him over for a meal before he continues on. Community is built. Meal shared. Healing continues. I think a lot of us are walking a similar road today. Not 100% sure where this road leads. Maybe right next to one another, maybe socially distanced, maybe alone together. I wonder what other stories are out there on the road? What stories, if I listen for them, can bring me healing, hope and direction? What stories of mine, if shared on that intimate walk, could bring healing to others. We can’t be right next to one another right now, but that doesn’t change the stories we have to share. Masks can’t block the power of our stories from bringing hope and healing to others. Distance can be bridged through phone, letter, email, text and more so that stories can still connect us. And as we share them, listen to the other story that is walking down the road with us. The story from God. Of a salvation-history long passion for us. A desire for a future filled with hope for us. With an invitation for us to return even in our worst moments. Of a “super-alive-no-longer-dead Jesus, no longer on the cross, having sprung from the tomb” Jesus. For us. There are stories to be heard. There are stories to share. And there is one story that wraps through them all. THAT story is right with you on the road. Lord, thanks for hearing our story. Help me listen to yours Amen Still in One Peace, PS |
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