Through the cracks
Through the cracks
For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.
Something to think about
Having confessed my clumsiness yesterday, let me continue the theme today by inviting you to picture a scene with which my congregation were confronted last year. It was Maundy Thursday, we had enjoyed a simple meal together, washed one another’s feet, and were now ready to share bread and wine as Jesus and his disciples did.
I stood with a large jug of wine, recounting the words that Christ had spoken, and in a solemn moment of quiet I began to pour it, not into the cup as intended, but all over the pristine white table cloths so carefully laid by volunteers that afternoon. The hush deepened. I floundered. Then a wonderful church warden spoke into the silence: ‘Well, Jesus blood was spilled for us.’
All of us who are Christian ministers – and that is, everyone who seeks to share Christ’s love through word and action in their everyday lives – do so out of our weakness and imperfections. We do so with inelegance and error; we do so with faltering and frailty. Yet that is exactly how God’s light shines most brightly through us. It’s clear that we ourselves are not the hope of the world; Jesus is!
Something to do
Light a lantern in which light can shine through holes, to remind you of God’s light shining through our weakness. If you don’t have anything that fits the bill, you could make a simple paper lantern with these instructions on Youtube.