Our Empty Graves

I once got a card at Easter that wished that there would be "many empty graves" in my life.  Not the usual greeting! But it carries a deep truth.

 As I reflected I realised that again and again throughout my life the Lord's saving love has lifted me out of the graves of sin and shame, of failure and disappointment, the graves of pain and hurt, of loss and bereavement.  I have constantly found renewed hope and courage in the Risen Christ.

With the Lord there is always the possibilities of fresh starts in our lives.

With Christ every moment can be a new beginning.

This is what it means to say that he is our resurrection and our life.

The resurrection is not simply a past event in the life of Jesus. Nor is it simply a future event we look forward to in faith. Here and now, indwelt by the Spirit of the Risen Lord, the resurrection is meant to be a living power, a divine energy, in our lives.

What grave are you in now? What darkness entraps you? The darkness of fear or regret, of sin or bitterness, of  loss or of shattered relationships.

To believe in the resurrection in our lives means our hearts and spirits can now experience what our bodies will one day undergo.

May the Easter life flowing from the Lord pierce our darkness,  touch our weakness, and revive our deadness. Yes, indeed, may there be many empty graves in our lives.

Working together with God

I notice that in my last few blogs I have reflected on the importance of personal discipline in the spiritual journey. This emphasis on the importance of our decisions and habits is not meant to down play the complete primacy of God’s action. The Spirit of God brings about our transformation but we are to work together with grace. At every step God relies on our consent and co-operation. All spiritual growth is a collaborative effort between the individual and the Holy Spirit.

Scripture tells us: “Continue to work out your salvation in fear and trembling, for it is God who, for His own generous purpose, works in you both the desire and the power to act” (Philippians 2:12,13).

So we are clearly told that there are two definite  parts to spiritual growth. The “working in” is God’s role; deep within each of us the Holy Spirit unceasingly draws us to deeper love and freedom. It is the grace of God that gives us both the desire and the strength for good.

But the “working out” is our responsibility; we co-operate with grace and drawing on the divine energy to make the choices that reveal themselves in Christ-like behaviour, in word and deed. God has given us a new life by the gift of the indwelling Spirit. It is now our responsibility to develop this life “in fear and trembling” – that is, take our spiritual growth seriously. 

There are still several weeks left on our Lenten journey...  time to begin again if we have slackened off!