Steve-os Devos: By The Way.....What is your passion?

Two friends walk along the road. It had been a crazy week. Not too long ago there was unbridled excitement in their lives as it seemed like all the promises of history were finally coming true. There had been a big parade with so many people cheering. But then things went terribly wrong. The one who had healed people, spoke of God's kingdom coming to fulfillment, caused a fire to grow in the hearts of any who heard him, was arrested. Bizarre charges, a trumped up case, led to the worst possible conclusion...crucifixion. These two walked away after all that disillusioned, disheartened. Had they been duped? Was it too much to expect of God that such a horrible end could result in something unbelievably amazing?

These two evidently headed down the road just a bit overwhelmed by this sequence of events. Perhaps they were a bit confused as to what they had witnessed. They are joined though on their journey by a man who seems to have no clue about what has just happened. Flustered, and a bit surprised that anyone could have missed this event, the two briefly share a small summary with this stranger. He then proceeds to give them a long history lesson, pointing out the promises of God, revealing the presence of God's kingdom all around them as they walk together, the three of them down the road.

.....................

Those of us familiar with this story from Luke's Gospel, are already in on this supreme "joke" on the two men. For the person that has appeared to them is the risen Jesus. While the three men talk, their hearts feel as if they are aflame, burning with an amazing passion that is a sign of God's love in the world.

Passion can be an amazing thing. Each of us has something that we are very excited about. It might be a particular hobby, an activity we participate in, our jobs, our families... But when we begin to talk about these things we find ourselves pulled along by our own enthusiasm while others must simply marvel at what we are saying, or roll their eyes in complete disinterest.

One of my favorite scenes of someone in the midst of passionate discovery is Ralphie in A Christmas Story. Ralphie's passion is Red Ryder and he deeply desires his own Red Ryder gun. He fantasizes about just what he could do with this amazing gift...things that only he can see. Every step of the way everyone tries hard to rob Ralphie of his passion for his quest. Parents, teachers, even the popular symbol of giving, Santa, tells Ralphie that such a toy would "shoot his eye out." No one can capture the passion that Ralphie has in his ongoing desire to acquire this toy gun.

The other night, I had a couple of amazing conversations with people. The conversations were not as deeply theological as you might expect. But they did have a lot to do with people's passion. The things that we talked about had to do with their personal experiences, the joys that were a part of their lives, and their passion for the work that they did. I watched as one person's eyes practically glazed over as they began to share all the great things about their products and how they were different from anywhere else. I heard about the needs of their business to adapt to the market and where they had to make adjustments. It was a conversation of great passion and I could not help but wonder if this person ever had a chance to really share that passion with anyone else.

Such is the way with those of us who come to share our passion for God. When we come alongside people, like yourself perhaps, who are just walking along the road of life a but overwhelmed, confused, or frustrated by the way the world works, we can only listen and subtly suggest that even in the midst of all this God is still at work. It is a wonderful opportunity to hear these amazing stories, and to enjoy the company of "strangers" while our hearts burn with a spirit that we often miss in our daily lives.

What things are you passionate about? When was the last time you really had a chance to share that passion with someone else? Why not stop by this week, or share your thoughts here, about the ways you live a "passionate" life that reminds you of God's grace and presence?

Dialogo: Grace?

The running joke between my wife and I has to do with the idea of having a view of life that sees the proverbial cup half full, or half empty. Of course, there are many times in my life where I feel like saying, "Hey, where the heck is my cup?!"

Yet, if we pay attention to the world around us we discover the many amazing things that make our day, and our lives, just a little bit different. There are times when we catch glimpses of God's presence and these moments can be little glimmers of hope.

So, where have you seen a sign of God's grace this past week? In your life? Take a moment to reflect on that, and if you feel moved, feel free to share a little about that glimmer of hope.

A Day or a Way?

Alright, so Easter Day has come and gone. Maybe you had a really inspiring, new-life, yummy-feast, trumpet-and-lilies kind of a day. Maybe you didn't. Maybe you just barely got through it. Maybe it was a mixed bag. Whatever your "maybe" may be... now Easter 2008 is history.

Or is it? Is Easter just a day, or could it be something more? Could Easter be a powerful energy that ripples out, moving and shaking, disrupting and quaking, until nothing looks the way it used to? until all that used to look dead and hopeless has had a serious face lift?

Could Easter be a second chance? a dwi record wiped clean? another shot at planting a beautiful spring garden? a story with a dramatic twist that changes everything and keeps on going?

I don't know the answer. I just ask the questions.

Well, ok. I do know one answer. My answer. And that is, for me: well... yes.

Yes. Easter's not just a day. It's a Way (as you no doubt figured out after reading my title). It's a way of living that takes death seriously but life-from-death more seriously still. It's a way of finding the hope-out-of-hopelessness in my own little existence and daring to tell my story to someone who just might need to hear it. It's a way of reaching a hand out to a friend (or better yet, an enemy) who might not make it without the lift.

Easter's a Way of following Jesus.

Following Jesus means staring down the powers-that-be when those powers are crushing the life out of the defenseless ones. It means taking the heat, loving when it hurts, giving everything you have... so that someone else might be connected to a source of Life and Energy that just doesn't quit.

Following Jesus means allowing myself, all my self-oriented schemes and deadly games, to die at the end of each day... so that when I open my eyes again, it's all new, it's all good, it's all God.

So those are some of my thoughts on how Easter can be a Way, not just a day. What images come to your mind, of how life peeks up out of death? What stories to you have to tell? And who will you tell them to? Feel free to use this blog to get your word out, if you like, because, to tell you the truth: Lots of people read it. Don't ask me how many (ask Steve, he knows) or who they are (even Steve doesn't know that), but there are lots who pop by here, looking for who knows what... maybe looking for what you and only you have to say.

Be it by blog, by email, or facetoface over a cup of coffee... share it, tell it, live it... that Easter Way that echoes on and on and on.

New Life to you in the days ahead...

~Kari Henkelmann Keyl~

Dialog: So just what is communion...

Communion
com·mun·ion
[kuh-myoon-yuh n]

+ the act of sharing, or holding in common; participation.
+ the act of participating in the celebration of the Eucharist;
+ the meal where God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ;
+ in bread and wine as Christ’s body and blood given to us, God forgives us and nourishes us.

What is communion for you?
What do you see as the causes of physical and spiritual hunger?
What has been your most powerful experience of communion?