Backed Up Sewage and a Cracked, Afflicted, and Perplexed Life...

Yesterday one of our members shared about an experience that he had with three other guys on Wednesday night. They were working together at woman's house as a part of our "Hands of the Master" missional outreach. (Basically, it's a group of gifted and skilled folks who offer their time, energy, and resources to help address the physical needs of folks in our community: car repairs, house repairs, painting, building stuff, etc. If you want more info on this incredible ministry, let me know.) The group is a fabulous example of the ways in which the gospel, the reign of God, can continue to break into our communities through us when we recognize that we are a sent people and follow God into the world. Back to the story...

On Wednesday, four guys went to help a woman who had been experiencing a major clog in her kitchen sink for about two months. Now, that's eight weeks of build up clogging, molding, and rotting in her pipes. They tried to use a snake that they had to break the clog free, but to no avail. So, they decided that they needed to cut the drain pipe, clear the clog out of the system, and rebuild the piping.

Well, two guys mainly watched (remember, we're a union town! :-) ) while the other two went to work went into her crawl and went to work. They "succeeded," which is to say that they successfully cut the pipe and got the stuff to pour out. Now, by pouring out we mean that the nasty, rotten build up was running all over them. The sewage and the stench were so bad that one of the guys who was just watching said he got dry heaves the next morning because the stench was so strong that it took up residence in his lungs and throat over night. (This part of the story may be apocryphal, but it's what we're sticking to right now!) They were finally able

The gentleman that shared the story yesterday spent as much time talking about the impact that the experience had on him as anything else. He struggled to imagine that he could be the presence of Christ, the bearer of "good news," in her life right now. He went in skeptical, critical, and frustrated. Her house was dirty and cluttered, and he wondered if she really deserved their help. He has been through a long season of struggle, longing to embrace the way of the cross more fully, but hitting resistance from family and friends who don't imagine the life of discipleship the same way that he does. He went there beaten down by life and faith. He went there jaded by skepticism. He went there as a pot, a clay pot, being dangerously threatened to be crushed, driven to despair, destroyed.

But while he was there he encountered the dying and risen Christ, manifested and living in the presence of two guys who all too literally bore the aroma of Christ, a stench of death that just defies explanation and comprehension. They carried around the death of Jesus in their bodies that night, not simply so that the life of Jesus might be revealed in this woman's life, but in the life of their brother, who needed to experience a bit of resurrection through witnessing their death. His testimony was a powerful example of what can happen when we live together with God for the world, when the narrative of Scripture becomes our primary story to make sense of the world.

I sat there in worship, listening to his testimony and through to myself, we should jettison all of our plans for the morning right now. We're on holy ground. This is a time to stop for a moment in silence. This is a time to share life, for koinonia. This is a time for others to narrate their stories, to provide encouragement. This is a time for us to read Scripture, whatever comes to mind, and discern the work of God in light of the biblical text and our own experience. This is a time, not for losing heart, but for an inner renewal among our gathering of the people of God.

Obviously, you can imagine where my mind was yesterday. I was hearing and interpreting his story through the lens of 2 Cor 4-5. So, this is what I would like for you to do (assuming you've made it this far in the post): a little e-community group lectio divina. Find some time today to sit down with you bible or go to 2 Cor 4 here. Maybe you want to find a place where you can light a candle as a reminder of the presence of God in your midst. Pray this simply prayer as you begin to read: "Living God, help me hear your word for me." Read the passage slowly, meditatively. Don't rush through the text as if it is a task you need to accomplish before getting on to the important question answering section. Live in the passage. Notice what catches your attention, excites your imagination, or poses a difficulty for you. Jot down some of those things. Then take some time to answer the following.

• Where do you recognize your own life in this text?

Read the passage again and answer this question:

• In this text, how is God calling people to join his work in the world?

Finally, read the passage one more time and answer this question:

• What repentance would be necessary for you and your community of faith to join the work of God suggested by this text more fully?

Take some time to jot your thoughts down as comments on this post. It would be fabulous to get a little virtual communal insight, dialogue, and wisdom flowing here.


May the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," illuminate our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus.