Ransacking a Temple to Prepare the Sacrifice

Meditation Dialogue - Week Ending 12/2/2011

Steve – “Hi God. Ummm. Okay. Question - Is this glass half empty or half full? And what philosophical perspective or attitude (optimism - half full, pessimism - half empty) brings glory to your in-breaking? And what’s in the glass? Water, right? Wine? Blood? Dirt? What's in the glass God? I can't tell. It's murky!"

God – “Hey Steve – instead of making the glass half empty or half full today, how about letting the glass stay all still ?”

God – “See the dirty water. Hold still. Stay still. Steady, steady, steady."

Steve – “Okay God, here’s what I observe. As I was still today, the murky water slowly, just about imperceptibly became two substances. I get it. The silt separates from the living water.”

Dear God, Thanks for reminding me of this “dirty water” analogy again in meditation. Yes God, in the stillness I can see (much to my embarrassment) that the the dirt is distinguished from the clean. The death in me today is more clearly contrasted from Your life in me that comes through grace.

Jesus your makhaira (word of truth) in stillness is a heartbreaking weapon of mass destruction. With it you ransack the gates of the walled city of “me.” You don’t cleanse the outer courts with a whip but with a blade that cuts through soul and spirit. As you enter the inner sanctuary and holy of holies you don’t just take a piece of external flesh, but you cut through my most tender, vulnerable place with a circumcision of heart.

Thanks Jesus, prophet-priest-king, for preparing a sacrifice in this temple. Thank you for sifting me with grace. Fill the dark whitewashed catacombs decorated with the idols of performance and role with your flood of wine, life, joy, hope, and absolute refreshment and freedom.

Your sacrifice is a gift offering. Accomplish your gift offering in this spiritual house.

Your sacrifice is a sin offering. Although humbling and painful, I give you thanks for exposing in a fresh way the sin in this dirty temple. You've revealed to me again that the offering that is mine and mine alone is . . . .SIN. I am astounded that you demonstrate your unique brand of love by using my sin to reveal your holy fire.

I confess that my sin selfishly demands the blood and water to flow from the gaping wound in your side.

I demand it. That is sin.
You freely offer it. That is grace.

In your free offering you baptize me into your death (water) and recreate me with life, wine, and love (blood.)

Jesus, in meditation, I testify that your gospel is a story of incredible weaponry. You are perfectly and beautifully and perhaps simultaneously both a weapon of incredible destruction and a weapon of mass creation or for Sonshine’s mission, mass re-creation.

Jesus, I confess, that recreation/re-creation will always push me to a place where your heart in me seeks to die in sacrificial love for my enemies.

Jesus, now is the hour for the Son of Man in me to be glorified. Lord, glorify your name, in me. May our day of preparation be intimate communion as I am soon lifted up and sacrificed.

(It was hard for me to write these last two sentences but it is the gospel, it is truth, and it is God's call. Sorry Lord that when I write your truth I sometimes feel a sense of dread. Your truth reveals fear. Your truth beckons me to put my trust in you over my fear. Your truth speaks over my fear the words "do not let your heart be troubled.")