Wednesday, April 23

God Is Up to Something

Chantelle Foster

Reading

Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.
Luke 24:6-7

Reflection

I may have mentioned that I hear Mark’s sermons three times each week—once on Wednesday afternoons at our sermon run-through, and then twice on Sunday mornings. On Easter, I heard the sermon four times because we had the additional service on Saturday. I see this as a great gift to me. I’m sure I need to hear it at least three times to receive the message God has for me that week.

I use sermon notes each time I receive the sermon and write down things I hear Mark say that aren’t on the sermon notes handout. I circle, underline, star, use brackets, and draw arrows. When I am taking notes, my brain is processing and helping my ears to hear and my heart to absorb.

Midway down the sermon notes page from Easter—almost to the crease, since I folded the page in half—is this sentence:
“When darkness reigns, let your light shine!” (Luke 24:6-7)

Next to that sentence, I wrote something Mark said:
“because God is up to something!”

So often, God speaks to me in those moments when Mark interjects a word, phrase, or sentence. It’s not something he has prepared to say or even said the last time I heard the sermon.

That extra phrase—“because God is up to something”—gave me assurance and helped me really accept the message that I can let my light shine, even when it seems darkness is everywhere. As a follower of Jesus, practicing a full surrender of my heart to God, I can trust that God is always up to something—and that means I am never alone or forgotten.

In my line of work, I sometimes feel the need to “fake it till I make it” and submit myself to my call to serve and lead the church. Most of the time you see me smile, it is out of genuine love for you and joy in my soul. But there are times when I am going through something hard personally—or someone has said something that I’ve held onto as an offense—when I can slap on a smile and power through.

I know this isn’t living life as my most integrated self, but sometimes it’s the best I can do in the moment so I don’t hurt people I love. When I feel this way, I find a way to be alone ASAP. I may go sit in my car or lock myself in my office, but I know if I give myself some silence, God will typically give me the guidance I need to do the next right thing.

God’s faithfulness to me throughout my adult life gives me assurance that I can trust God to take care of me. I can trust that I am perfectly safe in God’s good kingdom.

Even though I trust, I still have times that feel so dark. I love that Mark quotes Barbara Brown Taylor each Easter: “New life starts in the dark. Whether it is a seed in the ground, a baby in the womb, or Jesus in the tomb, it starts in the dark.”

As a gardener and a mother, I can relate to her quote so deeply. I can find hope there. I can trust that darkness will not have the last word.

So, friends, I hope you will join me as we let our lights shine!

Prayer:
Creator God, as you work in my life guiding and directing me, show me your beauty. Show me the next right thing to do as I follow Jesus. Despite the darkness in the world, allow me to shine your light everywhere I go. Amen.