anastasia

this morning i stumbled upon a rather startling truth. i don't think much, or know what to think, about our belief in resurrection. sure, i can say the apostle's creed without my fingers crossed behind my back, know the gospel stories and remember bob monts' excellent lecture on the power of zoe. however, in all honesty, resurrection has yet to become the animating principle of my faith. clearly, this is a problem.

for this reason, i am deeply grateful for NT Wright's resurrection of the Son of God. this tome has diagnosed my confusion in this area and has proscribed a healthy understanding of how resurrection was understood within the larger cultural context of the early church and what the early church actually believed about resurrection. my prayer is that by the time i finish the book, which at this pace might be around this time next year, i will be reacquainted with the core of our shared faith.

i also stumbled across this thought from uncle henri regarding resurrection and thought i would share:

"the great mystery of the spiritual life--the life in God--is that we don't have to wait for it as something that will happen later. Jesus says: 'dwell in me as i dwell in you.' it is this divine in-dwelling that is eternal life. it is the active presence of God at the center of my living--the movement of God's Spirit within us--that gives us eternal life.

but still, what about life after death? when we live in communion with God, when we belong to God's own household, there is no longer any 'before' or 'after.' death is no longer the dividing line. death has lost its power over those who belong to God, because God is the God of the living, not of the dead. once we have tasted the joy and peace that come from being embraced by God's love, we know that all is well and will be well. 'don't be afraid,' Jesus says. 'i have overcome the powers of death...come and dwell with me and know that where i am, your God is.'

when eternal life is our clear goal it is not a distant goal. it is a goal that can be reached in the present moment. when our heart understands this divine truth, we are living the spiritual life." ~Here and Now, pg. 70