Receiving March 22, 2008, worship scriptures

My hope is that you will receive the worship scriptures for yourself before you read this post. Suggestions for doing this are at Receiving the Word as spirit and life--a spiritual exercise.

Prayer for receiving
This morning preparing for receptivity feels something like building a nest and clearing out clutter all at once. It takes some "getting situated" in order to be receptive. But a table that tips every time I try to write, and a chair that's too low aren't what most needs situating. Even I realize that. Situate my heart, please God. Make my heart alert and eager in the best possible way. As I begin receiving, I pray You will increase my receptivity.

Jeremiah 31:1-6 (Selections and reflections)
"'I will be the God... and they shall be My people.'" (vs. 1)
Being claimed not just by a political ruler, but by divinity, by God. What is it really like to have an Ultimate, Beyond-Human Ruler, One we can trust and respect completely? One we can say this about: "This Ruler rules well." "I not only respect this Ruler, I worship this Ruler." God as Ruler of His people. All good politics are practice sessions for this God-and-God's-people state!

"The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying:
'Yes, I have loved you
with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness
I have drawn you.'" (vs. 3)
The more I can get my mind, rather my heart, around this verse, the more I will be able to receive the death and resurrection of Jesus the way He hopes I will.
Verses 4-6 show love expressed in rebuilding, in tambourine dances of joy, in planting, harvesting, and eating. In going up to Zion to this One who loves His people with everlasting love, and draws them with lovingkindness. This is the everlasting love of verse 3 set loose on the people of God who, in turn, become lovers of the God who loves them. There's joyous abandon in it. This is the Ultimate Love Story that all other love stories hint at.

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 (Selections and reflections)
"The LORD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation." (vs. 14)
"The voice of rejoicing and salvation
Is in the tents of the righteous;
...the LORD does valiantly." (vs. 15)
The LORD does valiantly. Today this is the driving force in this Psalm! Expand, expand heart of mine to take in more of just how valiantly the LORD does. Every valiant rescue ever accomplished or imagined among the human family hints at just how valiantly the LORD does!
He has become my salvation. He becomes my salvation again and more fully with each new and reverent, "Ah ha, now I see; now I get it." Life keeps presenting new occasions to say "In and beyond even this, He is my salvation."

"Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them." (vs. 19)
Not just occasional hard-earned glimpses, but gates open wide, please. Open the gates, and I'll go in and revel in righteousness. Enter with a fullness appropriate to valiant, saving righteousness.

Colossians 3:1-4 (Selections and reflections)
"Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." (vs. 2)
This is the way to participate in the Ultimate Love Story.

"For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (vs. 3)
Everlasting love is realized and worked out in this. This is how we receive and return valiant, everlasting love. Love that goes to and beyond death received from God; love that goes to and beyond death returned to God. The Lover and the loved are forever each other's.

"When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." (vs. 4)
The Love that conquered at the Cross will culminate in glory at His appearing. I am God, they are my people will finally be fully realized.

John 20:1-18 (Selections and reflections)
"...the disciples went away again to their own homes." (vs. 10)
"But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping..." (vs. 11)
Their grief was beyond comprehension. All other human grief hints at that grief. Some of them went away. Perhaps those who left felt there was nothing they could do about it anyway. One of them stayed with the grief, weeping at the tomb. In the midst of the deepest grief came the most astounding joy:

"Jesus said to her, 'Mary!' She turned and said to Him, 'Rabboni!'" (vs. 16)
All other human joy hints at that astounding joy.
Enter into the grief and joy of John 20:1-18.