We have this Treasure
Feb 18, 2007
2 Corinthians 4:1-9 The New Revised Standard Version of the reading from Corinthians, begins. ³ Since by Godıs mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart² At later ³the God who said, ³ Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts. But we hold this treasure, this light of God, in earthen vessels, in very ordinary imperfect, vulnerable lives, ordinary lives which can be useful, ordinary lives which can be broken, In another scripture Jesus says ³where your treasure is your heart will be². It seems that the treasure is very connected with where our heart is. Scripture uses the heart as a metaphor of the core self. Marcus Borg, in his book the Heart of Christianity, has a wonderful chapter on the opening of the heart. When our hearts are open, says, Borg, we are able to see more clearly with eyes opened by the Spirit; We are able to understand more deeply because our hearts are opened to meaning beyond the surface. When our hearts are open, we are more connected with gratitude, with compassion, with wonder and awe. When our hearts are open we have a clarity of knowing where we are rooted so that we have the courage to stand our ground in adversity and not lose heart. The french word coeur (heart) is the same root as courage.... When our hearts are open, we remember God and know that we are created to walk in Godıs way of justice. Where our heart is will determine where our lifeıs centre will be, where our lifeıs energies will be directed, where our resources of time and money will be invested. I invite you to a meditation on this theme of treasure and where we find it and what we do with it. Letıs take a time for each of us to reflect on our own treasure.........Relax breath etc. Breathe in deeply the healing presence of God ... the goodness and grace of God ... Take it right into the core of your being ... As you breathe out ... let the breath carry with it the poisons ... physical ... emotional ... and spiritual that have built up in your system ... Breathe in the newness of possibility ... the hope that God gives ... Let go of of the stress and tensions that are stored on your body self ... in your emotional self ... in your spiritual self ... Breathe in life energy ... the creating breath of God that was there from the beginning ... breathe in love.....breathe out fear.... breathe in hope....breath out despair.... breathe in peace.....breath out tension Come to your sacred centre...a place where you are at peace....where you know yourself to be connected with the Holy.... In this knowing place ....Imagine Jesus coming to be with you and looking deeply into your eyes, clear through to the centre of your soul, and telling you that you do not need to be afraid, that Godıs heart desire is to give you the kingdom-Godıs delight would be to give you life in all its fullness .God longs to be with you in such a way that you do not need to be afraid.....that you might know that you are not alone........ Let this promise be in your heart ... Feel the light and the power of God's desire for you in your heart ... Let that light grow and strengthen ... Let it fill your whole being ... Then in the presence of this promise ... let Jesus invite you to look with him at your life and your priorities ... what do you really treasure? ... Where IS your heart? ... What inspires you? What gives you hope? What makes your heart sing? Where do you find meaning? Have you found what is worth spending your life force? ...Have you found something that uses all of you...your energy, your time ? What or who would you give your life for? ... Remembering God's desire to give you life in all its fullness ... take a long loving look at your life and your priorities ... What insights does God want to offer you? ... Let us take a time of gratitude for the treasure that is ours ... for the light of God that shines in our heart..opening it to life. We hold in our hearts in Godıs love and light, all who have touched our lives with meaning and love...those who have helped us to grow in our faith, those who have inspired and challenged us. .We hold in our hearts in Godıs love and light, those whom we have loved and lost....On this anniversary of her death, we remember Dawn Kirkham beloved daughter of Grace and Ernie.... We hold in our hearts in Godıs love and light, those for whom we have concern; those whom we love who are ill...Pia, Bea, Helen, Rev. Mitchell,Pat, We hold in our hearts in Godıs love and light, all who risk their lives for justice and peace, We hold in our hearts in Godıs love and light, this congregation as we seek to follow Godıs way. Again let us connect with the fullness in our hearts as you remember God's love for us ... and God's desire and ... God's delight to give us life in all its fullness and let us allow that fullness of life, that healing light to ripple beyond us into our family, into our community, into our world.... Amen