Sunday’s scripture was about Jesus and the disciples entering Jerusalem for the last time - you know, the Palm Sunday story. The sermon title was "Untie the Donkey". Jesus tells the disciples to go ahead of him and to find a donkey that’s never been ridden, to untie it and if anyone asks to say that the Lord needs it.
Of course, someone asked what they were doing - the guy who owned the donkey! It was his donkey, new and young, a valuable piece of property.
Bishop Weaver told us that there are two important parts to this bit of the story - first Jesus tells the disciples to go and to prepare the way. We have to go untie the donkey because the Lord needs us to - we have to go prepare the way wherever it is that God is calling us to go, our home, our workplace, our friends, wherever it is that God is calling us to go.
The other aspect of this story is that we may have to untie something because the Lord needs it. We may have to give up something valuable, something we are holding on to, something we think we can’t do without - because the Lord needs it.
One class I’m taking is "International Conflict Transformation" and one of our assignments was to design a ritual for the class. Since our topic was mission, my partner designed our opening ritual to get us thinking about how we define ourselves and separate ourselves into groups - a way to think about breaking down the barriers between people.
For our closing ritual, I gave each person a length of string, tied in a knot. I told them about Bishop Weaver’s sermon and then invited them to prayerfully consider what God is calling them to go do, to prepare the way for the Lord - or what God is calling them to untie and give up because the Lord needs it.
As I ran today, it occurred to me that part of what I am untying is my potential. I have a history of not living up to the potential others see in me, or sabotaging my own plans and goals. But today I realized that I’m running, as my daughter sees the potential in me to be an athlete - a runner, no less! There are things I’m studying that I think the Lord needs. To do this right, I’m going to have to be focused and disciplined, just like a training program.
So - I know what I’m untying... what about you?
1 comment:
I have no idea what I'm untying, I feel like I've untied so much lately I'm completely unravelling. But I will think about your words.
And now I have your blog on bloglines, I will never miss a post.
{{{{hugs from me}}}}
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