Faith in a Time of Pandemic – Greater Things?

XXXVII.
(4/19)
PRACTICING RESURRECTION
“The one who believes in me will also do the works that I do, and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father…If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.” (John 14:12, 14)

This passage has always puzzled me. How can we do greater works than Jesus, who raised the dead, healed the sick, calmed storms, and rose on the third day? We are mere mortals, finite, and aware of our fallibility, imperfection, and limitation, and often we are afraid.

I think Jesus is saying that when you trust me, when you open to my spirit, you can do more than you possibly imagine in your life situation. I believe Jesus is saying that although we may not be able to leap tall buildings at a single bound or fly faster than a speeding bullet, we can change the world for the best – do remarkable things – right where we are. I think Jesus is inviting us to look at the world with new eyes and look at our lives with new eyes and awaken to the new possibility God has in store for us.

J.B. Philips, the New Testament translator, once wrote a book entitled “your God is too small.” This is likely true about our images of ourselves and our church – we believe we are inadequate when God says, “you are the light of the world.” We believe that we are of no account when God says, “you are my beloved child.” Perhaps we are thinking too small, when God wants us to think big, to chart a new path, and to use the materials of our lives or our church to do something beautiful.

I am working on this myself and need to ask myself, “When am I expecting too little from myself, when God has a larger vision for me?” This isn’t wishful thinking or denial but looking at what life provides for us, even though we are sheltering in place.

Look at our resources:
• You have a phone, use it to call a friend.
• The English language has 26 letters, use them to write a note, email, a short story, the story of your life to pass down to a child or grandchild.
• You have a voice, sing a song over the phone to a friend, or say something affirmatively.
• You have a heart, share your love.

God doesn’t ask the impossible. God asks us to broaden the possible. To launch out in new and creative ways, to love more, live more, learn more, and share more.
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Help me, O God, to think big. To pray that I might do something beautiful and loving, to do something new right where I am. Let me see myself as an actor and agent, not a victim, as I discover my role as your companion in healing the world. Amen.

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Bruce Epperly is a Cape Cod pastor, professor, and author of over 50 books including FAITH IN A TIME OF PANDEMIC and GOD ONLINE: A MYSTIC’S GUIDE TO THE INTERNET