Welcome

Easter is a welcome.

The torn veil--we are welcomed into God’s space.

The open tomb--we are welcomed into God’s life.

The scars that Thomas touched--we are welcomed to a God who lives, speaks, who still bears flesh.

On Easter, I look around and see the beginning green, the daffodils’ yellow, and praise God for life, for the promise of life, for newness, for hope. But look above:

Can you see the Father’s joy in welcoming the Son, in proclaiming, “Arise, my Love!” (taken from a dearly beloved song)

Can you see the Son’s joy in seeing the Father once again, in presenting his victorious obedience to his Father?

Can you see the Spirit’s joy, he who is called such a bond of love between the Father and Son that it is a person, delighting, springing, in that love of Father and Son?

This love, a love greater than the heavens and could have had the power to burst all the universe, so great that this world cannot contain it. But transcendent God, in the universe, yet out of it, and his tender love celebration did not break the earth, but invited us into his welcome.

A theologian with some awe-inspiring, different, but still worthy to be considered thoughts writes: “By drawing near to us in Jesus Christ who took our human nature upon himself and lived out his divine life within it as a human life, God has opened up to us knowledge of his innermost Self as a fullness of personal being and brought us into intimate personal communion with himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” (T. F. Torrance)

"God draws near to us in such a way as to draw us near to himself within the circle of his knowing of himself" Thomas Torrance

Spirit--this Easter, just open our eyes of our heart a bit more to glimpse the joy of the Father, Son, and Spirit on Easter and even now and for all eternity, this perfect joy they share. Strengthen our inner persons together with all the saints to grasp what is ungraspable. Testify to our Spirits of our welcome.

This Easter--you are welcomed.

Into the Triune God’s own joy.

Celebrate.