March 11, 2011 - An Invitation to Christ's Room
Rev. Ken Bushey
John 1:35-42
As a youth pastor I enjoyed visiting the home of teenagers. Within the first minutes of entering the home, it was my habit to ask, “Can I see your room?” The jaw-dropping gasp from mom was usually followed by her excited teen leaping off the couch with a wave of the hand and the words “Sure! Come see!” With a quiet smile to mom who was still paralyzed by an embarrassed disbelief, I would follow in the radiance of this proud kid to the 10’x10’ place on the earth which he claimed as all his. The drum set in the corner, the print on a crumpled bedspread, the posters on the wall, the collection of music, the bulletin board filled with pictures of friends, favorite memories and precious letters and awards—with a flood of sights and sounds (and smells!) I very quickly discovered who and what was important to this room’s inhabitant. I enjoyed this experience immensely, not only because it was fun to see Mom’s reaction, but because I discovered that nothing can more quickly help me know a person like taking a look into his or her room.
The disciples in John 1 asked the same question of Jesus, “Can we see your room?” I imagine that without hesitation, but with much excitement, Jesus shot back, like an eager teenager, “Sure! Come see!” And for the rest of the day the two hung out with Jesus forming the beginnings of a lasting friendship and discovering an intimate knowledge of what mattered most to Jesus.
You can tell a lot about a person by spending some time in his room.
This Lenten Season we are invited to Christ’s room. If you are willing, he wants to take you to the room of his suffering, to the place of his rejection, to the agony of a cross, to the darkness of a tomb and to the fullness of his love. If you are willing, Jesus is eager for you to better understand his interests—what is most important to him and who is important to him. If you are willing, he would like you to visit his room.
And if you are willing, he would like to visit your room, too.
Jesus, my Lord and Friend, I accept your invitation to journey with you to the place of your suffering. As I spend these days with you, open my eyes to see you and your love more clearly. Purify the rooms of my heart that my passions might more clearly reflect your Passion. Amen.
