Living in the Un-Normal
By Fred Oduyoye and Rick Lawrence
In the days after the Resurrection, our conventional narrative is that the disciples of Jesus are consumed by joy. But the real narrative is more complicated. Their “new normal” was really un-normal…
- Your leader was killed by a bloodthirsty mob, and one of your own betrayed Him (and knows everything about you)—yes, Jesus is risen, but you still feel you must hide to survive…
- Jesus then appears to two of your friends, walking home from Jerusalem to Emmaus, teaching them to understand the “macro” story of redemption and the truth about who He is, because you are all still disoriented and confused…
- Jesus then suddenly appears in a meeting room, though the doors are locked. He shows you His wounds, and you’re exploding with shock and joy all over again…
- Then he performs many more miracles, and He gives you the gift of the Spirit by breathing on you…
- He meets with you and a handful of other disciples on the beach—eats a meal, and makes Peter the point-person for the church…
Like the disciples, we are living through a liminal space of disorientation, shock, confusion, and fear. And threaded through it all, we are surprised by joy. Two years of pandemic and division and war have shaken the ground under our feet. Our natural inclination is to hang onto what we know—the “old norm.” But the old norm is a vapor—life in the un-normal is all about seeking and finding where Jesus is leading, no matter where it takes us. Here, Reachable Reconciliation founder Fred Oduyoye points to places where Jesus is showing up in the new un-normal…
Post your comments, insights, and responses in the Comments section below—we’d love to hear your own insights, experiences, and questions!
And check out Fred’s new website for more ways to connect, grow, and get the expert help you need to develop a magnetic reconciling ministry environment…