Imago Gospels - 24 - Shark
Ok - so you may be thinking…what the ____ does a shark have to do with the resurrection appearance of Jesus? Well…hear me out…First, this is a pic I took this morning as we were shark cage diving in South Africa. If you ever have a chance to do this, do it. Wow. Incredible. Amazing.
So, how this fits with the resurrection other than me wanting to get a shark picture in for today’s pic? Several things…First, Matthew’s resurrection story is not a “quiet” one - its not a quiet description of the women coming to the tomb and a gentle conversation inside, but instead speaks of an angel coming down whose appearance was like lightning and clothing white as snow. He also talks of an earthquake. Not subtle things, just as there was not much subtle about our shark experience today. They were huge, powerful, and beautiful. But there was the ever-present reality that they were not entirely “safe.”
The other part in this is a personal one. As I have experienced my personal transformation over the last several years, I have found myself willing and able to jump into more things that I might never have done before. This isn’t due to my own power or strength, but I give the credit to God who has brought life into places I least expected. As I was climbing into the shark cage today, I found myself thinking about whether I would have done this 10 years ago…I don’t think so. I think that there has been a radical work in me of making Paul’s words from 2 Timothy 1:7 come alive - For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.
Just as Christ brought life from death in the tomb, so he has brought life into me and I know can bring to others.