Measuring Up

“For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” Matthew 7:2 (NKJV)

All of us know the experience of being measured. I can remember my Dad using a small knife to make an indent in the door frame and then marking it to measure our growth.

When I visit our oldest, my granddaughter will take me to a doorway, she will stand there and show me how much she has grown. I make a big deal of her getting too big and that she needs to stop growing. We both laugh and hug and it’s a sweet moment for us as we know she is not going to stop growing while I keep getting shorter.

Measuring is important in life. When we cook, bake, sew, knit, all the activities we do need measurements. Yardsticks, measuring tapes, surveying equipment, they are all necessary.

Lately I have been thinking of how I measure up. How do I measure myself? What yardstick do I use? Do I use a measuring tape? How does this all reflect on how the world sees me, how the Lord sees me?

All deep questions that I think most of us deal with on some level. The self reflection that seeps into our mind quietly like a low tide wave hitting the shoreline.

I really have no answers, but just the thought bubbles above my head. On what scale is my reflection? In my mind do I see myself in a hall of mirrors in a fun house? The ones that make your head elongated and your body squat, giving you a time to laugh at the reflection. Or am I still trying to see the clear reflection of my true self, the true measurement of how I was created?

My deep desire is to see myself as God sees me. Flawed, scarred but healing by His grace and mercy. To see the reflection of Christ in me, so that when the world looks, they don’t see Cathi, they see the reflection of Christ in me.

He is Risen Indeed!

Christ the Lord is risen today; Christians, haste your vows to pay;
Offer ye your praises meet At the Paschal Victim’s feet.
For the sheep the Lamb hath bled, Sinless in the sinner’s stead;
“Christ is risen,” today we cry; Now He lives no more to die. ~

The week was horrendous, but Sunday is here. The women went to the tomb to anoint Jesus. They wondered how they would move the stone with the Roman seal on it. They really didn’t need to worry about that. The stone was blasted away by the power of a Living God.

“Jesus spoke to her, “Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?”She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, “Sir, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him.”  Jesus said, “Mary.” Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” meaning “Teacher!”  Jesus said, “Don’t cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.’” John 20:15-17 (MSG)

I love these verses. Upon recognizing Him as Jesus, Mary grabs onto Him. Clinging to Him the way we cling to family members we haven’t seen in a while. He had to tell her to stop, because He still had to go to His Father.

How awesome it must have been to see a newly risen Jesus and to hold Him. I cannot wait until it is my turn to cling onto Him. To hear Him say Mary to me.

Today, I plan to honor this Resurrection Sunday. Christ is risen, He is risen Indeed.