"Love one another."
John 15:17
Love is always the bottom line, isn't it? I remember an old song we used to sing when we'd gather for prayer when I was just a young Jesus freak. It had a line that said, "Love isn't love til you give it away." Love not shared with others, one another, isn't really love. Love shared is true love. I was thinking about that in the midst of this difficult time and I realize that loving each other now may mean understanding that we are all experiencing this time differently. It's a world-wide thing, of course, but it can affect us very differently, depending on our circumstances. Those of us who are retired may not have our income as affected as someone who is unemployed right now. Some of us actually enjoy hanging out quietly at home, while others are juggling teaching their children, managing their own job from home and trying to keep sane in the midst of all that. Then, there are the health care workers, who are battling this virus from the front line! Their courage is so awesome, but aren't they getting weary of it all? I was so moved the other day, as I walked past the nursing home in my neighborhood. A family was gathered outside a resident's window in order to connect with him or her. Those on the inside must feel so isolated and confused. We all may be sharing this boat, but some of us are in nice cabins with a view while many others are struggling in steerage. Loving one another means understanding that there are those differences. We can love one another by stepping out of our own little bubbles and imagining what others may be experiencing. Let's ask God to show us how we can help. Love, heidi
Friday, May 15, 2020
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Where's the peace?
"Jesus said to his disciples, 'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you...
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.'"
John 14:21-26
This is so perfectly timed for us right now, isn't it? The peace that Jesus gives to us is a peace of the heart; our hearts are not troubled or afraid because we have what Jesus gives. But, what does this look like as we go through this unprecedented time of pandemic? How can we rest in the peace of Jesus when all around us seems to be suffering and crumbling? What about when we feel alone and unsupported? What does the peace of Jesus look like then? How can it reassure us? I think it looks like this:
We remember and are reassured that we are loved, deeply, by God. Nothing happening around us can change that. God sustains and maintains everything and God never doesn't love what God creates and sustains.
All things will right themselves eventually. But we may not want to settle for "normal"--or the way things were before. God is giving us a chance to experience better-than-just-normal when this is all over. Because...
We are growing up. We are learning and embracing what is really important and essential...our fellow human beings. Whether we know them already or are watching their stories unfold on the nightly news, we are sharing this difficult time with our brothers and sisters and, please God, may we emerge from this time recognizing we are all family, together. This terrible virus can unify us as we draw together to battle it.
And finally, a bit of advice from wisdom teacher Cynthia Bourgeault: for every hour we spend online, connected or zooming, may we spend another hour unplugged and quietly listening to the silence of our hearts. The hearts that are filled with God's love. Sit outside, take a walk through the neighborhood, light a candle and sit with just the flame for light. Unplug from the news and the world and look deep inside for the peace of Christ. It's there, right where God put it.
Love, heidi
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.'"
John 14:21-26
This is so perfectly timed for us right now, isn't it? The peace that Jesus gives to us is a peace of the heart; our hearts are not troubled or afraid because we have what Jesus gives. But, what does this look like as we go through this unprecedented time of pandemic? How can we rest in the peace of Jesus when all around us seems to be suffering and crumbling? What about when we feel alone and unsupported? What does the peace of Jesus look like then? How can it reassure us? I think it looks like this:
We remember and are reassured that we are loved, deeply, by God. Nothing happening around us can change that. God sustains and maintains everything and God never doesn't love what God creates and sustains.
All things will right themselves eventually. But we may not want to settle for "normal"--or the way things were before. God is giving us a chance to experience better-than-just-normal when this is all over. Because...
We are growing up. We are learning and embracing what is really important and essential...our fellow human beings. Whether we know them already or are watching their stories unfold on the nightly news, we are sharing this difficult time with our brothers and sisters and, please God, may we emerge from this time recognizing we are all family, together. This terrible virus can unify us as we draw together to battle it.
And finally, a bit of advice from wisdom teacher Cynthia Bourgeault: for every hour we spend online, connected or zooming, may we spend another hour unplugged and quietly listening to the silence of our hearts. The hearts that are filled with God's love. Sit outside, take a walk through the neighborhood, light a candle and sit with just the flame for light. Unplug from the news and the world and look deep inside for the peace of Christ. It's there, right where God put it.
Love, heidi
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