Living God’s Welcome

“… In Christ the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.” (Ephesians 2:17-22)

We humans tend to focus in on the big things or events; whether good or bad. World Series wins, floods, miraculous rescues like we witnessed in Chile, unexplained healings or random acts of violence. Drawn between these highs and lows, too often our faith and our expectations for where God dwells follow like pendulum swings. Until, maybe, … we wonder if this God dwells among us at all.

For me, it is less wondering if God dwells among us, but more feeling the response we give, as members of the Body of Christ, to these highs and lows, needs to be proportional; if not bigger than the highs or lows happening around us. So, we find ourselves seeking the perfect words, the splashier event, the brighter light, and the most engaging speaker or program or music or gadget or insurance plan to push back the darkness, pull people in, and protect against the lows swinging into our lives. In response, we run from here to there, invest in the latest and greatest, try hard to sure up the walls we’ve built, and fix the lives around us believing if we can just do it right and big enough, then the pendulum will stop swinging.

But, if anyone has ever pushed a child on a swing, the harder one pushes, the higher they go.

And, I will confess as September and October arrived with all the activities and tragedy of this Fall; with each swing, I fell into this temptation. I pushed higher. I watched as you pushed harder too, racing from school activity to community event, to faithfully seeking to meet the ministry needs of the con- gregation. Amazing things are unfolding, an abundant harvest is coming in, and we are witnessing wonderful accomplishments happening in our com- munity and through our children’s lives. But, I also sense we are tired, too scattered, and know we can’t keep up pushing this swing forever.

As I pondered and prayed and wrestled with all these things and how I could respond to the next swing, like the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 19:4-13) … God reminded me of something important. While we tend to expect to find God in the big things: great winds like we had this week, earthquakes like Indonesia experienced yesterday or fire. God comes and is most recognizable in the small things and in the sound of sheer silence. Vincent van Gogh, painter and grandson of a pastor, said it this way, “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”

Yes, Jesus performed many big signs and wonders and miracles while he was with us, but as you read the Gospel of John in particular, you’ll hear Jesus lament that His signs wouldn’t and couldn’t bring lasting faith among the people. Instead, Jesus and the apostles keep proclaiming to us that the peace that surpasses all understanding comes through you and I, living stones, being drawn together by the Spirit, with our own unique gifts and experi- ences of God, … laid side-by-side (no individual able to do it all) built together in the Spirit to become a dwelling place of God. God reminded me of this word in the still moments and testimonies of others these past couple months. As I listened at the Team Mates workshop and was reminded of the 40 assets my home congregation helped me develop as a child, not with programs, but through individuals, who one at a time sought out intentional relationship with me and helped me discover who God created me to be. As I listened to Alexie Torres-Fleming at the Synod Theological Conference, she told about growing up in the Bronx and her prayer for a miracle to save her neighborhood; to stop the violence and the monumental cycle of poverty. And, as she wrestled with this and how little she felt she could do, God reminded her of the words her priest told her long ago, “You my child, are the miracle God fashioned with His own hands.” As an adult who forgot this, God reminded Alexie that she already was participating in a miracle; a small, loved child of God joining hands with another miracle of God, joining with another to live love together in the grace of Jesus Christ. This, God promises is enough. This, God will build into the Kingdom of God.

Big things (good or bad) do not happen out of the blue or all at once. They happen after many small things come together and when that one more snowflake joins the pile of snow, the branch suddenly falls or we grow to believe we are loved, so we love.

This is what it means to be the church. It is not flashy. It won’t fix things overnight or even prevent the pendulum from swinging, but the good news is that you do not need to push anymore. Step back and listen for God’s still small voice and watch for that hand that needs holding or story your neighbor needs to tell and know there, in that relationship is the miracle we seek.

Peace in Christ, Pastor Lori