This is a time of great uncertainty. I think this is something all of us can agree on, regardless of how we voted in the presidential election. There’s fear in the news and in the air, and fear can cause us to shut down, hole up, and hold on tightly to everything we have. This past week has felt Twilight Zone-ish, and I’ve found myself wanting to escape into the comfort of New York Times recipes and the latest Louise Penny novel.
Community feels especially important to me right now, especially gathering as the church to sing, pray, serve, give, and remember together who we are (we are -all people- God’s beloved) and our purpose (to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God). “Christian” might mean scary (xenophobic? intolerant? violent?) things to people who picture us all the same, and so being Christian (loving God with all our passion, prayer, and intelligence, and loving our neighbors as well as we love ourselves) can help take our focus off of uncertainty and onto love.
I’m leaning on the “everything prayer” we do on Sunday mornings… fists clenched to hold on tightly to what we want, what is ours… slowing opening hands and hearts to whatever is… pushing our fears, hopes, grief, and longings to God… finding unimaginable love already there waiting for us… tucking it into our hearts… and raising our hands in amazed thanksgiving.
Certainty and sanity will return (right?) but for now… I think it’s enough if the everything prayer is all we can do.
In faith, Marylee