09-03-24

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 3, 2024
On September 19, we will begin a new Tuesday daytime study based on Max Lucado’s book, “You Are Never Alone.” The opening statement on a description of the study is, “Each of us longs for Someone who will meet us in the midst of life’s messes.” For all of you who have never experienced a life mess, you are exempt and freed from reading another word of this, and there is no reason for you to attend the class. For the rest of you, who are like me, I appreciate that sentence using the plural of mess, as I doubt I have known too many days in my life when I've not had at least one mess. Maybe you don’t raise a lot of challenges to the level of a technical mess, but whatever the case, messes happen. And sometimes they are not our fault, or maybe there is really no one to blame. Nonetheless, it is a mess that someone has to face. And yes, it would be nice to find we are not alone in that work. Also notice that the description capitalizes the word ‘Someone” to imply that this is no ordinary someone. Most Christians would, in theory, claim God’s presence in the mess. It is something very different when we are overwhelmed by the mess to be able to name and claim that Holy Presence of strength and encouragement. One of the ways this study helps, at least from my vantage point, is the simple conversations with others in regard to where God is found in those messes. In speaking our experiences out loud, we often hear and see things we had not previously noticed.

Awaken me, Eternal God, to the ongoing incarnation of your love. Your love took on flesh in Jesus, and you continue to find ways of showing up in very real and meaningful ways amidst all life’s messes. Thank you! Amen.