|
A Few Words From Pastor Bryan
And Poet John Roedel
This morning at our Morning Devotions Zoom Meeting I shared this very simple and brief poem by John Roedel.
Our Real Home
By John Roedel
our real home
is the space we hold
for one another
our hearts were
made to be havens
for the hopeless
let us give each other
a place to rest
let us give each other
a place to rest
let us give each other
a place to rest
Before I read this poem to the group I also read Jesus's well known words from Matthew 11:28; “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
One of the most "restful" things about being followers of Jesus, or simply being persons who are trying to value our connection to God and our identity as children of God above all else, is the feeling of "home" that comes from knowing that we are fully and unconditionally loved, welcomed, and received.
Pause for a moment and try to take that in on a feeling level.
In God's love, it is completely "safe" to just be who we are. We can't "blow it" with God. God's not looking for our flaws and failures. God's not trying to expose us or bust us or scold us or shame us into trying to "do or be better." God just meets us right where we are, delights in us as we are (and not as we think we "should" be), and wants us to feel at home. Exhale. Welcome to the human race. You're not perfect. Never will be. Don't have to be. Stop trying to be. Being thoroughly flawed AND completely loved all at once is how it IS for all of us.
As James Finley puts it, "God is NOT keeping a list of your flaws." God's not keeping score. God doesn't want us to have a list of improvements we think we need to make in order to be at peace. We may have a list, but God doesn't. That's Grace. Finley says, "God doesn't even want you to add getting rid of your list to your list."
Here's the amazing truth. Everything you've ever done, been through, had done to you, not done, or somehow made a mess of, is all part of what brought you right here and made you who you are at this moment in your life's journey. You couldn't have gotten "here"--to this very moment of your life--without everything you've been through that brought you here.
So take off your shoes, because the ground you are standing on is holy. Remember that when Moses had his "take off your shoes" experience with God, he was on the run after just having killed someone. That's what brought him to the burning bush. Not his own personal holiness. It was his humanness that got him to that bush.
What I'm trying to say is that this very moment is holy ground. Every moment ultimately is. Welcome to the human race. You're allowed to learn the hard way. Take a long time to "get it." Get it and lose it again. Never get it. Whatever "it" is.
Want to feel at home in your human skin? Then take this all the way in. God delights in you, just as you are. Right this moment, you are delightful.
Years ago I heard theologian and teacher Ched Myers say, "the most important thing we Christians can do for one another is encourage each other." At the time I thought that was a bit too simplistic to be the most important thing. But now I think Ched was on to something crucial.
If you have one person in your life who offers you the kind of rest that we've all been offered by God--or the closest expression of it that we humans can offer each other--then you know what John Roedel is talking about.
let us give each other
a place to rest
What a privilege and joy and blessing it is to be people who are committed to trying to help others in our lives feel at Home in our presence.
So relax. Quit trying so hard. Take your shoes off. Exhale. It's safe to just be you. YOU are delightful. Let go of all your worries and anxiety. Everything you need to face anything you'll ever have to face will be given to you. Just... rest.
Welcome Home.
Hope to see you soon,
Pastor Bryan
| 
