Lent continues…
Dear First Pres SLO Family,
Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus the Messiah, the one who lived and suffered with us and for us, and who offers us rest.
Lent continues…
The world tries to convince us that everything is out of control, that we’re somehow on a runaway train that can only end in disaster. There’s plenty of evidence on its side! The conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza continue; we tense up at the thought of yet another election year; we watch with resignation as the people of Haiti suffer from another collapse of their government. It would be easy to think that we live in a world guided only by chaos—a world where evil wins out over good.
And then we remember the words of a beautiful hymn…
This is my Father's world.
Oh, let me never forget,
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
The Lent disciplines of reflection and repentance aren’t designed to keep our eyes on ourselves, they’re meant to remind us of the grace and mercy and love of God. And when we encounter God in a meaningful way, we find what the Bible calls “rest”. This kind of rest is more than a power nap or a good night’s sleep. The “rest of God” is our refuge from the unrest of the world we live in. Notice that it’s not escape, but rather a sort of time-out that allows us to renew and refresh so that we can go back out and take our places as God’s image in the world.
Henri Nouwen, in his Lent reader, Show Me The Way, said this:
“The rest of God is a deep rest of the heart that can endure even as we are surrounded by the forces of death. It is the rest that offers us the hope that our hidden, often invisible existence will become fruitful even though we cannot say how and when. It is the rest of faith that allows us to live on with a peaceful and joyful heart even when things are not getting better, even when painful situations are not resolved, even when revolutions and wars continue to disrupt the rhythm of our daily lives.”
I don’t know about you, but I struggle every day to live with a “peaceful and joyful heart”. Sometimes I convince myself that it’s just not my nature, but then I remember (and Lent helps so much with this) that I am God’s child, dearly loved, and that my identity isn’t found in money or power or accomplishments or being right, but in the simple fact that God loves me and is willing to put up with my weaknesses to show what true strength really looks like.
The rhythms of our lives will always be challenged by the events around us. The invitation to all of us—the call on all of us—is to trust in the promises of God, and to live into the true rest of God. In may take me all of the Lent seasons left in my life to scratch the surface of that, but I’m grateful for the invitation to live this life of faith.
How about you?
May the remaining days of this Lenten season give you a sense of God’s presence, an awareness of your own need, and a genuine experience of God’s rest. Easter is coming, but for now we wait.
Blessings to you and yours,
Pastor John