Sent Different Ways

“So Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you."  John 20:21

We filmed our service tonight in our Sanctuary for it to broadcast on WAPT and livestream on Sunday, and I wasn’t prepared for how incredibly emotional it would be. An ensemble of our choir was leading us in “Jesus Remember Me” as a call to prayer, and I had to drop to my knees for a moment totally overwhelmed with the movement of God’s spirit and the weight of singing those words in the midst of so much suffering in our world. Tears welled up in my eyes. I truly wasn’t sure how I would be able to pray out loud. 

I know my tendency is to overthink and over function and push back my own emotions. I’m an enneagram seven who reframes and generally spends my emotional energy on the positive side of feelings. In that moment, I was feeling them all in a very raw and authentic way. I have no idea if it would have happened in the same way had the Sanctuary been full of people. I’ll never know.

But I needed the liturgy tonight; I needed other voices to sing when mine was trembling; I needed to sit still in a pew and worship; I desperately needed to connect with God in a real way tonight.

I’m thankful for a God who met me in a new kind of community tonight. As we scramble to learn and use new technology and handle the logistics of the monumental shifts of every area of life to come together and save lives and allow our health care systems to respond, may we find respite, peace, hope and joy in being present to what we are feeling and allowing God’s spirit to meet us in the midst of all of our mess. 

Peace be with you friends!  Jesus is speaking those words over us as we seek to be #sent into the world in different ways. For some of us right now that means being present to our loved ones and caring for our neighbors by staying home. For many of our health care workers, essential businesses, and first responders, it means using your skills and expertise for the common good. For our elected officials and those in positions of influence, it is impacting our policies on a broader level to protect the most vulnerable and care for our entire society. Allow God’s spirit to meet you where you are right now and fill your cup that you can be sent to serve.