May 18, 2020

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

I watched a recent reflection by Nadia Bolz-Weber, a Lutheran pastor, author, and theologian, telling of her struggle with waiting today. She, like many of us, grows weary with waiting and watching and wondering: waiting to feel safe, watching for evidence that things are getting better, and perhaps wondering about what our “new normal” may be.

But she also wonders if perhaps this waiting time is a chance for us all to recalibrate — to recalibrate by refusing to set our hearts on a specific timeframe or event in the future when all will be “back to normal” or by intentionally stepping away from focusing on fears about the future. Perhaps this is the time to simply lean into Jesus’ words to stop worrying because today has troubles enough. A link to her FaceBook video is here: https://www.facebook.com/sarcasticlutheran/videos/263023411507212/

I’d like to suggest that one way to recalibrate is to take the time to stop and pray. And I want to share that I almost always begin my own prayers with praise and thanksgiving.

-     Praise, by offering my prayer to Almighty God, acknowledging our ever-present and ever-loving God.

-     And giving thanks for God’s many blessings. And yes, I really do mean listing at least a few of those things I’m thankful for . . . thanks for God’s creation; for family and friends and relationships; for this community of faith; and the gift of life and love.

And then I do ask God about everything else — for help and assistance and guidance — all those things that can feel heavy in my heart and mind. But by starting prayer with praise and thanksgiving, I too can begin to recalibrate, to trust, and to rest. For it’s in praise and thanksgiving that I begin to recognize that not only God is present, but that I do actually have enough, for God is good. 

We are all on a journey, a lifelong journey, where we will have times like these that challenge us and our faith because of life’s hard reality. But we will prevail, for God’s power of love has created us to be resilient, creative, and kind . . . and even in trying times, we can have good humor!  For God is with us —  here in our present and is already waiting for us, in our future.

Be present. Try not to worry. Rest in God, lifting up your prayers. And if you’re not doing it already, do consider beginning your daily prayers with praise and thanksgiving!

Blessings,

Mother Bonnie+ 

The Center for Racial Healing is hosting a series of free webinars via Zoom, beginning this afternoon, Tuesday 5/18. 

This series, titled, A Cry to God Together: Lament in the Midst of COVID-19 focuses on our public crying out to God in the face of the current pandemic. The first session will define what lament is, and why it is important. Each session will include an opportunity for Q&A.

I hope you have an opportunity to participate in this new series!