God with us

Matthew 10: 40-42

We are intimately linked in this harvest work. Anyone who accepts what you do, accepts me, the One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father who sent me. Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God's messenger. Accepting someone's help is as good as giving someone help. This is a large work I've called you into, but don't be overwhelmed by it. It's best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won't lose out on a thing.
(bold added by me)

These verses speak to my tense, busy places. They speak to my confusion and despair. My heart says, "Whew!" OK, take a breath. Give up trying to pack it all into one day. Again, breath. Look up. We are partnering with God.

And I love that these verses are followed so closely by Matthew 11: 28-30:

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover you life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me -- watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.

I very much want to learn to live freely and lightly. I deeply need rest. Real rest. I wonder what must be laid down. What is essential? What is unnecessary, or unhelpful, or even harmful? It is alarmingly easy for me to neglect the "getting away with God" thing. Easy to let life's demands drain me dry.

I think we do the same thing corporately. We need regular, corporate getting-away-with-God times. New Years Eve at Abbey Way we gave the kids a movie/pizza/popcorn party downstairs. Upstairs the adults held silence together. We shared lectio divina. We shared communion. For me it was like sweet rain on parched earth. Silence helps me hear. Silence helps me see. Silence teaches where words cannot reach. In silence I notice our connectedness to God and each other. Silence refreshes and restores. Silence helps makes room for the other. Silence helps me to notice what is needed and to move toward it in the way that I can. In the words of Oliver Twist, "More please."