Good morning…
As I plugged in my phone before climbing into bed, her text message instantly appeared.
“Dearest Sue I have missed being in touch with you my friend,” she wrote from afar. “I don’t have a lot of time this moment because I am working on my mom’s memorial service. I have been in Jackson, Mississippi for the last three months caring for her, and she passed this Monday. Such an incredible journey. I have heard that you often use an interesting translation of scripture in your writing, and I would love to know what it is. I could look online for the passage I want, which is Ephesians 3:14 through 21.”
Before I could respond her next text came in: “I’m pretty much doing almost everything and I am so deeply tired, but so sustained by Love itself and the communion of saints and my beloved friends and family. I loved my mom more than I can possibly say. Thank you that I know your heart as you read my words. I look forward to reconnecting.”
“Hello,” I wrote back right away. “I am grateful to know of your mom’s passing. She has such beautiful smiling eyes, cheeks, and mouth. Her face looks so much like your smiling face. Sounds like you had three very meaningful months, capping off your loving lifetime together. I will look up the scripture in the Message translation and will text it to you now. I love the refreshing take of Eugene Peterson’s transformational life work of translating the whole Bible in this down-to-earth style. I will be in touch soon.”
“Thank you Sue,” she replied. “Email would be much better if you can do it. I so appreciate you responding so quickly. I’m getting things to the minister tonight and am late in doing so.”
My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.
God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.
Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes! (Ephesians 3:14-21, MSG).
“I just emailed you the Message translation of those verses two different ways,” I responded. “Let me know if you receive them.”
“Thank you, Sue,” she replied. “Yes I did get the email. Really appreciate it. I also love the New International Version. Such a great scripture.”
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (Ephesians 3:14-21, NIV).
“Yes, I love these verses in both of these translations,” I texted. “So powerful and life-giving. I am praying that these verses permeate you peacefully, mind, body, and soul, and that you feel strengthened by the wide-long-high-deep love of Christ that is at work within us right now. May family and friends surround and sustain you, up close and personally, both near and from afar.”
“Thank you beautiful soul,” she texted back. “How I have missed you. Such an interesting year for me. And this has changed me in profound ways. Appreciating you deeply.”
“My prayers for you will continue,” I promised. “When is the service? I love every moment we share.”
“This Tuesday at 2:00 pm,” confirmed her final text of the night.
Somehow I sensed that this five minute exchange between friends from afar is exactly what Eugene Peterson meant by the encouragement we uncovered last week: “Be deep-spirited friends.” (Philippians 2:1-4, MSG).
…Sue…
P.S. After writing this post, I felt compelled to check out my far away friend’s piano performance of the old beloved hymn “It Is Well.” I closed my eyes, listened to each note of the beautiful arrangement, and lifted a tearful prayer for my friend and for her mother, both souls wrapped in God’s endless love, humming in unison “It Is Well.” Enjoy her beautiful music yourself, lifting a prayer for all of your far away friends and family members. May it be well with your soul today.
P.S.S. First photo courtesy 0f Unsplash.com.
