Good morning…
In the past fourteen hours, God’s voice was captured on my phone again and again and again. I will share with you three random-seeming text strings, and you too will witness the LORD’s loving presence at work among us.
Text string Number One – 7:36 pm.
“I have been noticing for the first time these big yellow balls all over the tree next to our gate,” I texted a friend the picture above. “Do you have any idea what type of tree this is? It is gorgeous!”
“I’m not sure,” she texted back. “Maybe a viburnum. I’ll look next time I come for a walk. I start my substitute teaching position tomorrow!”
“Oh, yeah!” I replied. “I hope that goes beautifully. Those kids are so lucky to have you. I will keep you tucked in my prayers, sweet friend.”
After retiring early from a valuable teaching career and walking quietly in sync with her husband through the cancer battle that ended his earthly life this summer, today my friend is having her first day of school. I absolutely love keeping in my prayers this new chapter in her healing adventure with God.
Text string Number Two – 11:45 pm.
“I’m at the ER getting checked in,” another dear friend texted four of us just before midnight. “My dog is at home and sleeping. I don’t know how long I will be here. Just a heads up. He may need to be fed and let out early if I’m not back. I’ll be back in touch.”
“Hi there,” I texted back at 12:15 am. “I just woke and am happy to help in any way. Would you like me to go over now and sleep at your house, feed and let out in the morning? I just have a walk and talk scheduled for 9:00 am.”
She and I went onto a private text string and we were able to be intimately connected in the wee hours of the night, texting back and forth with her in the ER and me at my home for an important hour. Then I went back to bed with my alarm set for 7:00 am to go over to her home if she was still at the hospital. This too is a close friend who lost her husband to cancer and the web of connectivity God orchestrates around her is astounding, refreshing, so very life-giving. I feel truly grateful to be a strong strand in the rich tapestry God is wrapping around her.
Text string Number Three – 1:24 am.
“Hey all,” wrote another friend in the middle of the night to a different inner circle text group. “I am in NYC and was supposed to fly home at 7:30 am. Flight has been delayed until 11:15 am and I am now arriving at 2:15. I am supposed to drive our friend to physical therapy at 1:00 pm. Anyone available today to take her for me?”
Right away I responded that I could not do it myself, then I returned to bed. By morning I watched in wonder as these five women wove together a web of beautiful arrangements.
“Look at God in action!” I texted back the group after waking this morning. “I am in awe of the way the Spirit moves among us to create a joyful web of support and life-giving, mutual friendship. I feel so privileged to be a part of this vibrant inner circle. Thanks for orchestrating God’s loving care so beautifully, even from afar, my friend.”
Our mutual friend also buried her husband just over a year ago. Grieving and going on with God is a difficult, deliberate daily walk.
Why do I share with you these three text strings with you? Because this is the love of our invisible God made vibrantly visible. We who seek to love others with the love of Christ all live on the very same continuum.
HELPER ———————– WITNESS
Too often we try to be a HELPER. We try to do. We try to be useful. We try to give all to all. Unfortunately, this is a formula for burnout since the focus is on us being, doing, giving.
When we shift our focus onto being a WITNESS to the love of God being woven among us, we will not exhaust our own limited resources. Instead, we will simply sit still and marvel at our God who is being, doing, and giving every ounce of every essential thing needed, day and night, night and day.
Jesus said, “Here’s the knowledge you need: you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. And you will be My witnesses, first here in Jerusalem, then beyond to Judea and Samaria, and finally to the farthest places on earth” (Acts 1:8, VOICE).
When the Holy Spirit comes on us, we become a living WITNESS to the love of the risen Christ, first here in our home, then beyond to our community, and finally to the farthest places on earth. Our only part in this powerful process is noticing, harnessing, celebrating God’s mysterious movement among us. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, [the very beginning and the very end,]” says our Lord God, “the One who is, the One who was, and the One who is coming: the All Powerful” (Revelation 1:8, VOICE).
…Sue…
