Dear Faith Family,
"And whatever you do
[everything done to make or construct your life: i.e., work],
in word or deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus
[in loyalty and in the way of Jesus],
giving thanks to God the Father through him
[acknowledging God's grace works well through Jesus]."
(Colossians 3:17)
Where do we go after Easter? After the long pilgrimage of the Lenten season has led us through the depths of our own brokenness and Christ's on our behalf. After we have remembered the weight which Jesus carried for us and witnessed the wonder of His shedding of it for us, too. Where do we go when the new day has dawned, and the celebration is over? Well, like true pilgrims, we return home, to the ordinary rhythms of living, to the relationships of work and play, prayer and rest.
Over the years, our faith family has used this time after Easter to help one another re-enter that whole and holy rhythm of Sabbathing into work and working into Sabbath, which life resurrected makes both possible and compelling. As the image above reminds us, we have developed a range of practices and resources to support our re-tuning.
At the heart of the matter, we believe that we are made, re-made even, to participate in the fullness of our days on earth by resting with God in His finished work, and joining with God in His continued work. Sabbath and Work, rest and responsibility in relationship, are what make life.
Still, as straight as the path at home may be, we have had to acknowledge our struggles in keeping step. Restless hearts are, after all, notoriously elusive, evading capture and quieting. And so, Sabbath remains foreign or feigned. Yet rest is subjective, and a holy day antiquated, so no need to lose sleep over figuring out the opening chord of creation's melody. But work, work is a different story.
Work does bring sleepless nights, along with the anxiety from its burden. Work, at least in our modern perspective, is an obstacle (even if a necessary one) keeping us from a good life. Either it is something we get through to get to what we want, or something we avoid to do what we want. However you look at it, we are caught trying to get out of work. Why is that?
If we are made to work and believe that working is fundamentally good, then why do we want to get out of work? Better yet, if we are made to work, if work is fundamentally good, what should we be getting out of work?
Those are the questions we'll be attempting to answer as we return to the ordinary rhythms of life after our journey of Bright Sadness. And, as we discovered on Sunday, it seems our generation is not the first to desire relief from our labors, nor the first to recognize that life in rhythm begins and ends with thankfulness... acknowledging that the grace of God works well.
So, as our pilgrimage makes the (re)turn home, I invite you to join me in considering and attending to where we go after Easter. Here is how:
1. (Re)Listen to Sunday's Sermon.
2. Consider: In what ways do I try to get out of work?
3. Attend: Where have I recognized God's grace working well in my work?
Love you, faith family. God bless.