This month my discipline has been engaging in worship more fully. At Country Club Christian Church this past week we reflected on many things, one of them being how a heart broken may be a heart open enough to give and receive love. My favorite poet, Mary Oliver, wrote “Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting over and over announcing your place in the family of things.” I don’t like “failing” and my heart breaking feels like failure. Worship caused me to wonder how my “failures” have allowed me to embrace a new way of being? The relationship that ended, the community that rejected me, the days that I feel like I’m the only one who is lost are quite possibly the moments where God’s love is offering ” itself to our imaginations.”
It was Jesus who showed us that love conquers death, and that new life requires the death of an old one. Love is continually calling us forward, continually luring us to lives that are open to possibility….but first we must be still and embrace the moments of brokenness. We are in Lent preparing not only to embrace the story of Easter and resurrection, but also the story of Good Friday and a dream and life broken. We must enter and embrace brokenness if we are to embrace the new life that emerges. God doesn’t cause pain to teach, but God does reach into our pain and brokenness and guide us to new life. If we stay still and listen in our moments of brokenness we may hear our new “place in the family of things.” May we all have the wisdom to listen, and the courage to embrace what emerges.
Blessings,
Justin
