Symbols of Resurrection
After Sunday worship a few weeks ago, I had a chat with a gentleman in our congregation. We were walking to our cars in the back parking lot, and we began to chat along the way. (By the way, he gave me permission to write about this.) At first it was just pleasant conversation, but as we drew near to our cars, the tone of our discourse changed. It’s funny how parking lot settings often open up opportunities for deep conversations. As we stood outside on a beautiful spring afternoon, he began to tell me about how the act of faithfully attending worship services at Hayes Barton for the last several months has played a transformative role in his life.
This man happens to be going through a period of time that is very difficult. He has already made many tough decisions and gone through several transitions that have led him into new territory. While his current situation is not one that he would have wanted, he has been careful to make choices that…to the best of his ability…honor all people involved. I was greatly impressed by the intentional way that he is moving through his circumstances thinking of others and taking the highest road possible. While he was speaking, I could not help but think about how different the world would be if we all sought to handle difficult events in this way.
As he began to share with me the key role that being in worship has played in his ability to walk though this time with grace, his whole demeanor changed. He grew lighter as he explained that one of the ways he chose to deal with getting through the darkness was to turn toward the light. And the way he knew to do that was to throw himself into worshipping God. I’m not sure if he knew what he was doing intellectually, but he made the best decision a human being can make when in a dark place. When he decided to be faithful in worship and to actively participate by offering his gifts in service to God, he was, in effect, moving forward into the very purpose that God created him to achieve…perfect union with God. When we worship, we receive again and again love and mercy and forgiveness from God. We are also given an opportunity to respond to these and other gifts through acts of praying and singing, through tithing and participating in the sacraments of the church. And we know that our response becomes even more vital when we go forth into the world to give out of the love and grace we have been freely given.
My friend and I had a chance to rejoice as we looked back at where he was and where he is going simply because God’s grace enabled him to connect in greater ways with God in and through worship. It was such a joyous moment. And then to top it off, as the guy left me and walked a little farther to his car…and I’m not making this up…a beautiful butterfly flew directly over his head. I was so excited that I had to chase him down to tell him what I had seen. After the beautiful witness he shared with me, a powerful symbol of resurrection and new life dipped down over his head as if to mark him for the world as one who knows the grace of God and is sharing it with the world. Beautiful, beautiful….
As Easter Sunday quickly approaches, look for signs of resurrection in your own life. In these last days of Lent, what is God calling us to pay attention to? Could it be our commitment to worship? Could it be our commitment to loving and serving the world? Blessings on you as you move intentionally through Holy Week. May you have many God moments in the days ahead.
Love, LuAnn
