Thursday, June 5, 2008

Dearest God,

I walked into the auditorium to hear the voices of my three friends – Allen, Leslie and Rene. Singing their praises to you, I reflected back some years ago.

I stood in the hallway between the choir room and narthex. “What do you think about participating in a men’s retreat?” I asked Allen. “Sounds great, but we men are just too busy. Maybe we could get away for a couple hours. But a weekend, no way. Maybe some day.”

Leslie sat in her chair at Sisters of St. Joseph in Tipton. Attending her third, fourth or fifth retreat, I watched her face when suddenly her creativity kicked in, like something coming to life that had been crying to get out for a long time. Tears sparkled in her eyes.

Rene just showed up one day needing to talk to a pastor. He sat on my couch, asked me what I believed about this and that. Searching, your voice told me, this guy’s searching.

They’ve come a long way. A long way, a pilgrim journey filled with twists and turns, heartache and questions, wanderings and wonderings. But some way, somehow, mysteriously you brought these three together. Time now is something you own and they simply step inside it each day, praying, meditating, being silent, smiling and listening for your voice. And now they are singing your praises at the IU Auditorium for our Annual Conference.

This is their story, but really it’s your story. It’s your story because you were there at the beginning. You saw it all, you set into place the beginning of a story. Then you breathed upon the idea and it all began to unfold.

I am a bystander, a friend and pastor who from time to time lived my own story, preaching, counseling, teaching, leading, befriending and during that time our lives were entwined in a way only you know. But that is because we are all caught up in your story.

You breathed your spirit upon creation and suddenly we all existed. That breath is the air we now breathe and what we do with what you have given us is our gift back. Today Allen, Rene and Leslie will breathe out, sing their devotion to you for the wonderful gift you have given them. They know this is not just their thing. They know what they are doing is exactly what you have called them to do. They know they are standing in the middle of the miracle you created.

Wondrous, Life-Giving God,
we stand
in your presence
smiling in the spirit
because to be
in your presence
is to be
joyous and filled
with hope.
We know
your voice.
We have heard
its sound
so many times before.
Sweet,
so very sweet.
It’s filled
with grace,
grace so big
that even
the cosmos itself
cannot hold it.
You have called
and called again.
Sometimes
we answered
and sometimes
we didn’t.
But when
we answered
your call,
nothing was
any sweeter,
any more magical
and mystical.
This is why
we exist.
Sweet, so sweet.

Love always, Andrea