The Assurance of Caring Love
In the last six weeks since my family experienced the tragic loss of Sarah’s parents, I’ve heard from so many people, a great many of whom I haven’t spoken with in quite some time. We have been given food, gift cards, Christmas presents, flowers, magnolia trees (seriously, real ones that I planted a couple of weeks ago) and so much more. We even got a delivery of cookies from my favorite cookie shop of all time located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. To say we have been showered with care and prayer would be an understatement. But there is one gift that I have been trying to put my finger on…
The beauty of the Christian community is the freedom to be honest and accepting of our reality. When asked how I or we are doing, I don’t give the stock answer “fine.” I may say that today has been a good day or a bad day or share that it is still hard to believe that this has happened. The space to be honest about where we are is a space that allows us to pay attention to where we are. I haven’t felt like I have had to put on a brave face nor have I felt pressured to stay home or disengage when desiring to do something normal like having a vestry meeting or preach on Christmas Eve. The wonderful folks at Holy Spirit’s school have been so caring to our kiddos and understanding with their parents when lunches are forgotten or we show up late for school.
I feel we have been held with a gentleness and kindness and this, my friends, is the essence of living into the loving identity in which we were created. The kindness of God is a kindness that acknowledges how hard life can be sometime. God’s loving kindness is honest about this and meets us where we are. Our faith doesn’t gloss over the realities of life just to make things seem nice. Our faith says that Jesus knows what life is like and promises to walk with us the whole way offering comfort and promising hope and relief. We have been so very grateful for your kindness and graciousness. It has been an experience of God’s Spirit moving in our midst. Thanks be to God.
We love you and God loves you.