July
5, 2020
5th
Sunday after Pentecost
Zechariah
9:9-12
Psalm
145:8-14
Romans
7:15-25a
Please pray with me,
May the words of my mouth and the
meditations of all of our hearts be acceptable and suitable in your sight, O
God, our rock, our strength and our redeemer.
Amen.
Come to me all, all you that are
weary and are carrying heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn
from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your
souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my
burden is light.
Alright, raise your hand if you
are tired.
Raise your hand if you are tired
of being at home…
Or tired of meetings online…
Or tired of pandemic updates…
Or tired of hearing about racism…
Or tired of not being able to
just live like how you want to live your life…?
Now…raise your hand if your soul
is weary…
That may be a bit different…
But feel free to raise your hand
if your soul is weary because you know work still needs to happen to allow
justice for all God’s children.
Raise your hand if your soul is
weary because you have missed this gathering…and have missed being in physical
community with the Body of Christ.
Raise your hand if your soul is
weary because each day your heart is heavy with the cares and concerns for loved
ones who have been furloughed, lost jobs or had businesses close…
Raise your hand if your soul is
weary because even thought you love your family a whole stinkin’ lot, you are
ready to be around other people…
Wow.
Lots of weariness.
There is a lot going on right now
that is draining our energy, our passions, our presence, our hearts and our
souls.
Just seeing the numbers of you
who feel comfortable gathering together today speaks volumes to how our souls
are feeling right now.
They are weary.
They are tired.
They are in need of rejuvenation,
nourishment, refreshment, care, consolation, compassion…I pray that as we spend
safely distanced time together today that your souls are fed.
That you are reminded that you
are not alone in this journey, that you are not the only one feeling weary, or
tired, or ready for something new.
We, as a community, nation and
world are soul-weary.
Not just our souls…like our
bodies die and our souls go to heaven…
But our souls as our entire
beings…
These bodies + God’s breath = our
whole beings…our entire souls.
You, me, we are soul-weary.
We are longing for and have this
deep desire to be together.
You see, these bodies were built
(created) for connection and community.
You, me, we were/are created for
community…to be together.
This time apart has been tough
for our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls.
This time apart has been tough on
our entire beings.
So, isn’t it powerful and
prophetic (not pathetic) but prophetic…like out of the mouths of prophets that
in today’s gospel Jesus says,
Come to me, all you that are
weary and carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest.
Jesus says to you…and you…and
you…Jesus says to all y’all…come to me…you who are weary.
Jesus knows the struggle is real,
the call is hard and that we need rest.
Rest for our, hearts, bodies and
souls.
Jesus calls each of us to
rest. To be. To heal. To be fed. To be nourished.
In this place…this outdoor space
that has become holy ground as we gather, pray, sing and share in the Lord’s
supper…this holy space is where we are called for healing, rest and
community.
And there’s part of me, the
optimistic one…the one who put on her rose-tinted glasses this morning who
wishes we could just stop right there.
That this holy space is all that
is needed…and if we just had this back…it would be all good.
But there’s more.
Rest is hard.
Wait, what did you say Pastor
Jen?
Rest is hard?
Just ask any parent who has tried
to put a little one down for a nap….
Most don’t to go, they don’t want
to miss the action…they don’t want to stop going!
I think we live in a tricky
place.
Jesus calls us to rest, when all
we want to do is go back to the busyness of our ordinary lives…of sports,
outings, traveling, camps, work (at the office) school…you name it.
We would almost rather fill our
days with extreme busyness…the busyness we know and feel comfortable in rather
than allow our souls to rest in Christ.
Go ahead, just think on that one
for a second…
You can go back to the busyness
you know (and get wicked stressed over)
Or you can let it go…let it all
go…and rest in Christ.
It’s hard, wicked hard, to let go
of what we know…or what we think we are in control of to let Christ be present
in our lives, bodies and souls…
Rachel Held Evans wrote, “The
prophet’s voice is routinely dismissed as too critical, but she always
challenges from a place of deep love for her community.”
Let me say that again, “The
prophet’s voice is routinely dismissed as too critical, but she always
challenges from a place of deep love for her community.”
This call that we hear from
Jesus, today…is out of God’s deep love for the body of Christ, God’s community
at work in the world.
Jesus’ call –
Come to me…all y’all….you all…my
beloved…who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you
rest.
Come to me, says Jesus, I will
give you something the world cannot give…and it is something you need this
day…for your heart and soul….
Come to me, Jesus says, and I
will give you rest.
So just stop.
Stop.
Stop arguing.
Stop fighting.
Stop worrying.
Stop shouting.
Just. Stop.
Just for a moment…in this
moment…and REST!
Rest.
Because here’s the thing…this
holy space is awesome. And it is just
what I needed today…and maybe you needed it too, because the rest of the world
is continuing in its busyness…and at some point, we will jump back in. or slowly ease ourselves back in…to the call
of Christ in the world around us.
Responding out of compassion and
justice for our neighbors, friends and even our enemies.
Rest while you can…let it be
holy.
Let it be a moment or two that
fills your heart, soul and entire being.
And may that rest…shape our lives
for action in our homes, community, nation and world.
May that rest strengthen you for
service in God’s kingdom this day and all days.
May that rest be the gift that you
receive this day that you didn’t even know you needed.
May these words of Jesus be an
invitation to you this day…
Come to me all, all you that are
weary and are carrying heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn
from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your
souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my
burden is light.
And may that rest…that holy
rest…be yours this day.
And now may the peace, which
surpasses all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and let
all God’s people say, amen.
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