Pray in the Holy Spirit

"But you, beloved, must remember the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; for they said to you, ‘In the last time there will be scoffers, indulging their own ungodly lusts.’ It is these worldly people, devoid of the Spirit, who are causing divisions. But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on some who are wavering; save others by snatching them out of the fire; and have mercy on still others with fear, hating even the tunic defiled by their bodies.

Now to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and for ever. Amen." 

Jude 1:17-25

Our calling as humankind is to be in community with other humankind.  Which is not always kind.  We not only are called to be in the midst of others but to intentionally create community together.  Whether it be a work environment, a neighborhood, a sports team connection, a school connection, a hobby or volunteer connection and hopefully a church connection.  It is only when we live in community together having to love one another as Jesus loved us that we begin to understand fully who we are and who we are not.

Plain and simple we are sinners, we are not perfect and we certainly are not God.  We stumble around in the dark knocking into things and people, breaking things and hearts, bruising ourselves and others.  Every single moment we breathe we are making a choice to live and we either use that breath to bless or to curse.  Every single action we commit has consequences, good action has good consequence and bad action has bad consequence.  The ripple effect is beyond our own limited imagination.

You see it on the news every day - more the stories of those who have been unloved, ignored, disrespected, ill treated, abused, oppressed, afflicted, victimized with terror.  The ramifications can be devastating.  It isn't until the shocking happens that we sit back and ponder why?  The media generally finds a finger to point - if so and so hadn't, if this group would have.  But do we ever grab a mirror and examine our own conscience?  What if I hadn't, what if I would have?

Less of what we see are the positive choices and the everyday heroes.  I spent a portion of my sabbath morning at the county's homeless shelters yesterday.  Amazing work is being done there.  Facilities for a drop in day shelter, an emergency cold weather shelter, an emergency 89 day shelter, a transitional shelter on-site and off-site.  Access to case workers and every program the county, state and federal government offer alongside all the non-profit programs.  Most of the programs are sustained by a very small staff and countless volunteers.  These people put so much time, effort and heart into their work.  Providing dignity and respect for every single person who walks in the door. 

And yet - how many people in my community even know this exists?  How many people realize that the needs continue to grow and the resources continue to dwindle and while no one wants to turn anyone away, sometimes it has to be done.  And how many people do not reach out for help because the indignity of being homeless itself is too much for them to reach out further. 

The need has increased rapidly this close to Christmas.  It does every year.  It's cold.  People see this artificial display of joy and abundance the media and advertisers display and they begin to covet the life in the commercial.  My friends, the commercial isn't real.  Real community knows this.  Real community deals with what is instead of what has been or might be.  What is your life today?  What is your reality?  Who do you turn to share your reality, your joy and your grief, your abundance and your struggle?  Who has your back?

This heightened time of year, this stress to be the "perfect" family and for everyone to "love" each other like a hallmark card is dangerous to real families and people.  People begin to lash out angry words to one another, to behave in response with careless acts that break hearts deeper or with violence that violates safety and destroys trust.  People begin to turn to alcohol, drugs, random sexual encounters, working overtime, shopping to the point of being in debt, eating too much, exercising too much, binging, purging, hoarding - you name it, I could go on and on.  We each have our own shadow of despair that we turn to when our reality crashes our dream life.

Where is Jesus in this?  Did God himself humble himself the point of taking on human flesh so that we might destroy each other?  Is this what Jesus taught us while he was physically present with us?  NO!

"But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on some who are wavering; save others by snatching them out of the fire; and have mercy on still others with fear, hating even the tunic defiled by their bodies."

It is okay to struggle, it is okay to hurt, it is okay to cry and beg for mercy.  It is okay to ask for what you need.  Pray, pray, pray.  But be careful of that slippery slope where you allow the world to dictate what you "should" feel, what you "should" do, who you "should" be.  You are created by God for a greater calling than just this earthly life.  Turn first to your Father in Heaven.  You will find the love you desire and the guidance and help you need.  I didn't say "want", I said "need".  God has set you apart for so much more than you can even fathom that your answered prayers may not even make sense to you, but they make perfect sense to the One who created, redeemed and loves you still.

Take a breath, make a choice.  Live with intention instead of reaction.  Imagine the ripple you create as you walk and talk through this world each moment.  What would your ripple look like if you could take a picture of it?  And what happens when you allow Grace to drop into your ripple?  What do you imagine God is thinking as he watches your ripple explode through this life, is it washing into people and lifting them up towards Him or are you drowning people in your thoughts, words and deeds? 

Go in peace today my friends to love and serve the Lord - start at home, with your own family, sometimes the hardest ones to love with the grace of God are those who are closest to you.  Practice forgiveness, humility, faith, hope and above all love.  Watch your ripple.