Spiritually filled saints
Dear spiritually filled Saints!
We are slowly, slowly walking into our post-pandemic life. Some call it “going back to normal.” I call it going forward with the Spirit of God. Why? Because there is no way back beyond our pandemic experience. We are who we have become. Basically, we are who we are. It is what it is. And it will be, what it will be.
No, I am not just throwing platitudes at you. I am grounding those in the one name our God has used over and over again: I am who I am. I am who I was. I am who I will be. Since Hebrew doesn’t know grammatical tense God is who God is: yesterday, today, tomorrow. Which is not to be confused with believing that God therefor is unchangeable, eternally the same. That’s at least not what I believe.
I believe that God was changed after building a covenant with Noah. And with Sara and Abraham. And with Miriam and Moses. I believe that God was changed after leading the people of Israel into freedom. I believe that God was moved by Jesus’ birth and life. I believe that God was devastated watching Jesus die. I believe that God was never the same afterwards. I believe that God resurrected Jesus Christ because God had felt how final death can feel. How long 3 days can be. I believe that every brutal death, every life lost to suffering and pain, affects God, changes God.
I believe that God sent the dancing Holy Spirit to fill us with life. Daily. I believe that that’s what the church is about. To fill our world, our cities, our lives with life. With the church entrusted to be full of the joys of Spring. Which is not necessarily what people have in mind these days when talking about church.
This late Spring, I invite you to embody the joys of this world. The joys of being physically and spiritually alive. The joys of first hugs and first meals after a long season of the unknown. Yes, we don’t know what the future will bring. But we know that we will be, who we will be. And that God will be who God will be. With us.
May the Spirit be with you,
Pastor Tia!
