God is (T)here!
Yesterday I sat in my office at the nursing home towards the end of the day I had the chance to chat with the daughter of a resident. I had grown close to this resident, and this week the resident passed away. Her daughter had been in that day collecting items and preparing to empty her mom's apartment; and she stopped in to thank me for helping out her mom. (Mom having struggled with bi-polar disorder and all that that entails)
During our chat the daughter was thanking me for being part of her moms life and bringing her comfort. All very nice compliments, but I had to thank her as well for the honor I had to be part of her mom's life; truly we were both better for our relationship. That's the great part of chaplaincy, you get to share in people's spiritual and life journeys, however brief that walk together may be.
That's kind of what Lent is about. Yes, its a time to remember that we are created beings. To remember that we are flawed beings. That we are beings attempting to live up to Christ's standard. AND we are loved. We are redeemed.
Lent is a time for personal introspection and personal spiritual fine tuning. BUT we get to do it together! We're told to do it together.(Romans 12, Galatians 6) Where ever two or more are gathered, I am there among them. (Matt 18:20) We are meant to walk together. It's in our spiritual DNA. For in our shared experience, God is there!
"5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.....8 Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you."-Philippians 4:5,8-9
During our chat the daughter was thanking me for being part of her moms life and bringing her comfort. All very nice compliments, but I had to thank her as well for the honor I had to be part of her mom's life; truly we were both better for our relationship. That's the great part of chaplaincy, you get to share in people's spiritual and life journeys, however brief that walk together may be.
That's kind of what Lent is about. Yes, its a time to remember that we are created beings. To remember that we are flawed beings. That we are beings attempting to live up to Christ's standard. AND we are loved. We are redeemed.
Lent is a time for personal introspection and personal spiritual fine tuning. BUT we get to do it together! We're told to do it together.(Romans 12, Galatians 6) Where ever two or more are gathered, I am there among them. (Matt 18:20) We are meant to walk together. It's in our spiritual DNA. For in our shared experience, God is there!
"5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.....8 Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you."-Philippians 4:5,8-9
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