Learning the Unforced Rhythms of Grace

I am praying as I do every Saturday, for the laity and clergy of the Mountain Sky Conference as we continue to learn how to gather as the Body of Christ in new ways as we seek to reduce the impact of the coronavirus in our communities.

I want to thank you all for the ways you have been discovering how to worship together even when we aren’t able to be physically present with one another and continue in mission and ministry together. Our lives have been abruptly disrupted as we seek to lower the rate of infection of the coronavirus so we don’t overload our health care system.

In the last week, schools have closed, many business are having employees work remotely from home, in-restaurant dining has closed, we are being advised not to gather in groups larger than ten, and we are practicing physical distancing. So much change, so quickly. It is dizzying as we learn new ways of working, being with our children, and maintaining relationships. I don’t know about you, but I feel as if we just crammed several years of living into a single week.

This disorientation is exhausting. How do we regain our balance in these days we are living?

In Matthew 11:28-30 in the Message version, Jesus says:  “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

This has been the scripture that has guided me all week, as I adjusted to life and work at home—I hope it can be helpful to you, too, as we reorder our life during this pandemic. Sink into your spiritual disciplines and find Jesus beckoning to you: keep company with me and you’ll learn how to live freely and lightly. 

May you find yourself learning the unforced rhythms of grace. Slowing down to see where God is in all this, offering you rest and new life. May you discover the ways grace has always been breaking into your life but you’ve been too busy to notice. May this grace help you find balance as you walk and work with Jesus so that in this time of disruption, you might recover your life more fully and completely.

Take care, precious servants of God, we need you.