Into the heart of God

Once the stay-at-home orders due to COVID-19 were put in place, I transitioned from a monthly newsletter at Trinity (which was mostly a calendar/events) to a weekly newsletter through MailChimp (very user-friendly!). It's been an enjoyable outlet for my writing, a bit different from a sermon. I'll be adding them here going forward so they're searchable in the future. 

In this past Sunday's Gospel reading, Jesus tells the disciples that he is going away, but that they know the way to the place where he is going. Confused and afraid, Thomas says, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?"

As discussion swirls about how and when to open the economy, and as I read article after article about things to think about and prepare before meeting again for in-person worship, I find myself echoing Thomas' question a lot these days. There are so many competing voices! I'm eager to get back, and also concerned about the risks. There's not enough information! There's too much information! How can we know the way?

Jesus' answer to Thomas is simple - "I am the way!" You already know the way because you know me! The place that I am preparing for you is a relationship! It is the promise that you will abide with God, and that you already do.

I think Jesus' response to us is similar. While our prayers may not elicit a fool-proof, ten-step plan (as nice as that may seem!), our prayers and time spent with God do remind us that Jesus is always with us. He is with us in times of anxiety, and in times of joy. With us when we choose rightly, and wrongly. With us even when we are uncertain and undecided.

The practice of resting in this place of relationship, comfort, and God's presence is not easy.  All too often, our life of faith (and life in general!) feels like a giant maze, with one right way to go and LOTS of dead-ends to trip us up. We find ourselves filled with anxiety because we don't know the way. We are afraid to make a wrong turn, afraid to get lost, afraid that others will find the way and we'll be left behind.

Photo by Ashley Batz on Unsplash

I wonder, though, if it's more helpful, and more accurate, to think of our life of faith not like a maze, but like a labyrinth. At first glance, a labyrinth may look like a maze - but, it's not! Unlike a maze, a labyrinth has one path - you follow it into the center, and then turn around and follow it back out. No wrong turns, no dead ends, just steady turns leading you forward. And, while a maze is often thought of as a race to the exit, the focal point of a labyrinth is its center, where you rest and breathe before turning outward to follow the path again.

In our life of faith, we know the way to the heart of God because we know Jesus - he's the way! Jesus journeys with us to that place of relationship, love, grace, rest, and peace. We don't need to earn our place there, or worry about being kicked out for not being or doing enough. We can take our time, breathe deeply, sink into that embrace. Then, strengthened by God's presence with us and filled with God's grace, we journey again out into the world.

We don't know all the answers, and we don't always know the best path forward, but we do know the way - Jesus! He is with us through whatever comes, and brings us with him again and again into the heart of God.