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Transcript of Sermon follows:
his sermon is about how and abides in our suffering with Love. I hope it blesses you.
First I want to thank Karin, my running buddy and camera woman today. We have run countless miles together in every season and weather and terrain. Usually, we prefer the forest.
It is to the forest I turned this week when I realized I had over-zoomed my little heart. I took on the many important decisions and the changing instructions and the pervasive ambient fear. Every time I crawl cautiously out from under the covers I feel as if I am stepping into an inescapable and twisted festival of doom.
There came a morning when my brain refused to make one more choice except to come to the forest. I wasn’t sure I could muster the inner sparkle to pull on my socks and shoes and even drive out here to Harrod’s Creek, let alone receive what the trail had to offer me.
It’s rocky in some places but the elevation is manageable. It’s a friendly path most ambulatory people can make in about an hour or more. Today, the path is muddy and I am always prepared for a fall. Karin has seen me fall plenty of times. She usually runs ahead and clears the spiderwebs off the path.
Back to my epiphany. I arrived here on empty. The moment I entered the trail head I felt the grace come upon me and fill me. Grace had been waiting for me to push ‘exit’ on the keyboard and simply come. I was even able to run which surprised me after so much sitting. And when I reached here, at 1.34 miles into the run, (Karin wears the GPS), this tree caught my eye.
Now, I have passed this tree dozens of times but that day it stopped in me in my tracks. See how it is almost half eaten up on this side. Woodpeckers and other varmints have feasted on it. It has nourished them until it looks just about empty. But when I turned back to look more closely and saw this other side I was shocked. The other side is complete, whole, intact. And looking up see branches growing leaves as if it is healthy and productive. How could God let this tree get eaten alive? Did the tree let the creatures eat it alive? Why aren’t all the other trees eaten up like this? Why this tree?
A dread came upon me. Not like the shadows of gloom cast by too much media consumption. No, this dread was a holy reverence and a humility to the not-knowing. I don’t know why this tree is this way. If there is an arborist out there, please comment. I just know that I felt the presence of God in this place with the way this tree — seen before — became seen for the first time.
The forest continues to give grace. Avail yourself of wherever “forest” is for you. Grace waits upon you to receive it’s many gifts. Behold this gift: a tree worth turning back to appreciate. This tree draws forth this prayer from me:
For all that has been consumed and lost, Lord hear our prayer.
For all that holds fast with resilience, Lord hear our prayer.
For all that continues to put forth life in the midst of death, Lord hear our prayer.
Jesus tell his disciples in the gospel of John, Love me and I will love you and reveal myself to you. Dragging my tired heart and mind into the grace the forest prepared for me was an act of love — towards myself. The love was overdue and sorely needed. And Love revealed the Jesus who made the who made the world and everything in it — ‘he who is Lord of heaven and earth’ as Peter preaches. And that revelation — that the God who made the world LOVES the world — I share with you.
God is love and is here for the loving. Love God and let God love you. Find your forest and go in. Get that grace and share it. God’s love is abundant (whole side) even in what feels like scarcity (eaten side). Amen.
