Reminded

One Sunday morning some time ago, I recall standing in the greeting line after worship, waiting to shake the minister's hand. The youth pastor had delivered a particularly fine sermon and I wanted her to know my appreciation. True, it was a simple message about the divine love and comfort available to all through Jesus Christ, but she had crafted an engaging discourse and delivered it with ease and comfort. Her words had captivated my attention and she had wrapped it all up beautifully with a heart-tugging vignette that had touched me. When it came my turn to speak, I praised her sermon and thanked her for the way she gave it. Her reply caught me off-guard: "You know, we all need to be reminded every now and then." I agreed, then turned, a bit stunned, and walked away.

Reminded? Of what? She had missed my compliment completely, yet I suspected I had missed the true message of her sermon. Reminded? What did she mean, reminded? I mulled over everything I could remember about her homily, the stories she told, the connections she pointed out. Reminded? What, of God's love? But of course, it finally became obvious. His love is amazing, literally too good to be true. And at our best, we simply try to be in its presence, to let it wash over us and bleach our sins away. But those times are far too few and we more often shield our wounds from God's forgiving grace, the very thing that heals them. So good are our defenses that ministers have to catch us in an unprotected moment to get us to accept once again that His love surrounds us. Wouldn't it be wonderful if that reminder could be given over and over, without it growing stale and powerless?

Every Lent, the opportunity to be reminded is offered once again. Not necessarily from the pulpit or the lectionary, but from the Holy Spirit speaking through the practices we choose to adopt for the season. Seen in this way, the question of what practice to undertake is transformed into what is the best way to listen to the Holy Spirit's whisperings? Or maybe it becomes how best to get in touch with the Holy Spirit's nudging? Or perhaps it changes into what viewpoint aligns best with the vision of the Holy Spirit? Regardless of how it is sensed, moving closer to the Holy Spirit is the promise that drives the Lenten journey and infuses meaning into otherwise useless activities. And seeking this unity in all its various forms, is the highest aspiration of all believers, especially as Eastertide approaches.

May God remind you of His love for you as you reach for Him this Lent.