Embodying Joy
There have been many moments in my ministry where I wish I had the recipe for a miracle pill that could make someone’s life better, something that could take away their sorrow, their anxiety or their chronic pain. I wish I had the physical healing powers of Jesus, but It just doesn’t work that way. So how does it work? How does God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit work? Last Sunday we heard Isaiah’s vision of the stump of Jesse and the shoot that grows out of the stump. Unlike past years, for some reason this year the image is causing me to ruminate and reflect a lot. If the stump represents the world’s despair, oppression, or spiritual barrenness, then the shoot, according to Isaiah, is Christ and God’s surprising and tender renewal of hope and love that can grow out of what looks dead. As people of faith we believe that with God, life can grow again, as we are fond of saying “in death there is a resurrection”.
When we see a stump in the ground, we know that either the tree fell over or it was cut down. The tree that was once tall in stature has been reduced with only a small remainder of wood as a sign of what once was. As I read the scripture again I began to see the tree as the hierarchy of society, and wondered to myself, maybe God is trying to help us destroy the hierarchy that divides people in order for God’s vision of the world to grow. Sometimes the only way to see the light is to take down what once was. Isaiah proclaims, “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of its roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him - the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.” What is important to remember is that this starts from a place of vulnerability and innocence. The childlike spirit of curiosity is what helps it to grow. I think that God is asking us to be curious, to be curious about the person sitting next to us in the pew. To be curious about the person who is standing near to us at a social gathering.
I think what this image is inviting us to remember is that in moments of anxiety, grief, or uncertainty, we need to trust that renewal is already stirring beneath the surface. It is God’s spirit that can bring green shoots of hope out of the most barren ground. I was feeling creatively barren the other day, so I decided to take a break and listen to some music. It only took about 10 minutes before an idea emerged. This is how God works. God’s spirit is at work in the care that I have seen people express for people who are struggling. I have witnessed people offer others clothes and food, words of encouragement and gratitude. I was delighted to see the white gifts coming forward and the people who attend Koinonia packing them up and delivering them to the Bissell Centre. People are reaching out and offering to help with the extra events and services that R-W is hosting. And then there was the R-W Christmas Party! What a delight to see people who are new and people who have been here their wholes lives, coming together and feasting and having fun, while ensuring that anyone who wanted to attend could. I am filled with hope, peace and joy! I think what Isaiah is trying to tell me, is that when I open myself up to others opportunities of healing, connect and transformation happen with God as our helper. So remember when it appears that all hope is lost, or you seem something or a part of something that seems to have come to an end, remember that new life will emerge and the light will shine as a beacon of hope and possibility. Where is hope springing up around you? How can you bring joy in a compassionate way to someone who is struggling. If all you can offer are these few words, then I hope you do “I am here with you.”
Blessings, Rev. Karen