Sermonette: Oct. 14, 2024

Our neighbors had a spontaneous gathering under the Northern Lights the other night. What wonder this world contains!! Dancing lights, rainbow colors, streaks of awe. We couldn’t look away. Harkens God’s ever-presence.

We continue with praying through Psalm 139:7-12:

Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

Sometimes it feels vulnerable, God, that you know, see, hear and perceive everything, things we don’t even know about ourselves. Past, present and future. To be known like that can feel like a tearing open, a wound. But your Word tells us your presence is love, and always love.

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

Thank you, God, for the mountain top experiences: for success, for acknowledgement, for winning, for times we really feel your presence. But thank you (maybe even more) for your presence even when we make our beds in the depths. When we mess up, hurt someone, act selfishly, say no when we should’ve said yes and say yes when we should’ve said no. No matter what, no matter where we make our bed, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.

We thank you that you have promised us, loving God, that you are with us. You have fashioned your very own love for us, chosen to be enmeshed in our lives, to keep on forgiving, to keep on knocking, keep on loving and moving and having your very being with us.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me

and the light become night around me,”

There are times we feel it’d be easier to hide away than put one foot in front of the other in this world. The world can be harsh. You aren’t fazed by this, God. You aren’t afraid of our negative feelings. You don’t take them personally. You sit with us in our darkness, and see it all perfectly clearly.

This world was harsh to you. You get it. You understood the assignment perfectly. And did it anyway.

even the darkness will not be dark to you;

the night will shine like the day,

for darkness is as light to you.

Sometimes, ever-present God, we don’t feel you. When our lives are busy, when we’re distracted, when our hearts are broken, it can be difficult to know your plan, to understand the capacity of your love. But you tell us there is nowhere you don’t see. Darkness will not, ever, overcome your love for us.