Welcome to the third week of Advent! This week’s theme for our Sunday morning is Embracing the Darkness: Rest.
Today’s Readings: Numbers 6:24-26, Matthew 11:28-30
This morning I received a call at 3:50am telling me that the world lost a great man. Today we especially remember Rod Bixler. His family was gathered around him as he stepped into his next journey. When I saw him on Thursday evening at OHSU, I asked Rod what we should pray for and his response was “to go home.” So that is what we prayed for. Rod made it to his house yesterday afternoon and then went home this morning….
Today we are moving to more positive aspects of darkness when we talk about rest. In the darkness we tend to lay our burdens down and cuddle up for a while. When I woke up this morning I couldn’t help but think that Rod, in the middle of a dark morning, finally got to rest. After much fighting, much pain, much suffering against sickness now gets to rest.
While not all of us are on that scale of rest, it may be time to let down our guards and allow rest to come….allow a moment for God to seep in and cuddle us once more.
Sweet Darkness by David Whyte
the world is tired also.
no part of the world can find you.
where the night has eyes
to recognize its own.
you are not beyond love.
tonight.
further than you can see.
the world was made to be free in.
except the one to which you belong.
confinement of your aloneness
to learn
that does not bring you alive
C
Living in Violet 