The Dark and the Cold

Each Sunday morning since May or June, I have come out to the church to my office to review, revise, and practice my sermon. The common theme across each of these Sunday mornings is the dark and the dawn. Because my church office window faces east, I experience the rising sun as it pierces and breaks apart the darkness. During the spring and summer months, the sun comes with exciting potential, warmth, and life. But once the autumn months came in, the darkness became weightier and more burden-some as the day shortens significantly and the sun seems to be waiting longer and longer to provide its energy. As we approach the new year, I often experience the dawn as I’m driving back home to prepare my body as I have prepared my mind and heart. What also comes with these longer stretches of darkness over late fall and winter is the biting cold, the aggressive winds, and hazardous snow/sleet/ice storms, not that I hadn’t experienced these in Illinois.

As we walk together into 2022, what is this new year’s dawn bringing to you as potential, warmth, and life? As we continue to imagine together on Sunday mornings, what has God been instilling in your heart, mind, and body as we make this road together in the way and will of Jesus? In the midst of the wind, snow, cold, and dark, what have you found to anchor you when these elements are most overwhelming? COVID continues to stretch our limits as I hear of Christmas family conversations and concerns about gathering together. What other pieces of your life and experience are swirling around with COVID? I pray that wherever you find yourself, you hear these words of Jesus shattering the wind, soothing the bitter cold, and anchoring you in love: “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Put My yoke upon your shoulders—it might appear heavy at first, but it is perfectly fitted to your curves. Learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. When you are yoked to Me, your weary souls will find rest.  For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).