The Seventh Week of Easter: From FEAR to LIFE

STEP ONE: BREATHE

Take a deep, cleansing breath. Allow the air to fill your lungs and expand your body. Exhale and empty yourself into the room. Repeat three times - once for the one who Created you, once for the Incarnate One who walks beside you, and once for the Spirit whose life fills your being.

STEP TWO: DWELL IN WORD

“But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!””

— Matthew 14: 30

A PERSONAL STORY

About a year ago a friend shared that her cousin had died. He had lived alone. In another state.

It wasn’t his neighbors in the apartment complex who first noticed his absence but an online friend. She grew concerned by the second day of not hearing from him. She knew what city he lived in and called the police, who did a welfare check.His unexpected death was sad in itself, but for my friend and I there was a primal response to his story. It sent a shiver through us because we are single people who have lived alone most of our lives. We couldn’t help but think - That could have been me. It could have been longer than a couple days.

In my experience, people who live alone have thought through this ‘what if’ many times. From the friend who jokes that (if he died at home) he hopes his body is found before his dog gets too hungry. To another single clergy who does certain things on Saturday evening - such as climb a ladder to change an awkwardly placed lightbulb. Why? Because if she were to take a bad fall, Sunday is the one day she knows someone will come looking for her if she doesn’t show up to lead worship. To these and other stories friends have shared, I have responded, “Yes! Me too! I think/do that too!” We laugh together at the truth of it all - and make the best contingency plans we can.For all of us, single or otherwise, our sense of mortality is like being on a frozen lake. At times we feel sure and safe, confidently striding along. Until suddenly we notice how the ice is so very thin. We hear it creak and groan. On shaky legs we crouch down, spreading out our weight to improve our odds of not going through. Sometimes we back away safely from our looming mortality. Sometimes like Peter, we sink.

Then, just like Peter, we cry out, “Lord, save me!”

And Jesus does. To paraphrase Romans 14:8 - Whether we live or whether we die, we know we are the Lord’s. Whether our faith is strong or our faith is shaky, we are the Lord’s. Our Lord will reach out his hand and catch us and death will not have the final word.

STEP THREE: PRAY

Lord of the sea, the sky, and of all creation: Feed my spirit so I might live tenaciously into abundant life. Also, feed my spirit so at the last I trust you will catch me. Amen

Today’s devotion is by Pastor Meredith McGrath.