Keep us from just singing

During the two days before Christmas, five families came in to receive emergency food boxes from the Community Table Food Pantry in Cornelius.  As I prepared my home for the arrival of out-of-town family, I found my heart heavy as I visited with the kind folks I met and considered what the coming days would be like for them and for others with little or no food in their homes.  I asked one woman whether her family planned to do anything special for Christmas and she responded that she would like to, "but with no work and no money, what can we do?"  This family needed food, but they also needed community, advocates, and companions on the journey.  They needed to know that God loves them.  And the church needs this family, because this family is a part of the human family, the one that is not defined by blood or borders. 

This yearly celebration of Jesus' rebirth into the world and into our lives reminds us that God is always, constantly showing up in new ways.  In humble, unexpected ways.  In counter-cultural, upside-down ways.  God is showing up in this hungry family and God also could be showing up and giving love to those who need it... through me--as improbable as that seems.  I read an article today by Shane Claiborne where he reminds us that, in the Old Testament story, God communicated to Balaam through his donkey: "Some say God spoke to Balaam through his ass and has been speaking through asses ever since." (read the excellent article here).  This makes me laugh, but is a serious reminder to me to get out there, to walk with people, to share this good news to those who need to hear it, even as I doubt my ability to have any impact.  There is still hope for me and, thankfully, God's love and grace are not limited by my human limitations! 

At Cornelius UMC, church members have committed to feeding those in the community who are hungry, and as they have given of themselves sacrificially and have walked alongside community members to do this work, small signs of transformation have emerged.  Many who came looking for assistance are now offering their gifts and time to others.  Just in December, 84 families have received emergency food boxes and 40 received special Christmas food bags.  Since the pantry opened in February, nearly 3,000 people have received food!  For the level of commitment on the part of the congregation and of community volunteers that this has required (or perhaps inspired), I am grateful and hopeful.  Thank you, God, for giving us the vision to begin this project and a spirit of love and compassion to keep it going!

With the arrival of those five families seeking food just before Christmas, I experienced a heaviness of heart.  But I also experienced a hope-filled nudge to go beyond food, to listen for how God is calling me to be present in people's lives, maybe even to be the place that God is showing up in a new way for them.

When we tire, or when the task seems too large, there is a temptation to hunker down, to stick to the comfortable, but we must continue to ask God to turn our eyes outward and to get our feet moving.  I am reminded of the song God of Justice by Tim Hughes, which leads us in asking God to "keep us from just singing."  Going to church is only one of many first steps toward being the church.  As I listen to this song right now and consider the opportunities for transformative service and relationships that lie ahead in this new year, I ask God to keep us from just singing, to move us into action.

Listen to the song here.  Here are some of the words:

Jesus, you have called us
Freely we've received now freely we will give
We must go
Live to feed the hungry, stand beside the broken
We must go
Stepping forward, keep us from just singing
Move us into action
We must go

Fill us up and send us out...

Blessings to you as we enter this new year that is full of new possibilities!
Mira