faith and family | february 2020

“We speak the good news to each other. And we become the good news to each other.”  - Tish Warren

While reading Chapter Nine in Liturgy of the Ordinary, I was again reminded that I don’t really enjoy or make the time to connect with people I do not often see over the phone. I’ve made it a “New Year’s resolution” to strengthen those relationships separated by physical distance by reaching out to them over the phone so many times (and failed), but lately, I’ve tried to view it as more of a mission – How can I love this person better? What questions can I ask about their life? How can I specifically be praying for them? The times I actually enjoy talking on the phone more are when I stop and recognize it’s not always about how it makes me feel – sometimes the other person needs to talk more than I do. And sometimes I need that friend to ask me those questions. We all want to be heard and loved.  God designed us to live in community. It has been a slow process, stretching me outside of my comfort zone, and, thanks to Tish, I’m making it a priority to call friends, both near and far, more. 

In her chapter, “Calling a Friend”, Tish compares Christian friendships to that of a responsive prayer or reading in the church. When we call a close friend to catch up and talk, we are confessing our daily lives to each other – our hopes, joys, sorrows, struggles, successes, worries, doubts and fears. We are having a back and forth conversation with a friend, who loves us and wants to meet us where we are and comfort us, hold us accountable, or lovingly challenge us when needed – just like the church should be doing for its body of believers – and just like God does for us. 

When we participate in worship with a body of believers, Rev. Canon Mary Maggard Hays says, “We aren’t just conversing with each other when we recite the Psalms antiphonally or responsively. We are talking to God, too. Reminding one another and God of His promises and our complaints. We are witnessing one another’s cries for help and reminding God that we are in this together.” Isn’t that what true friendship is meant to be like? Going through the journey of life with friends who help you up if you fall, carry your backpack when it gets too heavy, help clean your wounds when you fall and get hurt, celebrate when you reach a milestone, no matter how small, and rejoice when you finish the race! 

God designed his people to have individual personal relationships with Him and also to belong to a body of believers, His church, to worship as a holy community. Tish states “We profoundly need each other. We are immersed in the Christian life together. There is no merely private faith – everything we are and do as individuals affects the church community; Our own small stories are wrapped up in the story of all believers throughout time, which are together part of the eternal story of Christ.”

Although Jesus was spotless, perfect and whole, His church is currently blemished and broken. Just like friendships, the church is not perfect. We hurt each other and have to seek forgiveness. We put others down only to feel better about ourselves. We live for ourselves and our needs, rather than living in a holy fraternity of believers in a sacred bond formed by Christ’s suffering and death on the cross. As Tish Warren says, “In the sin and failure of the church, we see the darkness and ugliness for which Christ suffered and died. But we also see the spectacular hope that in the midst of sinners, God can bring forth redemption, repentance, and transformation. We gaze in weakness with dim eyes, on the power of God.”

1 Corinthians 12:12 and 14 states “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.” We are not meant to live a life without community, fellowship, unity and friends. Praise God for that! So, the next time you call a friend to catch up, I hope you remember the beautiful family and community of believers you belong to as part of the body of Christ.

Now what?!

• Pick up the phone and call a friend, or two or three! Ask about their life, family, friends -whatever you can think of! Tell them how thankful you are for the way they love and encourage you and how God has used them in your life. 

• Don’t forget your kid(s)! Let this month of love encourage you to pray with and for your child(ren) and don’t forget to write them love notes. 

Invite a friend to church this week, or attend a church if you aren’t currently going anywhere. First Presbyterian Church of Orlando Sunday services: Genesis (contemporary) – 8:45am and Traditional – 11:05am. I would love to see you at the 8:45am Genesis service!

Layne Spears, WDS Adivisory Board