Okay, I don’t like my subject line, but having 2 boys sleeping at the same time isn’t going to last much longer, and I want to get this out so…
When we were at our mission agency’s retreat several weeks ago, we closed the time with communion. Then one of our missionaries had us stand in two circles facing one another. We then were to look into the face of the person in front of us and repeat the blessing from Numbers 6:
24 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
We were to do this 3 times – hearing a line and repeating it and then taking a step and doing it again to another person. The first time I thought, “Cool. And, wow, this is noisy and kind of distracting.” The second time, “Um…staring into an older dude’s eyes and saying this is making me a little uncomfortable, yo.” Then the third time: “The Lord bless you and keep you blah blah”
Then BAM.
As I looked into this dear lady’s eyes, I don’t know what happened exactly but there was something about her sweet, unassuming smile and intense love in her eyes that overwhelmed me. I went from droning to being literally overcome with emotion and couldn’t get the last two lines out. I couldn’t speak and stood there crying like a sap. A sap who felt so accepted. So loved.
There were lots of wonderful things about the retreat – times alone, times napping, times chatting and laughing with friends, times in nature. Yet this moment is when I sensed God’s love for me in a powerful way in the face of my colleague.
Perhaps not always in such physical or extreme ways, but this experience reminded me why life/ministry/mission together is important. I wouldn’t have had this moment if I was just listening to podcast sermons while doing dishes. Being around others is where we see and interact with the Body of Christ – his arms, legs, kidneys, hands, and beautiful, accepting, loving eyes
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Originally posted on Adair Update... http://bit.ly/28JsB7L
