5/08/2006

Guest Epistle to the Distracted

GUEST POST: Lisa Hubbell wrote the following epistle at the spring 2006 Christian Friends Conference gathering, at which Krista Barnard did a presentation on the Epistles, and suggested participants write their own. (I'm registered for Krista's FGC Gathering workshop, Finding ourselves in the Bible. I definitely "found myself" in Lisa's epistle.) Thanks to Lisa for her permission to reprint here.

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Epistle to the Distracted
(Lisa Hubbell, 3/25/06)

Dear one:

You're not yourself lately.
I don't see the joy of the Spirit filling you up and overflowing
as it once did.

Slow down.
Take the time to drink and be refreshed at God's well,
instead of filling your body and your mind and your heart and your time
with distractions that do nothing to bring you closer to God.

Stop.
Breathe.
Remember.

Don't you know that God is always with you, always available?
Well, yes, you can say you know that.
But how often do you really feel God's presence,
really let God in,
really open yourself to letting God work on you, heal you, change you?

I know that you're afraid, that you're holding back tears,
that you sometimes feel like you're on the brink of falling apart.
Dear one, there is nothing wrong with that.
It may be the best place you could possibly be —
so close to falling into God's arms, if you would only let yourself go.

Dear one, God is calling you.
And there is joy in the surrender.
It is only your own stubborn choice
that ever leaves you carrying any burden alone.
God is standing at the door, knocking.

Listen.
Rise.
Answer.

3 comments:

Liz Opp said...

This is beautiful. Thanks for seeking permission to share it here.

Blessings,
Liz, The Good Raised Up

Mark Wutka said...

Wow, this is wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing it!
With love,
Mark

Callid said...

A note on this epistle:

I travelled to Strawberry Creek Meeting in April with my Meeting's (Rochester Monthly Meeting, NYYM) interest to hear how the Spirit was at work for Friends. While there Lisa felt Led to share the epistle with Rochester Friends, and later sent me a copy to present.

At our Meeting for Worship with a Concern for business in May I read the epistle and Friends were deeply moved. It prompted much conversation in our Meeting about our Faithfulness and our priorities.

We are all truly grateful to Lisa for her faithful service in this writing.

In the Light,
Callid