Jesus is clear.

No matter what we do or how far we wander, God never stops looking for us, not to punish us but to love us.

When I called out in hte night, disabled by injury, my mom was there.

So it is when we feel held back by our fear, the weariness of our struggle, the weight of our sadness, or the shame that is like breath to us, God is there.

Sometimes we can see the results of our work.

Sometimes we can see that the work just isn't working.

Sometimes we can't see anything at all.

In all of these things, we are called to be faithful.

Paul wrote that we should bear one another's burdens. 

Sometimes it can be hard to let someone else know that we're carrying burdens, much less to let them help us.

When his business boomed he didn't bother to ask any question deeper than how he could protect all of his money.

Jesus reminds us that the intentionality of faith extends to all parts of our lives. 

Today's devotion is completely different from the one that I wrote years ago in Strugglers, Stragglers and Seekers. Back then I was reflecting what I'd always been told about the David and Bathsheba story.

Today I heard with fresh ears.

Maybe it wasn't a love story.

Were God’s hands gnarled as they held the knitting needles?

We are known right well.

We are loved right deep.

We are held in grace-fused love, right now and forever.

When asked about the way to eternal life, Jesus didn't offer up any kind of prescribed prayer. Instead, he pointed to the path of loving God and loving neighbor.

And that's where it gets sticky.

I was beyond exhausted, and didn't see any way I could lead the retreat that started that evening.

But maybe it wasn't all up to me.