EITHER/OR

by Pastor Steph

Lucy Davis. I just love that name. It is packed with star power, don’t you think? Say it a few times before you disagree and then tell me it doesn’t have an old Hollywood ring to it. Lucy is my best friend's daughter. I remember absolutely everything about the day she was born. I remember the absolute joy in my friend’s voice as she called to tell me the news. The newness of ten little fingers and ten little toes wrapped up in swaddling clothes with rosy red cheeks making cooing sounds is enough to make anyone smile a smile of gratitude for the gift of life.

I smiled a big smile on the other end of the line, but with a big lump in my throat and tears welling in my eyes. You see I vividly remember that day because on the same day Lucy was born, I had been sent home from the doctor’s office with the news that my pregnancy would not continue. There was no longer a detectable heartbeat. I was devasted. However, my deep sadness did not diminish the joy I felt for my lifelong friend and her family. I held two really big emotions together at the same time.

We are so preoccupied in our lives with classifying things as either/or. Either you’re with me or you're against me. Either you’re for it or you’re not. Either you’re happy or you’re sad. Standing on middle ground and living in grey areas doesn’t get much respect in an either/or world and so we march people into their respective place, either here or over there.

Today feels like an either/or kind of day, however, can I suggest that we hold our emotions and our neighbor’s emotions together at the same time. Before we dismiss people into further division, might we be reminded that it is entirely possible for two things to be true at the same time? I was overcome with joy at the arrival of Lucy Davis and at the same time I was heartbroken. Someone else’s joy doesn’t diminish your sadness and their sadness doesn’t diminish your joy. We can hold both together. It doesn’t have to be either/or.

The God I know in Jesus Christ isn’t an either/or God. Jesus holds all things together at the same time. Colossians 1:16-17 tells us, “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him, all things hold together.” He carried really big emotions with him to the cross and at the same time spoke words of truth and words of grace. Perhaps we could carry one another today and hold hope in our hearts for all the days to come.

Whether this is a day of rejoicing or a day of struggle, we are held together in Christ who is in all things and above all things. May it be so.

-- Pastor Steph

P.S.: Shown here is Lucy Davis. Happy 12th birthday, Lucy!