Before All the Sunday Things

 

I'm awake too early on a Sunday morning, but in a good way.
Enjoying the quiet and feeling the gentle invitation to be still.

Soon the delight of all the Sunday things will begin. And this morning is especially fun because the Team that visited Hot Springs last November gets to tell our stories.

But right now I've made a cup of tea and have tucked myself back in bed to see what might come of the stillness.

For whatever reason a word comes to mind. "Imagine." And I sip on that for a bit, remembering something Paul wrote to inspire the Ephesians that has so often inspired me.

It's at the end of a prayer, so it has all the flourish of doxology.

"Now to him to is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
Ephesians 3:20

What a gift it is to be able to create scenarios that haven't happened yet. To dream, to desire, to innovate. To reach beyond today's realities into tomorrow's possibilities. I think this is one way we do indeed bear the image of God.

I hold the morning's stillness a little longer to imaginatively explore some possibilities I believe God has been presenting to me over these past months. Nothing that takes me away from all the good things I get to do in this era of my life, not at all. Maybe deeper, distilled, refined. I'm not sure. I have to think about it more, pray about it more, see where it goes. Imagine stuff. And let Him do more with it.

But not in a working sort of way, where I'm laying out strategies, or tasks and timelines. Not in this moment anyways. Right now, it's more of an enjoying-a-bonus-early-quiet-moment-letting-God-do-His-stuff sort of thing. A begin-still sort of thing.

Hope you can imagine good things for your Sunday.
If you gather anywhere to worship today, hope it's meaningful and reorienting.
And if you happen to be at Highview this morning, see you then.