Living a Lover's Life

So another day of living alone,  sheltering in place and trying to live a somewhat productive life. 

I start the day with a little bit of news on TV and after 20 minutes turn it off.  It is more of the same - blaming and predicting and waiting.  The virus is here and the bottom line for me is stay home.
But the question always is - and do what?

I read Richard Rohr's daily meditation which is a reminder that we are not in control   He writes:

Learning that we are not in control situates us correctly in the universe. 
 If we are to feel at home in this world, we have to come to know that we are not steering this ship.....
.....mystics know that they are being guided, and their reliance upon that guidance is precisely what allows their journey to happen.

When I turn to today's scripture readings I remember again that YES I am being guided.  Or more accurately, I COULD  BE guided. 
There is a reading today from Paul's letter to the Philippians 1: 1-11.  He is away from them, greeting them, encouraging their faith, praying for them.  His prayer as translated in the message

So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.


So, I start this day and ponder the love of God that is present in this very room, in this home, in my soul .  God is the lover of my soul and as I live my little life, I need to receive that love.  And then, allow God  to show me the way to love even as I live here, sheltered in place.

We have some projects going in the church - sending letters to people shut in a retirement center, making masks, calling people.  I have been helping to organize this ministry and today I hope to engage in it as well - making some calls and sending some cards. (no, I am not a mask maker!).  These are strange times for all of us and it is easy to focus on our own situation.  God keeps helping me to look beyond myself .This pandemic brings us  face to the face with the reality that we are not in control but we  do have a  choice of whether to put God's love into action.

I will end this post with the prayer from Richard Rohr this morning

O Great Love, thank you for living and loving us and through us.  May all that we do flow from our deep connection with you and all beings.
Help us become a community that vulnerably shares each other's burdens and the weight of glory.
Listen to our hearts' longing for the healing of our world. Guide us  today in living a lover's life.
Knowing that you are hearing us better than we are speaking, we offer these prayers in all the holy names of God, Amen