When the way goes through death valley
“Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life.” Ps. 23: 6a
Middle Church Family–near and far–what a blessing it is to address you this morning!
I am new here. I am moved beyond words by the spirit of you Middle people—the spirit in your song, in your story, in your rising from the ashes.
I got to say, friends, it’s been a rough week. More than I’d like to admit, I find myself waking up in the middle of the night. As the hounds of my own and this world’s hell chase my soul, I pray, grasping for God’s love like for the last finger of a hand offering rescue at the edge of a cliff or the lip of a boat.
And so when I read Psalm 23, I feel two things. One is: What’s wrong with me? How is it that the voice that has brought forth this testimony is so secure in their blessedness?
But the other thing that I feel is reminded, tapped on the shoulder by a fellow traveler, a spiritual bedfellow who rolls over as I thrash at night and says: Baby, God’s got you.
In a month, my youngest child leaves for college for the first time. My husband is traveling this week and so she is sleeping in our bed as she did when she was 3. Early this morning, when I could not sleep, it was her face by my side that I gazed upon with wonder, with gratitude, with hope, with the ridiculous prayer that God bless and keep her.
Middle family, in the face of maddening violence, of the rise of hate, of record heat that promises only to get hotter, may we be that community, that chosen family, that sanctuary that testifies to God’s presence by our side. May we serve each other and all who are hungry 6-course meals (read the Message Bible translation - it’s delicious!). May we fill each other’s cups to the brim, reviving one another’s drooping heads. May we love one another such that it is our love—God’s love embodied in our love for one another—that chases after our souls in the dead of night and bewildering living of these days. May we be the house of God for one another for the rest of our lives.
Come this Sunday and join me in meditating on this beautiful Psalm, sung through the sermon, either digitally at our 11:45 AM worship or in-person at Judson Memorial Church at 3 PM.
God bless and keep you, Middle, and thank you for blessing and keeping me,
Macky Alston
Executive Minister for Operations and Chief of Staff
My husband Lloyd and I cannot tell you how much we love and admire you Rev. Jacquie. Your passion, Joy, peace and love that you give to your Community and to the hearts that read your words of hope, peace, joy and love and yes sometime patience are amazing and do not go unnoticed. Today's message touched my heart immensely and all I had to do was to add our Church's name as I was praying along with your words and could see how we all need to be COMMUNITY in the true sense of the word. Thank you for being who our precious God called you to be. Blessings always to you and yours.
Bob and Lloyd Peacock
Vancouver, B.C.
Canada.