Holy Pajamas

Rachel and I slept in today, taking advantage of the fact that I no longer lead worship for a church. It's been a nice change of rhythm for us to drive together to our gathering as a church family. Sundays have become so much more relaxing and restful!

No alarm woke me up. I crept downstairs with my book*, turned on a lamp, laid back into the couch and began to read** as the snow fell gently outside. As I read about ministry and gifting, I reflected on some of the ways God has called my friends and me uniquely. Rachel came downstairs in her pajamas to say hi, about two hours after I woke. We realized we only had about fifteen minutes to
shower, dress, eat, and get out the door to be on time for church, which didn't happen.

I felt a little silly coming in and finding our seats as people were getting up and coming forward for communion. We jumped in, last in line, as I tried to still my heart in preparation to receive the elements. This is Jesus' body and blood. As I chew it, I am accepting Christ's life as my own. I am letting his body be broken so that mine can be nourished. 

We took our seats. Would my experience of communion have been different had I been there on time? Would my heart be in a better place to receive it fully? While others were preparing for church, I was in my pajamas, reading. While others were singing together, Rachel and I were driving in the car, talking about ministry.

Is my car ride less holy than my singing? Is reading a book less spiritual than arriving on time? Can I ever be fully ready for communion, or does communion come upon me, regardless of context? Should I feel some embarrassment walking in late to communion? Can I ever really be late (or early) for communion? God is always communing with me, and I with him, and I pray that my life reflects it.




*Before I really did anything else, I checked on the belgian pale ale I brewed yesterday with my friend Kevin. It hasn't started fermenting, which has me a little worried. But I've brewed long enough to know that I can trust the yeast I put in there to eventually ferment the wort into tasty ale.
**The book I am reading is The Permanent Revolution, by Alan Hirsch. For the most part, I like it and I definitely recommend it. The language is overly-heavy and so is the thrust of the book, but it is great food-for-thought and very challenging to the paradigms of the modern Western Church, specifically through its urge for the reinstatement of the five-fold ministries of the church: Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Shepherd and Teacher.