"With You... to the End of the Age."

"I ask for the desire to pray and meditate on behalf of my community of faith.  May we learn patience, tolerance, compassion, empathy and gentleness.  May we abstain from anger, anxiety, compulsive behaviour, discouragement and shame.  May we know and follow Jesus more closely, seeking justice, loving kindness and walking humbly."


Matthew 28:18-20
¹⁸And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’^*


1) "...make disciples;" "...teach them to obey;" "...I am with you always;" "...to the end of the age;"


2) I remember the first time I had a genuine sense of Jesus being with me and knew that was what I was feeling.  I was on the floor of the United Church in Fort Langley and Debbie Hemmens was leading a guided meditation for the youth and young adults gathered for worship and fellowship.  I'd done "guided mediations" before, and found them relaxing, and interesting, but not much more than that.  At a point in the meditation everything changed.  We were imagining sitting with Jesus and asking him questions listening for his answers.  But Jesus wasn't doing what he was supposed to do.  He looked at me as if he could see right through me.  I had this warm feeling, like cuddling with someone I trusted implicitly and loved deeply.  Jesus wouldn't answer any of my questions, he just held me, saw me - all of me, and loved what he saw.  After the meditation concluded, I couldn't talk about what I'd experienced right away, but later I spoke to my minister, Nancy Talbot.  I realized I'd had that feeling a lot throughout my life.  Moments when I felt absolutely known and loved.  They were fleeting and rare, but stood out in my memory.  I learned to savour the experience and to express gratitude for it.  Eventually, I could remember and call it up when I needed it. It was very tangible in those days.  It was really like someone was sharing space with me.  The feeling isn't like that any more, it is still real, just different.


3) What is the invitation in all this?  To remember, "I am with you always, to the end of the age."  To perhaps recall that experience through out the day, maybe make an effort to remember that experience in a difficult moment.


"Holy One, teach me to remember and to obey."


Breathprayer: "With you... to the end of the age."