25 Years in the Making

 

One of the moments from my ordination service that hums in my soul, hovers in my heart, and guides my ministry each day is the hymn, “Won’t You Let Me Be Your Servant”.  Slowly pray these words with me:

 

Won’t you let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you?  Pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant, too.

 

We are pilgrims on a journey; we are travelers on the road; we are here to help each other go the mile and bear the load.

 

I will hold the Christ-light for you in the shadow of your fear; I will hold my hand out to you, speak the peace you long to hear.

 

I will weep when you are weeping; when you laugh, I’ll laugh with you.  I will share your joy and sorrow till we’ve seen this journey through.

 

When we sing to God in heaven, we shall find such harmony, born of all we’ve known together of Christ’s love and agony.

 

25-years later, these words still sing and swirl, awakening my sacred imagination.  The first verse reminds me of the relational/reciprocal nature of ministry.  We seek to serve each other ~ not out of obligation or oppression, but because we follow One who washed the feet of his disciples.  The second verse reminds us that the journey of faith is not undertaken as isolated individuals but as a community. The third and fourth verses seek to explore and explain what it means to be community ~ meeting each person where s/he/they are, not as we want them to be.  A few years ago, our church claimed and celebrated that “Faithfulness” is a core value.  Faithfulness, like discipleship, is growing in the image of Christ for the sake of the other.  I grow in God’s love not for myself, although being grounded and guided by God is a blessing.  Rather, God’s love longs to escape through me in ways I cannot control or even comprehend.  The fifth verse invites us back to a Christ-infused and inspired life ~ Christ who knew the fullness of humanness ~ from birth, life, death, and new life.  The more we engage Christ's wisdom, the more we are called to participate in the Way of Jesus.  Often the hymn repeats verse 1 at the end, circling back to the truth of our call to service with others for the sake of the world God loves.  Hold this hymn with me, for I hold and pray these words with you today.  With God’s love.  Amen.