In every form of church you can imagine - every denomination - every local sanctuary - church is a place that's full of beautiful and hurting souls.
Each of us is a combination of that beauty and pain every day...the things that make us who we are - our talents, our families and friends - our joys - all mixed in with the things that hold us back - our resentments - our fears - our anxieties. We are each a walking mix of all these things...
And the church is a mix of all of us...
And yet, God builds beautiful things through the church; God mends hurting souls; God reaches us when we can't, or won't, reach to Him. Every week - in simple things like bread and wine, water and words...God heals a broken world by putting us together piece by piece.
Tonight, I pray for you - whoever you are - reading this. I pray that God mends you where that is needed, convicts and challenges you where that is needed, and strengthens you where that is needed.
And I pray for the church - not just the one in Slinger - but the Church Universal - as God continues to deign to reach a mixed-up world through mixed-up people.
If you do attend that church in Slinger, thank you for being on this journey with me. Don't ever doubt that God is doing great things through you.
Tonight, I leave you with an evening hymn that has long been a favorite of mine. The YouTube version I'll attach below has the first verse in Latin. I've included the words we sing in our hymnal to be my prayer this evening as I lay it all down at the foot of the cross.
To You Before the Close of Day
To you, before the close of day,
Creator of the world, we pray.
Your grace and peace to us allow
and be our guard and keeper now.
Save us from troubled, restless sleep,
from all ill dreams your children keep;
so calm our minds that fears may cease
and rested bodies wake in peace.
A healthy life we ask of you,
the fire of love in us renew,
and when the dawn new light will bring,
your praise and glory we shall sing.
Creator, this we ask be done
through Jesus Christ, your only Son,
whom with the Spirit we adore,
with you, one God forevermore.
Amen.
