12.15.23 - Psalm 147:2
What is one small connection you can make with someone in your life that will make a big difference during this season?
God is the builder of Jerusalem; the one who gathers the outcasts of Israel together.
As days grow shorter and descend into darkness earlier and earlier, I am reminded that loneliness and grief can cast a big shadow over the lives of many folx around us.
When most are focusing on the festivities and seeking what brings them and their families joy, others may be grieving. They might be remembering the loss of a marriage, the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job.
Loss is a form of exile, a place outside of the city that we often avoid for fear of ruining or disrupting that feeling of joy.
But disruption is often a catalyst.
It can become the catalyst for deeper connection and community. Just as God gathered with those outside the city, how might you enter spaces that we all would rather avoid this season?
This weekend, and this week before Christmas, how might you notice others who are feeling isolated or lonely?
What’s one small gesture of connection you can make to help people know they’re not alone?
--Amanda Creek