Trust and Connection

As we are approaching the feast of Pentecost I’m reminded of some of my Pentecostal experiences. What seems impressed on my heart anew is the importance of spending time in God’s presence. This was sometimes called “tarrying” or waiting on the Lord. I remember prayer meetings and other events where we just came together to pray and worship. The idea was very simple: to be in God’s presence without agenda. This approaches one’s relationship and union with the divine like any other intimate relationship: Trust and connection must be nurtured. Think about your relationships, the intimate ones are more than just an exchange of terms. They are more than just a transaction. Our deepest connections involve a giving and receiving of ourselves and the other/others. The sharing together is the basis of the connection and what makes the relationship valuable. These types of connections are not about what you get compared with what you give or even about what you do. They become about who you are, who the other is, and what you become together. The gospel lessons in John of Jesus as the shepherd, Jesus as the vine, abiding in Christ and loving on another as Christ loves us all get at this. They seem to be about growing love and connection with God and one another. As we move towards Pentecost, a day of celebrating and reimagining what the church may be, may we do so growing in trust and connection with God and one another.