I am participating in a Board of Ordained Ministry staff
network event in Nashville this week. We
have been discussing potential legislative changes to the Book of Discipline
which will be presented as petitions to the 2016 General Conference. It is highly detailed work that is most important
to those relating to the ordination process.
Much of it is semantics and word usage.
I have encountered two words today that have really got me
to thinking. The first happened during
our morning devotion when we were asked to think of a “perennial” passage of
scripture. I had never experienced this
word in relation to scripture, but in relation to plants that bloom year after
year. So I began to think what is the
scripture that blooms over and over in my life?
For me that scripture is Psalm 139.
It reminds me God began working in a person’s life knitting the life
together in a mother’s womb and throughout life when the person is on top of
the world or in in the deepest and darkest place; the person is not alone; God
is present. For me this is perennial
and serves as an ever present reminder for me.
My second experience came from the word “sunsetting” that
was used in our work today. It was used
in the context of ending or eliminating something. I was not familiar with that word and spell
check does not recognize this word but I love it. What a beautiful way to speak of the end. As the sunsets, we trust that it will rise
again tomorrow, so as we put one idea to rest, we can trust that a new idea
will develop and bring life. Or the
sunsets on one’s earthly life, we trust that life continues on the other side
of eternity.
So today in the midst of the tediousness of our work, I have
found two new words that really intrigue and excite me. You can learn something new everyday!!
