¹² When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Grace and peace to you from God our heavenly Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.

A couple earworms were kind enough to embed themselves in my brain during my recent driving adventures. At first, they seemed very unrelated. One was a song from the 70s musical Godspell, while the other was an 80s pop hit by Mr. Mister. When they both got stuck on autorepeat in my brain, the similarities emerged.

The first verse of the Godspell tune are as follows, “Where are you going? Where are you going? Can you take me with you? For my hand is cold And needs warmth. Where are you going?” The song continues with the vocalist’s request and commitment to follow Jesus following being forgiven.

The chorus of the Mr. Mister song actually utilizes a phrase that should sound at least vaguely familiar, “kyrie eleison.” It is the same words we sing during the creatively titled, ‘Kyrie’ toward the beginning of worship. Translated from the Greek, it means, “Lord, have mercy.” The chorus goes, “Kyrie eleison, down the road that I must travel; Kyrie eleison, through the darkness of the night; Kyrie eleison, where I’m going, will you follow? Kyrie eleison, on a highway in the light” The vocalist asks for reassurance of God’s companionship in life.

Although coming from very different vantage points, both songs are making the same basic request most of us have deep down – God’s guidance, protection, forgiveness, and love as we journey through life. We experience God’s love and forgiveness. We experience the uncertainty of life on earth. We long for God’s presence in our lives. We pray for God’s presence in our lives.

Lives of following Jesus can be unpredictable and even daunting. Life is unpredictable and discipleship is risky. Most of the early disciples were martyred. Disciples are still martyred. Following Christ means taking risks for the sake of the other, loving as Christ loved, and asking for forgiveness when we fall short (and we will all fall short at times). We trust in God’s strength and guidance as we travel through life on this earth. We cling to the love and mercy shown us in Christ to carry us and propel us to live as His disciples.

This is just as true for congregations as any of us as individuals. Congregations face change and unpredictability. Congregations grieve and face anxiety. Congregations even make mistakes and sometimes sin. Constitutions or buildings do not insulate congregations from the realities of life. Jesus promised to be there if two or three were gathered, not transport us into a fantasy world. The promise is to be with us, forgive us, and strengthen and guide us as communities.

Let us pray: Lord, you have put us on a journey to which we cannot always see what lies ahead. Strengthen our faith to trust you undying presence that sustains us and guides us. Have mercy on us when we falter and uphold us when we feel like we are falling. Send your Holy Spirit to fill our hearts and minds that we may always walk with you in the light. Amen

The grace and peace of God keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.