The Tunnel

As a little girl, I used to love tunnels. When our road trips suddenly exchanged the glaring, warm, midday sun for the shadowy underbelly of the earth, excitement and awe took over. “YES!”, I’d shriek, letting everyone in the car know I approved of this newfound, yet short-lived thrill. My sister and I would see who could hold our breath the longest, trying to make it to the end. She would win. She was older and better at most things. Sometimes I’d cheat and take a quick breath, hoping not to be caught. Inevitably, the grungy concrete walls and dim lights would end, as abruptly as they came. We’d forcefully let out our air-filled lungs and, once again, we’d be basking in sunshine, shading our eyes, pointing our vents to cool our warmed bodies, quickly forgetting the few moments shared in darkness. 

Right now feels like a tunnel. Sudden. Dark. Uncertain. Not playful and thrilling as I remember. Holding our breath for sure. Longing for sunlight most definitely. 

Darkness permeates.

Wake up. Is this all a bad dream? No. Still real life. This has me wanting to check-out, stay in bed, avoid reality. What is reality again? Another day of this? Crowding my thoughts already. Darkness.

A press of the home button. More news. Endless scrolling. Ignoring the 15 minute limit…again. Darkness. Stress. Another article. Death toll up. Stock market down. Can social distancing really help? Yes. Why aren’t some people taking this seriously? Frustrated. Judgmental. Video of ER in Italy. Sobering. Scary. Statistics. Darkness. 

How can something that feels so distant, so intangible for me at this moment crowd my thoughts and my life in such a significant way? Suffocating darkness. 

The darkness feels inescapable. I miss my escapes. 

The escape of family and friends. Sharing meals. Togetherness…not the screen kind. The embrace-and-snuggle-your-kids kind. The wash-your-hands-after-the-bathroom-and-cutting-chicken-only kind. The close-enough-to-see-your-smile-lines kind. The kind that leaves me feeling soulful and belly-full and grateful. Not now.

The escape of work. Guiding needles into arms of patients prepping for elective surgery. Easing their worried minds as we talk about where they’re from and what they do when they aren’t having their hernias repaired or knees scoped. Co-workers. Linda’s smile. Sherri’s weekend story, sometimes with tears. Michelle’s discussion in solidarity about the scrubs that magically shrunk overnight. We laugh. We help each other out. Anticipate the needs. Care deeply for our patients and earn a paycheck. Not now.

The escape of freedom. Heading to the park with three earnest and energetic boys. “Will you push me high in the sky, momma?”. Target runs. Dinner out. Date nights. Slowly perusing each corner of a local antique store, searching for treasures I don’t need but might find. Spin class at the Y. Did I ever think I’d miss that?! Mornings to myself with boys in school. Coffee with a friend. Vacation at the beach. The BEACH. Warm sand, cold ocean. Squeals of delight as foamy waves crash onto sun-kissed feet. Cherished memories. Not now.

The escape of church gatherings. Rushed Sunday mornings with out-loud prayers for the day and discussions of expectations for behavior on the way. Warm greetings with sincere smiles and comforting embraces. Kids to their classes to join friends—learning together. Good news. The Story of King Jesus. Corporate worship. Varied bodies sitting close. Songs sung. Prayers uttered. The Word preached and believed. Communion taken. Familiar yet extraordinary. Lingering afterwards with banter and deciding where to go for lunch. Laughing and uniting. Not now.

Not now. Not now because we’re in the tunnel. Darkness permeates. I know God is God, and He’s here, and He’s enough—even in the shadows. But my heart is heavy and my mind is weary. Deep breath. Heart slows. Lord, have mercy.

Then there’s light. It barely trickles in but our strained eyes identify it immediately. It’s the moments throughout the day when we’re not thinking about “it”…the seemingly cruel virus, the fear, the loss, the uncertainties. It’s our truest escape from darkness because darkness cannot dwell in these moments. 

Morning snuggles. All fifty toes in one king-sized bed. Un-rushed days. Meal time discussions about which superpower is superior: flying or invisibility. I say flying. A bible laid open, seeping truths into our weary minds and hearts. Stories of heroes. Heroes battling for their patient’s very breath. Heroes living a nightmare they’d never dared to envision. Exhausted but unwavering. Heroes stocking and re-stocking the shelves with supplies. Heroes preparing food for those who can’t afford it. Heroes showing up to work when they’d rather be at home. Heroes staying at home when they’d rather go out. Heroes finding ways to help one another. Kindness. Generosity. Courage in the chaos. Faith in the midst of fear. Checking-in with neighbors. Phone calls to friends. Whispered, passionate prayers. Slow dances in the kitchen. Pajamas because we can. Hikes in the forest where spring has begun to emerge and snow-melt moves eagerly over smooth stones. Trying new recipes, finding comfort in old ones. Soil covered hands preparing pots for new life. Coffee sipped slow. Worship songs playing, fettering our wandering hearts to Jesus once again. 

For now, we get momentary glimpses of light. But the tunnel will end. It always does. We’ll emerge. And the sun will warm our skin and nearly blind our eyes. We’ll have new truths about God and humanity etched onto our hearts. Self-sufficiency will be shattered. Trust and dependency on Him will be be cultivated. We’ll be grateful and careful and less likely to take things for granted—to take people for granted. Patience learned. Compassion practiced. We’ll mourn our losses. We’ll grieve deeply as we remember the dead. We’ll welcome the babies and celebrate the marriages and congratulate the graduates. We’ll embrace. We’ll gather. We’ll continue on the journey, never the same. 

Until then, look for the flicker, the glint, the flash. Open your eyes or you’ll miss it. Stay present or you’ll pass it by. Don’t hold your breath for the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s here. 

“Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.”

Psalm 112:4

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Matthew 5:14-16

“Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”

Hosea 6:3

“Because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Luke 1:78-79

“No less God within the shadows

No less faithful when the night leads me astray

You're the heaven where my heart is

In the highlands and the heartache all the same” 

-Highlands (Song of Ascent), Hillsong United

Resources for Loving Well in the Midst of COVID-19

One of the gifts of this grievous season is the flood of creative content and resources to help Christians navigate our reality well.

We wanted to share some of the more helpful things we’ve come across to help you grow in your love of God and your neighbor.

If you click on nothing else - PLEASE - read this one. It’s easy, practical, and a helpful way to show the love of Jesus to your (literal) neighbors. (A Practical Way to Love Your Self-Isolated Neighbor)

For help with spiritual rhythms of life, see this page from The Common Rule (Spiritual Rhythms for Quarantine)

For pressing into the Lord’s prayer from Redemption Church Tempe (Lord’s Prayer Guide)

A perspective on how the church has loved in previous pandemics (4 Lessons From Church History)

If you haven’t yet subscribed to our new Good News Podcast for 5-10 minutes of scripture and prayer read my the Union Church family you can find it here.

For a helpful playlist or two (Songs of Comfort for Anxious Souls) (Songs of Hope)

Current Changes with COVID-19

I can’t remember a Monday like this one. Rapid changes, increasing closures, recommendations, stipulations, and a whole lot of speculation. Is this real life?

Can you sense the frustration rising? Panic surfacing? Perhaps some paralysis with what’s going to happen next or what to do next? How do you react with the loss of control? Really? This is real life today. Still, there is good news.

Jesus meets us in that place. In every place.

Two things have been floating through my mind today, in addition to some frustration and uncertainty…

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) - Read that a few times and let the truth, promise, and hope sink in. He is strong, stable, dependable. AND. Very present. VERY. Present.

The second thing floating through my mind:

“The unpredictability of life clips the wings of our self sufficiency.” - Derek Kidner - There is an odd gift of mercy when the veil of control, comfort, and strength is pulled back and life is shown for what it really is, a beautiful, fragile gift. With the lament, loss, angst all around us, seeds of gratitude, hope, trust and joy can be sown.

So what does life together with Christ and together in life look like right now? It’s been different every day, but here’s our current focus:

First, we will be looking for opportunities to love each other and our neighbors.

If you, or anyone you know needs help or prayer, our church is here, ready to serve. On the front page of our website there is a form that can be filled out and we will mobilize where needed to serve those around us.

Next, we will not be gathering together at the Adult Center for corporate worship on Sundays at this time. We are looking to love our neighbor by following the wisdom given so far by the government and local officials. The current recommendation says 8 weeks for gatherings, but we will be looking at this week to week.

Until we are able to gather all together again we will be providing a short podcast on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with scripture readings, prayers, and reflections. Those will be available on our website and podcast channels (Apple Podcasts, Spotify)

On Sunday mornings we will provide an online liturgy for you and your family and possibly a community (again, with officials recommending groups of less than 10) with a few songs, readings, prayers, and short teaching. That will be posted on our social media channels and website. If you aren’t yet following Union Church on social media, I’d recommend you do so. (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

Our hope is in the midst of this uncertain season, we can deepen our roots in Christ, and show his love to those around us.

Much love to you all.

Jon, on behalf of the Elders

COVID-19 Update

Dear Union Church,

With coronavirus (COVID-19) looming heavy in our world right now, we want to share with you how Union Church plans to respond as followers of Christ and members of the Prescott community.

GATHERINGS

For Now:

Yes, we do plan to gather for church this coming Sunday (March 15). There will be some modifications. In order to best care for our members who are at higher risk for the more serious complications of the virus, the most loving approach we can have in our Sunday gatherings is to minimize points of close contact. So let’s give big smiles and big hellos and maybe an elbow bump or two and embrace the awkwardness of this season. To help with some practicalities from a medical professional, a local doctor will be sharing his perspective and giving some advice in the midst of this season. Our communal coffee and treats area will be temporarily closed. Additionally, because our communion system is unavoidably a close point of contact, we will temporarily be halting it as well. For those who are avoiding public gatherings, we are committed to making sermon podcasts and blogposts available no later than Monday mornings so all will still be able to be connected to as much of the life of Union Church as possible. Our Gospel Communities will continue to gather for much needed encouragement and prayer.

For the Future:

While we will always remain committed to gathering in corporate worship, new developments with the coronavirus may compel us to make adjustments in our calendar. Like so many, we are staying informed and prayerfully considering the best ways in which we can be helpful citizens during this difficult time. Therefore, if canceling future Sunday gatherings becomes a recommendation of health officials, we will abide by those recommendations. We will move forward together, one day at a time.

COMMUNITY

This unique moment in history gives us an extraordinary opportunity to love God and love one another. It is possible that we are headed into an extended time of difficulty and uncertainty. Therefore, we are going to need to humbly practice “bearing one another’s burdens.”(Galatians 6:2) In this time, like all times, may we have eyes open to the see the needs of our church, our neighbors, and our community as we love like Jesus has loved us. “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10) With our language and our lives may we practice peace and patience with all we come into contact with; humble hearts, hands that help, and mouths that speak good news. This may have surprised us but it didn’t surprise Him. So if our minds and hearts begin to drown in the waters of uncertainty, may we remember that He is our rock and He hears us, even from the ends of the earth. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalms 46:1)

With much love,

The Elders and Staff of Union Church

Sermon Quotes: Not Today Satan

From the sermon on 03/01/2020:

Ephesians 6:10-13

“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.” - CS Lewis

“Sin is an impossible possibility, an inexplicable mystery, something that defies comprehension, something that is essential irrational and absurd, something that cannot be neatly fitted into any conceptual scheme.” - Michael Williams

“Temptation is when the Devil asks us to ignore the holiness of God. Accusation is when he blinds us to the love and grace of God.” - Tim Keller

“Mention of the “schemes” of the devil reminds us of the trickery and subterfuge (deceit) by which evil and temptation present themselves in our lives. Evil rarely looks evil until it accomplishes its goal; it gains entrance by appearing attractive, desirable, and perfectly legitimate. It is a baited and camouflaged trap” Klyne Snodgrass

“It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out.” CS Lewis

“Satan is fundamentally a liar. He lies to us about God and attempts to persuade us to worship anything rather than God. However, ultimately Satan is vulnerable. He cannot withstand the truth of God” - Tim Keller

Our Call in the Conflict: See the schemes (where we are)

“If I can recognize a threat looming on the horizon as a deception of the enemy, the battle is more than half won. Once the scheme is exposed, it backfires by reminding me that I am in a position of strength, armed with the real promises of a victorious God against a skilled illusionist.” - Betsey Childs Howard (see the Gospel Coalition Article here)

Our Call in the Conflict: Deepen dependency (who we are)

Our Call in the Conflict: Practice being a prayerful presence. (how we roll)

Sermon Quotes: How the Revolution Began

On 2/23/2020 we looked at Ephesians 6:5-9 and how when we live before the face of God we recognize the image of God in everyone.

Ephesians 6:5-9

“Coram Deo captures the essence of the Christian life. This phrase literally refers to something that takes place in the presence of, or before the face of, God. To live coram Deo is to live one’s entire life in the presence of God, under the authority of God, to the glory of God.” - RC Sproul

“We have the slaves submitting to their master and we have the master loving their slave, and so what Paul has created is an environment between the slave and master where slavery could only wither and die. As soon as the Christian church was established and the New Testament was written, slavery had an expiration date, because its roots died in the church. It was only a matter of time.” - Anthony Garcia

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (Reconciled people become reconcilers)

“Of all the world’s religions, including the three great monotheisms, only in Christianity did the idea develop that slavery was sinful and must be abolished. Although it has been fashionable to deny it, antislavery doctrines began to appear in Christian theology soon after the decline of Rome and were accompanied by the eventual disappearance of slavery in all but the fringes of Christian Europe. When Europeans subsequently instituted slavery in the New World, they did so over strenuous papal opposition, a fact that was conveniently ‘lost’ from history until recently. Finally, the abolition of New World slavery was initiated and achieved by Christian activists” - Rodney Stark

“The cursed blast of slavery has, like a pestilence, withered almost every moral bloom. I know not how any person can feel a union with such a monster, such a child of hell. I feel a burning hatred against it and look upon it as one of the most odious monsters that ever disgraced the earth.” - William Knibb (Missionary to Jamaica) “We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Sermon Quotes: Children and Parents

Quotes from the sermon “Children and Parents” given by Anthony Garcia on 2/16/2020:

“God doesn't say, 'Honor your father and mother only when they're honorable.’ Theirs is a position. They hold an office. And even if they are unworthy of that office, the office itself is still to be honored.”  -R.C. Sproul

“Honor is the unsentimental moral nucleus within the complex relationships between any child and their parents. From the day the child is born to the day the parents die—and even reaching beyond their grave as a relationship to an ineradicable memory—everything in the relationship changes except the moral duty of honor. The rule of honor is probably as universal as any human duty. No child, young or old, ought to ever dishonor their parents. In every culture, parents believe in their right to be respect by their offspring. Plato probably registered a universal ethic when he said on the scale of human decencies honor to parents is second only to piety toward God. But absolute as we must admit it to be and universal as we imagine it to be, honor to parents is a duty that shifts and slips in our hands as we try to examine what it calls us, young or old children, to do. - Lewis B Smedes

“My biggest, ongoing problem as a dad is not my children, it’s me. My children don’t cause me to do and say what I do and say. No, the cause of my actions is found inside my own heart. My children are simply the occasion where my heart reveals itself in words and actions. So I need much more than just rescue and relief from my children; I need rescue from me. This is why Jesus came, to provide us with the rescue that we all need but that we cannot provide for ourselves.” - Paul Tripp

Find the sermon audio at unionaz.org/podcast

Walking in Wisdom

As we continue our journey through Ephesians, we in chapter 5 that great attention needs to be given to our lives if we are going to walk in the wisdom of God. The wisdom from God is practical, ethical, and adaptable, but most of all, it’s theological. It starts with taking God at His word. (Proverbs 1:1-7, 3:5-8)

If you missed the sermon, you can listen below:

In addition, we want to provide some resources to help us as a people to grow in wisdom, attentiveness, and gratitude today:

God’s Wisdom For Navigating Life - Timothy and Kathy Keller - A helpful daily devotional that covers many aspects of life and faith.

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry - John Mark Comer - An accessible book that encourages wholeness, simplicity, and wisdom in the midst of our culture today. The author also partnered with Jeff Bethke and did a great 10 part podcast entitled “Fight Hustle, End Hurry” - Find in on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

The Tech-Wise Family - Andy Crouch - A great book for families with practical solutions on how we relate to technology while cultivating wisdom and courage as followers of Christ.

One Thousand Gifts - Ann Voskamp - As Jon quoted from on Sunday, “Gratitude is not only a response to God in good times - it's ultimately the very will of God in hard times. Gratitude isn't only a celebration when good things happen. It's a declaration that God is good no matter what happens.Being joyful isn't what makes you grateful. Being grateful is what makes you joyful.”

Do you just feel stuck? These songs are beautiful prayers to ask for God’s help and trust in His perfect plan: