‘A space between the places’: a time to pause, pray and listen

Our Lord Jesus entered into a ‘space between the places’.

In Matthew chapter 14, we read that after our Lord has fed the 5000 and before he meets the disciples, walking on the water, he enters a different ‘space’.

The Scripture tells us, ‘Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.’

In this ‘space’, he is alone in prayer with his eternal Father. He is alone and separated from the crowds and even from his disciples.

We need these ‘liminal’ spaces between places. A liminal space enables us to move through things required for the next place. The word ‘liminal’ comes from the ‘doorstep’ that we step onto as we enter a house.

For the Christian, these are places where we pause to remember that we walk with our Risen Lord.

As a church, we have made significant decisions at our October Convention, particularly regarding the resolution on ordination. I thank God for the respectful and purposeful dialogue of our pastors at both General Pastors Conference and Convention of General Synod and of all our delegates at Convention. We worked together to serve our Lord by serving one another.

I commend to you this time following our Convention as a time to pause: to pray and to listen; to listen to each other and to listen to the voice of our Good Shepherd.

In Christ,
Pastor Paul Smith, LCANZ Bishop

We pray …

Keep watch, dear Lord,
with those who work,
or watch,
or weep this night,
and give your angels charge over those who sleep.
Tend the sick,
give rest to the weary,
bless the dying,
soothe the suffering,
comfort the afflicted,
shield the joyous;
and all for your love’s sake. Amen.

(attributed to Augustine)

Gracious God,
wrap your arms of love,
comfort and care around all the people of our LCANZ.
As we reflect on our church’s decision at the October Convention
regarding our changed teaching on ordination.
Give us wisdom and peace
that our hearts and minds are kept safe in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Lift our eyes to his cross, so that our trust would be in you alone
for you are our strength and our shield.
Fill us all with compassion and kindness for one another
and help us all to be wounded healers for one another,
as we follow our gracious Wounded Healer, Jesus.
We pray in his holy name.
Amen.

(Adapted from a prayer written by Maria Rudolph)