By Ariel Merivil
In the vast expanse of the cosmos, amid countless stars and swirling galaxies, there exists a profound paradox of faith: the Creator of all things is also intimately acquainted with our smallest concerns. Today, our worship outlines this remarkable truth.
As we do most Sundays, we begin worship by addressing God directly, acknowledging the magnificent power of our Creator — one who shaped mountains, commanded storms and set the stars in their courses. “To God Be the Glory” and “How Great Thou Art” are enduring hymns of our faith because they remind us of God’s might and sovereign power in our lives and give us reason to praise such majesty.
In a world heavy with division and mistrust, abuse of power, disregard for humanity and those most vulnerable and oppressed, uncertainty seems to be our constant companion. Tom Waits’ folk spiritual, “Come On Up to the House,” extends a personal invitation and reminds us that our earthly struggles are temporary, that we’re “just passing through.” Like a parent calling children in from a storm, we encounter another facet of divine love as God beckons: “Come on up to the house.” “I am shelter. I am rest. I am home.”
The choir’s anthem, “Even Here,” bridges the cosmic glory and intimate nature of God’s character. In its touching verses, we discover that no place is too distant, no circumstance too dire, no moment too dark for God to find us. The God who orchestrates the universe is the same God who counts the hairs on our heads, knows our rising and our lying down and seeks us in our wandering.
As our worship begins, your anxiety might be drowning out the voice of God. As the world seems to shift beneath our feet daily, it may be difficult to find grounding in worship. And yet, God is still both vast enough to hold the universe and near enough to hold our hearts. No matter where this week has found you — in valleys or on mountaintops, in doubt or in certainty, in grief or in joy — remember that God will find you, even here. Our mighty, majestic God is also our nearest, dearest friend, ever-present and all-knowing, calling us home to divine shelter and love.
My prayer for you today is that you find divine grounding here so that you will courageously go out into the world and ensure that “the othered” may find grounding and hope in the Living God who dwells within you.
Amen.