Sunday, April 21, 2024  

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Today's Hymn
“Many and Great, O God, Are Thy Works”

Grant unto us communion with thee,
thou star-abiding One.
Come unto us and dwell with us.
With thee are found the gifts of life.
Bless us with life that has no end,
eternal life with thee.

by Joseph R. Renville
Hymn 21, Glory to God
verse 2

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Reflection

Long-distance relationships are tough. Whether it’s with a partner, a parent, or a friend, long-distance relationships mean being creative about ways to stay connected. Sometimes I feel like my relationship with God is long-distance — even though I know God is always with me. We can’t grab coffee. We can’t schedule a Zoom date to catch up. I can’t buy a plane ticket to go visit. It’s tough. This verse really speaks to me. All I really want is to spend time, to be in communion, with God. It can be hard for me to feel “in communion” when I can’t see, hear, or touch God.

There are two things that tend to help. One is paying attention to the beauty of everyday life, like my giggling boys, puffy white clouds, and the deep blue of Lake Michigan. The other is saying smaller prayers more often. When my first son was born, I hardly ever talked to anyone on the phone — not even my mom or sister. I could never find more than ten minutes of quiet at a time, and that didn’t seem like enough time for a real conversation, so I just never called — or answered the phone. Eventually I realized that short phone calls or even text messages were better than waiting for a magical thirty-minute window of quiet time that would never happen.

It’s helped me to think about praying in a similar way. During this chapter of life, it’s hard to find big chunks of time to pray or to sit in communion with God. Saying short prayers or listening to songs like this one helps me stay connected, even if what I really want is that magical thirty-minute window.

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Prayer
I am blessed to be in communion with you, Lord, whenever and however it happens. Amen.

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Written by Nicole Spirgen, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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