A Lenten Devotion by Dawn Sorensen
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:8
When I was growing up in church, kids would often be asked to participate in the service, sometimes in special services like Easter or Christmas, sometimes in everyday services. I would get nervous about reading or being in front of the congregation, and my mom would always tell me, “Don’t worry—all those people out there know you and Love you, it doesn’t matter if you make a mistake, they’ll Love you anyway.”
That line was said to me so many times—out of sheer repetition—I began to believe it. Now, I tell it to my kids when they are asked to read or pray in church. “No matter what you do up there, the people of the church are going to Love you.” I know it’s true—that’s what Church is all about.
I want everyone to know that the kids at Edwards Church are loved beyond measure. That’s one of the reasons I like the focus of this Lenten season: Intergenerational relationships. The more we can interact with each other across generational lines, the better. Where else do we get this practice—where we can interact without competition, without expectation? Where else can we come together out of love?
You know, it’s not just the kids in this community who are loved. When love is shared, it multiplies—it does not get diminished. You can bet that those kids love you too, and the more we get to know one another, the more love there will be. Thanks be to God for that!
God of us all, thank you for the gift of relationship. Thank you for kids and parents, for friends and family. Thank you for grandparents and great-grandparents, and for grandparents that we choose. Thank you God for making us all one family in your church, a church that values all of us, no matter where we are on our path in life. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen