Finding Faith ... in feeling closer to God ... out there

EDITOR'S NOTE: In October 2017 I began a new venture as a synodically authorized minister at Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn. The ride over the past 2.5 years has been an amazing journey of learning, growing and a deepening of my theological mind. This sermon took place on Aug. 19, 2018.

I’m curious … What brought you to church today? … I’m not saying that you have to share that out loud with me or your neighbor, but I ask that you think about that for a minute.

What brought you here to church today? … This isn’t a test; there’s no right answer.

If you’re like many, the answer is that you wanted to feel closer to God. … That’s not just conjecture. Statistics bear that out. … In an article on this week’s Forum website, there was a story based on the annual Pew Research report on religion that confirms that the No. 1 reason the vast majority of people come to church is because they want to feel closer to God. … 81 percent, in fact. … 81 percent of people who regularly go to church, go because they want to feel closer to God.

That’s significant. … That means 4 out of 5 of you sitting here today came to Faith Lutheran because you wanted to feel closer to God.

That’s a pretty good reason. I can’t argue with that. … I myself, have at times felt closer to God here than I ever have. … The past 10 months have been some of the most affirming months of my life. … From the thrilling and terrifying first sermon here in front of you last October. … To the deeply gratifying privilege of being able to baptize our church’s youngest members … To the inspiring Lenten talking circles we participated in as a faith family last spring. … Yes, there are countless moments here in just my short time where I’ve never felt closer to God.

I have shared many times that one of my favorite activities here at Faith is to come in early, way before service, sneak into the sanctuary here and just soak in the peacefulness of this sacred space. … Sometimes I bring in my coffee cup and pick a pew and settle in for a good rest. … I gaze on the altar and study the stained glass windows and listen for the silence ... and I just “be.”

You’ve heard the old line, about being a “human being” and not a “human doing.” … Well, frankly, it’s just easier for me to do that here at the church a lot of times. … Because, well, you know the drill: We walk out of those doors back there on Sunday after service and we step back into our daily lives.

And so much begins to tug at us. Jobs. Chores. Kids’ activities. Bills. ... That driver who cut us off. … The people at work who are more motivated by moving up than they are by taking care of their colleagues. … Our lists go on and one. ... And it seems that each passing day, each day we get further away from Sunday, it gets harder to feel closer to God. … Or maybe that’s just how it is for me, anyway. I don’t want to put words in your mouth.

And so, yes, coming to church … coming here to Faith each Sunday to feel closer to God is a good reason to come. … A very good reason, indeed. … Well, it must be, right? Because 81 percent of us say that it’s the No. 1 reason we come.

Far be it from me to question why anyone of you is here? … Let me just say that it grows my heart to see each and everyone of you on a regular basis. And I’m thrilled that you feel comfort in finding God here at Faith. That means that we still have a vibrancy and a thriving living mission. And that is good.

But I wonder … I have to admit that I do wonder what it might feel like if we all searched a little harder to find ways to feel closer to God … out there. … Out those doors. … On a Tuesday afternoon in August, after you’ve finished a long day of dealing with challenging customers yelling at you, and you know that you’re already late for your son’s game or to pick up your daughter from a lesson. … I wonder if in THOSE moments if we looked a little harder to feel closer to God whether there’d be such a desperate search for him here on Sundays.

Again, don’t get me wrong! … I’d never fault anyone for seeking out the Lord here on Sundays because there’s nothing like practicing your faith among a close group of fellow worshipers. There’s a communal value to coming together as a community of believers. And I would never downplay its significance. … After all, that is the definition of “koinonia,” a Greek term that our founding faith fathers wrote a lot about. … So, no, don’t stop coming to church! That’s not what I’m calling for.

However, I don’t think any of us, or our families, or communities would suffer from a more concerted effort to feel closer to God outside these walls as well. … And outside of Sundays. … But, I know, it doesn’t come without work. Trust me, I know.

There are plenty of times every week that I struggle through my challenges -- our family’s challenges -- on my own. Without the aid of God. … But just imagine how much easier it might be for me, if in those everyday struggles I tried to feel a little closer to God. … Versus just trying to be a little stronger on my own.

So, we’re all familiar with the old saying, “Practice makes perfect, right?” … I’m sure you’ve heard that somewhere along the way. … And I think it’s that phenomena at play here. The things that we do most routinely in our lives -- brushing our teeth, driving a car, shaving, cooking … and so much more -- none of these things we learned the first time we tried. It took time after time, a concerted effort to get better at them, before they became routine.

And I think that’s our trouble in looking to find God, to feel closer to God when we leave these doors on Sundays. We’ve relegated our relationship to God to this house, to this sanctuary, to this day -- Sundays. And we haven’t made feeling closer to God a habit, a routine. … Well, at least, I can say that is true for me.

So, what if we imagined a different faith habit. ... What if we made feeling closer to God more of a priority outside of here? … What if we … made it a habit? … Practice makes perfect, right?

And I mean what if we made it a habit not just in those times that we need God? ... Not just in those times where the vehicle quits and leaves you stranded along the highway, or when the furnace takes its last breath and you’re looking at an expensive replacement, or when you’ve dropped your glasses in a lake and they are your only pair. And so out of desperation you heartily pray that God can help you find them in that four feet of muddy water!

No, I’m talking about practicing feeling closer to God in those times when you see a butterfly and it takes away your breath. … When you walk in the door from work and your wife and kids are there to meet you at the door with a hug. … Or you catch a glimpse of that indescribable sunset reflecting and bouncing off the waves of a glasslike lake. … Or … well, you insert your own situation here.

So, in honor of the thought of practicing what we preach, as they say. … Here are four ways in this next week in which I’m going to practice seeking out and feeling closer to God. … Just four ways. … And just for one week. … Because, you know, the data tells us that we’re more successful in achieving our goals if we start small! … So, this is the four ways, for one week, that I am going to practice seeking and being closer to God. ... Here we go:

In my prayers:

First of all, I don’t pray enough. Full disclosure. … I know I don’t pray enough, but this week my goal is to pray more. … More frequently and for longer.

Just as in any relationship, the first step to deepening that connection is communication, right? Then, how can we possibly draw closer to our God if we aren’t talking to him? … And, how can we possibly deepen that relationship if we’re waiting every week until Sunday to open up that dialogue with God?

And so this week I vow to pray more and and for longer. … I think my relationship with God deserves that.

On my walks:

Many of you know that most nights, it’s a ritual for Cody -- our trusty family husky -- and I to take a lengthy jaunt around our neighborhood. We’ve been doing it for years. I tried to figure out the math once, but I figure I must have made this trek with him more than a 1,000 times.

And, one of the very reasons that I enjoy that walk so much is that it gives me about 45 minutes of quiet from the day. … 45 minutes to ground myself and do some shoeleather therapy.

I often tell people that I feel closer to God on this walk than any other time of the day. … But I can’t lie. Far too many times I allow the petty anger and daily struggles steal this time away from God.

Instead of taking the time to converse with Him, and thank Him for all of my blessings, and ask what it is He would have me do with my time here, I use the walk to stew and complain and fuss in my head. … And so for this week, I vow to practice more attentiveness to God on my walks with Cody.

In my relationships:

Isn’t it an interesting phenomena that we are far more comfortable being mean or rude or inconsiderate to those who mean the most to us? … There’s actually a scientific name for this phenomena; it’s called “everyday aggression,” and while scientists are still grappling with the actual reasons for it, the phenomena is absolutely true.

We are the meanest to the ones who mean the most to us. … But for this week, I vow to rededicate myself to my relationships with my loved ones. Even in our most difficult daily struggles, I vow to seek to be closer to God versus allowing my human emotions run away with me.

Because after all, we know that we find God in our relationship with Jesus Christ, and we find our relationship with Christ in our relationship with others. … And so for this week, I vow to practice my Christian calling to be in koinonia with those who mean the most to me and not just with those I pass in the halls at work or on the street.

In my blessings:

I don’t know about you, but I often find it easier to compile a list of my grievances, than I do a list of my blessings. ...

I’m not proud of it. … I far too often dwell on my challenges, or what’s wrong in life, versus focusing on all that is so good in my life. … And so in this week … this one week … I vow to be more committed to identifying and celebrating the blessings in my life versus wallowing in the struggles. … Because if I can flip that switch, I have a hunch that it will be easier for me to feel closer to God every day of the week versus just on Sundays.

And with that, here is my invitation to you. ... Would you consider joining me this week? ... Would you consider where or when it is you might commit to feeling closer to God for just this week? ... I applaud each and every one of you who shows up here each Sunday in the hopes of feeling closer to God. I will never downplay the importance of it. … But it is also my hope that each of us can establish a better practice of seeking out God every other day of the week as well.

Because He is there, waiting for us on Monday ... and Tuesday. … He’s there in the car, riding shotgun with us when we’re stuck at a train crossing, and in the supermarket checkout line as we fume and in the whispering winds while Cody and I circle the neighborhood for the 1,001st time. … The fact is, God is there waiting for us everywhere, not just here at Faith on Sundays. We just have to look and seek and “practice.” … As practice makes perfect, right?

God’s there waiting, waiting for us. ... And that is the Good News this Sunday. … Amen.