We are the people of the tree. We are a forest of the faithful. We are the ones rooted in Christ and we reach out and wrap our roots around the hurting to keep each other alive and faith. Beyond the shadows of the church doors, there is an underground web of connection. Of texts and messages, of phone calls and coffees, of cords and have dropped off meals and bowls of soup and prayer threads. It's the underground church. The church that we are under the banner of the six other days of the week. The church is that we are on the ground in our own neighborhoods. The church that we are.
Not just under a church group, but also outside the church that makes the church strong. That loans strength to the weak. That strengthens the whole community of trees. Then we are light in someone's dark. What they testify to seeing as God's glory. When we touch someone with love, they experienced the healing glory of God. That is what I know. You may not know the weight that someone is caring, but you've all been there. Now, the way the person is warring, you've gotta relieve the weight of someone else's burden. Bring a plate of cookies, you are bringing a dish of love of God. Text someone, you're sending along the very love of thoughts of Christ. Take someone on a walk, this week you both are being healed by community and the presence of love himself in the midst of you.
When we get to the underground church for each other, the people of Calvary's tree that shares resources and encouragement and love under the surface of everything. We love each other as if our own life depends on it because it does. One day you'll be suffering, or hurting, or be the stump of the tree that is hollowed out in pain. We all desperately need a witness and others to love you back to life. Though we are facing daily hardships all around, we may feel like the dreams and hopes of your of our life or our Calling, our relationships may have been unexpectedly cut down. Sense it right now, wherever you're unexpectedly finding yourself. This is true, you're not alone, no matter what things look like, no matter what looks dead, no matter what seems like a stump of all kinds of dreams. You are going to be OK, you are going to thrive, you are going to flourish, you are going to rise from this floor.
We are the people of the tree. We are a forest to the faithful. We are the ones rooted in Christ and we preach it out. We reach out and wrap our roots around the hurting. To keep each other alive in the face.
By Ann Voskamp