Life offers a lot of beautiful and difficult things at the moment. There are wave crests and wave troughs. But it is good to know that the waves have a rhythm and that I can rely on God's faithfulness and love.
I was at the synagogue in Innsbruck with my university class yesterday. Knowing the Hebrew alphabet was very helpful! It's funny that the old Torah curtain has a German (jiddish) text with Hebrew letters ("Donation of the women of Innsbruck for the holy God and his holy scriptures"). It was only this time that I realized that only the five books of Moses are really holy to the Jews and are kept in the Torah cabinet. The rest of the "Old Testament" is printed normally and can be touched by anyone. I ended up taking a Jewish family newspaper with me. At home, however, I was stunned and laughed a lot. It actually says that "this paper must not be thrown away because it contains holy scriptures"! What am I going to do with it now? Do I have to keep it forever, although I'm a minimalist? Very funny the Jewish humor.
The celebrations in this synagogue are supposedly quite funny and informal. No dress codes, no meditative mood or forced devotion. People go in and out as it suits them. They talk to each other, then another psalm is read or they pray together. It is a meeting place, exchange, school, community room and prayer room all in one. Not like in an old church. Very true-to-life and familiar.
Our small church is also very familiar. At the same time, however, it also has high expectations of itself. This has advantages and disadvantages. We are a small group with different views. On one hand, this is interesting and exciting, but on the other hand, of course, it is fraught with conflict. Just like in a family. "You have to take it like relatives," our Jewish travel guide used to say in Israel back in 1996 when we complained about the bad weather. That's how I see church, too. "You have to take it like relatives". There are quite some weird birds. Including me. Everyone is so different. Normally, I would never meet with such different people. But they are my siblings. I was able to try out a lot of things in my church, they were happy with my successes and lovingly overlooked many of my weaknesses. I would like to continue my faith journey with them. Even though we are in a crisis currently.
Last weekend I went to an Irish dance course, with my kids and a few people from our church. That was funny. Maybe we should dance more and discuss less. That same evening, my husband and I went for a late walk in the fields and the forest behind our house. The wheat is already large and sways heavily in the gentle wind, the color somewhere between green and yellow. It looks beautiful in front of the shady mountains and the last daylight in the sky. When we turned into the wooded path towards the creek, suddenly many small lights shone in the dark undergrowth: fireflies! We've never seen them here before! Enchanting little dots that fly quite comfortably, then suddenly go dark and reappear somewhere else. Beautiful to look at. A glow and dance. With little breaks. In a group.
A turned off firefly does not look very special. But in the dark, when it flies slowly and glows! But even one firefly alone wouldn't be so nice, although it may shine beautifully. It's the dance in the crowd that makes the magic. Every single firefly just shines for a while. Then it probably has to regain strength and turns off. But others start or continue to shine. They take turns. And all together they are beautiful.
I shine for Jesus for a little while and write. Then I withdraw and rest again and observe. I watch how the others glow. I fly in the dark all by myself. And then I, too, begin to glow again.
You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world - shine!
Keep open house; be generous with your lives.
By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16 (MB)
You are the light of the world.
Let your light shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)