Dear Friends,

In our gospel reading for this Sunday, Jesus offers words of wisdom to his disciples while they admire the grandeur of the Jerusalem temple. See these beautiful stones? They will fall before you know it. And people will get anxious. There will be wars, earthquakes, and plagues, but do not be terrified. Things are not as they seem.

Jesus knows how much we like to lean on our systems and structures. Despite their flaws, he knows we depend on them, look to them for reassurance. And he wants us to know: the security we get from our religious, familial and socio-political safety nets will be tested beyond anything we can imagine. You can count on it, he says. The things that give you stability are going to quake and change. You will wonder what will defend and protect you. When this happens—not if, but when—when you face the upheaval of the very systems you have been loyal to, it is going to be hard. So, Jesus offers a word of advice: endure. “By your endurance, you will save your souls.”

I have often wondered if Jesus’ friends learned to trust him enough to really hear this. To lean into the grace of upheaval. Do we? Can we travel the way of endurance?

Jesus knew that whatever the particulars for each of us might be, upheaval will frighten us. He knows we will feel threatened and betrayed. And yet, he assures us, we will be cared for beyond our imagining if we endure. In fact, we will be given everything we need. So confident is he in this promise that he says not to waste time trying to devise your own plans. Just show up, just listen, just endure.

“Endurance” might not sound like the most appealing life strategy. Having spent years as a long-distance runner, I know the struggle of hanging in there when I feel like I’ve hit the wall. And yet I’ve come to realize that endurance isn’t just a heavy duty to bear to the end, but an alternative to despair, a proven strategy for facing life when things seem to be falling apart. To endure is to live in alert readiness, to wait for the right words to be given, for the right way to come.

Jesus seems to trust that to be our truest selves, we need not hide in fear from the calamities of the day. What we really need is to show up, minds and hearts open, eager to receive our instructions. What we really need is to face courageously the coming crisis or challenge or change, and find ways to serve. Do you trust that, too?

During this season of stewardship in which are invited to “Be Courageous,” I hope you will give trust a try. Together, let’s stand steady, be open, and endure.

In Christ,

Amelie+