Not Yet... But Already!
Isolation of all kinds kills, but Jesus has not left us alone, he's brought "home" to us!
The Booths finally have a new "home." Well, sorta. We've been in our new house for a week, met our lovely new neighbors, been warmly welcomed by our new church family, but we're also living among piles of boxes, bumping into unfamiliar walls as we move about, and continuously wondering, "Where IS my..."
So we are in a new place, but we're really Not Home Yet. Which is the title of Liv's and my book for a reason. Because in this world, we are definitely:
Not Home Yet.
As a spiritual director I have a unique perspective on this. Across thousands of conversations with people from all walks of life, I can honestly tell you, everyone feels disconnected. Not just from God, but from each other, and themselves. Isolation isn't just a social disease, it's a spiritual one.
It's worse than not being invited over to dinner. Which Americans simply aren't doing anymore. See the food for thought article below for the grim statistics. Spiritually, we are cut off from God and ourselves.
Isolation is the key feature of guilt and shame. Whether caused by my own sin or by others, guilt and shame drive me into hiding. Into isolation. Sometimes it's of my own choosing, like when I hide an addiction or shameful past action. Other times it's done to me, like when a church leader abuses me or a legalistic community shuns me.
Whatever the cause, the result is that God feels distant, and I feel disintegrated – isolated from parts of myself.
But already!
So I may not be home yet, but there is a wonderful way in which home is already with me. Jesus didn't wait for us to return home to him. He knew we couldn't do it anyway, so he brought home with him when he came.
Heaven — where God is, where our Good Father is — has come to earth. Jesus closed the gap between heaven and earth. He established his kingdom here. He has rescued the sinners (like me) who have chosen to isolate themselves, and he has gathered the lambs (like me) who have been isolated by wolves.
So even though we still live in a fallen world, we can sing confidently with David:
"I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord" (Psalm 27:13-14).
We live in the mystery of "not yet, but already." Not yet home, but already with God. We are already seeing the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, and yet we must wait on the Lord patiently until he returns and makes all things right.
Provisions for the Road
Church hurt can cast a long shadow...
If religious spaces or leaders have hurt you, or you work with those who have been hurt, this webinar is for you!
- Saturday, October 24
- Time: 9 AM Pacific | 10 AM Mountain | 11 AM Central | 12 PM Eastern
- Cost: $25 (or Pay What You Want)
Trauma-Informed & Faith-Grounded: Taught by a licensed mental health therapist who is also a Christian, and theologically grounded. Heidi will give you clinical tools that are rooted in theological soil and respectful of your agency, doubt, and story.
Food for Thought
Things the team found interesting this week, no endorsement implied.
You Are No Longer Invited to Dinner
By Derek Thompson on Substack
"We have built a world in which being alone has never been easier…"
Americans have quietly stopped having each other over. Thompson looks at why, and at what our comfort is costing us.
Why Boomer Parents and Millennial Daughters Miscommunicate
By Allison M. Alford, Ph.D. at Psychology Today
"Daughters often take responsibility for repairing tension, even when they didn't create it."
Even offhand remarks, or ones meant as jokes, can leave adult daughters feeling their love is being questioned. Alford looks at why, and at small changes that make it easier for both sides to connect.
How to Have 1,500 People for Dinner
By Elizabeth Oldfield on Substack
Oldfield has hosted a weekly Monday Night Dinner for about a decade. Much like our weekly Signpost Inn evenings. In this article she shares nine lessons she has learned and tips for how you can make it doable for yourself. If you want to go deeper, I suggest picking up Liv's and my book, it has a very practical second half that teaches you everything you need to know to be a successful host, and guest!
