By Mandy Cloninger
As we were discussing Jesus with his best friends praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, I couldn’t help thinking of the friends I’ve let down over the years in one way or the other. I sent a message earlier this week to one of my besties, that I had thought about calling her the day before but fell asleep on the couch, I said, “kind of like the disciples with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.” She LOL-ed; she’s doing the same study too, but let me off the hook, and we made plans to get together soon. There was another particular friend who had also been on my mind, who I’d been praying for a reconciliation with, but the daily sting is still there. We have friends for all seasons, and in fact, that’s one of my favorite charms on my charm bracelet, a gift from one of my oldest and dearest friends (that’s the charm in the picture). And as Jim called them, we have soul friends, people who know your heart, your intention, your soul. Just a couple weeks ago when I attended the traditional service, I couldn’t help but cheer from my seat when one of my newest soul friends from HPUMC was sharing her gifts with the congregation playing the French horn.
Developing these soul friendships while in Christian community and fellowship has helped me to learn other Christian perspectives on the big questions. And after our discussion in our 24 Hours Group, I couldn’t help but submit our big discussion of the day on the flipcharts in the courtyard last week. I recently said to one of my closest friends during a discussion of faith, I’m no expert here, but this is kind of what I think. He said to me, well you’re an expert to me. Well the truth is you may be the expert to one of your best friends and if you have tons of questions like me, get on a roll like I did at lunch recently, clicking submit, submit, submit!
For the people who know me well and would call me a soul friend, you might describe me as someone who is pretty enthusiastic. I tend to sometimes go a little over the top, am a little too perky some days, and well, I might get on your nerves a bit with my enthusiasm. At a retreat recently, the speaker shared that the word enthusiasm actually has a Greek origin, en + theo = in God, God within us. I couldn’t help but like the fact that my soul friends and most people who know me would use the word enthusiasm to describe me.
Near the start of the Lenten season, as a congregation we prayed the Covenant Prayer, and I can’t help but enthusiastically share it here with my soul friends. It’s become a daily prayer this Lenten season, and I’ve found myself really identifying with Jesus acceptance of His mission from God when he said, ”not my will, but thine be done.”
The Covenant Prayer “re-focuses our life upon the One who is Love. It re-orders and re-aligns our life and mission with the life and mission of God. It is a pledge of missional discipleship that directs us beyond ourselves, towards unity with Christ in the world that God loves,” said Steve Manskar.
I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.
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