Wesley Church

People Blessing People

Daily Devotional June 30

Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.
      – Exodus 33:11, NRSV
 
For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face.
      – 1 Corinthians 13:12, NRSV
 

Face to face. Apparently God and Moses used to get together on a regular basis to speak face to face. And without social distancing! Without even wearing a mask! (Actually, after being in God’s presence, Moses’ face was so radiant that he had to wear a mask — presumably, to protect others’ eyes from his bright, shining face.)

There’s something powerful about meeting face to face, even when it’s not face to face with God. For the time being, COVID-19 prevents most face-to-face encounters. For the time being, we wear masks and keep our distance. For the time being, we no longer do this very basic human thing of meeting face to face. 

And yet… we humans are such creative, resourceful beings, aren’t we? For example:

  • During this season of covid-tide, a young woman designed a face mask with a clear liner, so that lip readers could see her face, her lips, her words. 
  • During this season of covid-tide, a respiratory therapist walked through the hospital halls with a laminated photo of his smiling face pinned to his scrubs, so that patients would know the reassuring smile beneath the mask. 
  • During this season of covid-tide, a preacher taped photographs of his parishioners to the pews, so that he could preach to their smiling faces while livestreaming the Sunday morning service. (I hope he got the right pictures in the right pews!)
  • During this season of covid-tide, a husband stood outside at the window of his beloved’s nursing home room, so that she could see his familiar face beyond the glass. 

During this season of covid-tide, we meet via Zoom and chat via FaceTime and smile through car windows and wave from the porch. During this season of covid-tide, we’re still finding ways — safe ways, mind you — to “meet” face to face. 

Scripture suggests that someday, we’ll see God face to face, just like Moses. Logic suggests that someday even even sooner, we’ll see one another face to face, just like we used to. Until then… I’m giving thanks for all the creative, resourceful ways we’re still able to gather “face” to “face.”

Give thanks with me, friends… and remember:

Our God is bigger than coronavirus. 
Our vision is bigger than coronavirus, too. 
We are people blessing people. 
We are Wesley Church.   

Blessings,

Pastor Candy

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