Epic Theology

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all having a thoughtful and inspired Holy Week. It’s Maundy Thursday (the day we remember the Last Supper) as I write this, which I find appropriate considering today’s Worship Language: The Caregiver.

If you read last week’s post about the Activist and thought, “That’s all well and good, but what about the people who are suffering through all of this?” then you are likely a Caregiver. Caregivers worship God by serving others. While the Activists worship by opposing the evil that oppresses the orphan and the widow, the Caregiver prefers to sit down and meet the needs of the oppressed.

Weekend services can offer the Caregiver many opportunities to interact with others for the glory of God. Volunteering as an usher or greeter or coffee pourer can be an act of worship for the Caregiver. Our church has prayer stations where congregants can ask for prayer from our group of dedicated intercessors. Hurting people come to church every week; Caregivers only need to keep an eye out.

Churches also often offer plenty of service activities outside of Sunday morning. Visiting shut-ins and offering the sacraments (if your church does that sort of thing), singing carols to the elderly, delivering baskets of food or supplies, or participating in a neighbourhood cleanup can all help the Caregiver see Jesus in the faces of those in need.

For the Caregiver artist, I suggest you allow your art to flow out of your encounters with others. Tell the story of a working single mother. Write poetry for your grandmother to brighten her day. Take photos of a dying cancer patient that shows both their struggle and their dignity. Allow others to inspire your art, and allow your art to bless others.

Caregivers must remember, however, that ultimately, our service is to God. We can get so caught up with the people we are serving (and there are many, many people who need help), that we can forget the One who has called us to service. The pain of the world can be so great that, if we let it, it can overwhelm the hope that comes from above.

The bottom line for Caregivers: find someone to serve and look for Jesus in their eyes. 

If you are a Caregiver, how do you connect with God?

Blessings