April Devotional: Living Beyond the Finish Line
Dear Southport Congregational Church,
Easter has come and gone. Lilies have been ordered, received, and taken home. The sand has been vacuumed out of my clerical robe from our beautiful beach service. Chocolate bunnies are now on clearance. Our Easter pastels have been relegated back into the closet, and we’re left with the question: what do we do now?
Naturally, our eyes will look to the next thing. We’ll start thinking about the Kentucky Derby party on the lawn of Pequot Library, brunch plans for Mother’s Day, Memorial Day Weekend, and certainly the festivities of the Fourth of July. Perhaps we’ve already made summer plans, and if you have children, then likely you’re already signed up for one, two, or several summer camps or programs. It is our human nature to always be looking to the next thing. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy making plans and being prepared, but when we spend so much time thinking about the next adventure, we fail to enjoy the process of the current adventure.
I’ve noticed this in my own personal life. As many of you know, I enjoy running, biking, swimming, walking, and simply exercising outside. In 2023, I spent much of my time training for an Ironman Triathlon in Madison, WI. During my training, I had to consider the importance of the process rather than the outcome. Meaning, I wanted to enjoy the process of training rather than merely enjoy the outcome of the race. You might ask, why? First, because the process was much longer than the outcome and I wanted to enjoy as much as I could. Second, when we put so much emphasis on the outcome, more often than not, we are left with that unsatisfied feeling, asking ourselves, what do I do now?
Sometimes, I worry we treat the rhythms of the Church this way. Specifically, I worry we’ve twisted Easter into an outcome, a result, or even a finish line and now we’re left unsatisfied and confused about what to do next. If that’s the case, let me offer the reminder that we can celebrate the joys of the resurrection and the promise of the Easter story today, tomorrow, and forevermore. Easter isn’t a finish line; it’s a process of hope, joy, and love in which we live every day. So, wave the palm branches, shout Hosanna, and declare again, He is Risen! He is Risen indeed!
Grace & Peace,
Rev. Dr. Mark Waterstone