With a title like that and a new baby in the house, you’d be forgiven for thinking I was focussing (again?) on patience or something of that ilk. But I’m back on lectionary this morning, and reading fromLuke 12 – with Christ’s words about waiting and readiness.
Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives.
We Protestants often get tripped up about work – about faith and works and mission and grace. It’s been our historical problem, and I’m not sure that we’ve got it all sorted out yet, even in this age of secular Sundays and midweek congregational home groups. The command to honour the Sabbath and the advice to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling leave us a little jumbled when it comes to productivity and being found at work.
Be dressed for action.
Right now, I’m on maternity leave. The church has given me time off to rest and to focus on our little Plum in his earliest days. That’s a blessing, but one which made going church yesterday feel a little strange. I hadn’t been to our church for several weeks – first it was too close to my due date and I was feeling the need to be close to home, and then there was the waddle factor. Then Plum was born and we needed to rest. During all this, Sundays came and went, and the Spouse took the kids up two blocks to the church in the neighbourhood. Beangirl knows a few of the Sunday school kids there from her school and Blue liked novelty of somewhere different. But now the in-laws are visiting from BC and we wanted to share our own congregation with them, so on Sunday we buckled on our sandals and hiked off down the hill to our church.
But, as I said, I’m not working right now. So we showed up just on time for worship. I sat in a pew. Others ran the kids’ programme. I listened to the sermon. It all felt a little off-balance.
Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives.
Just like everything else in this new life with little Plum, I think I need to settle in.
Of course, Christ is not talking about productivity but readiness. And readiness isn’t about getting things done, is it? We don’t need to accomplish anything. We need to be ready to serve. Tell me again. I think I might need a repeat.
With visitors in our home, I want to accomplish things. I want to make sure things are nicely arranged and meals are planned and interesting. But I really need to put my feet up. I need to rest. That’s what maternity leave is about. Having time for renewal with my new baby. And the Spouse is absolutely fantastic, cooking up a storm. Friends are popping by with offers of play dates for Bean and Blue and with gifts of casseroles for our table, and the in-laws are being tremendously generous with support, distraction and restaurant meals.
But still I need to hear Jesus say: “Be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks.”
Wait.
Be like those who are waiting.
That’s what I need to hear. This week, I need to hear that our calling is to wait that we might serve. There’s a time to be productive, but only when we are called. We do not need to work through a checklist or rack up brownie points. We are called to ready ourselves.
And Plum blinks open his eyes, finished with yet another newborn nap. He’s hungry again – he’s a wonderful eater – and he’s opening his mouth enormously wide, throwing his head off to the side to make sure that I get the message. Our midwife gave me some good advice when we were talking through the details of keeping this little one’s tummy full. She said not to look at the clock. The clock only tells the time. Look at the baby. He’ll tell you if it is his time to eat. Just be ready for him when he needs you. There’s a nice bit of the preaching I needed.
Keep your eyes open and focused.
Be ready.
