How Laying Cruciform Can Break Open the Healing of our Land and SLOW Word Video

When the ground underneath us quakes, (from a death, a shock, a debilitating fear, a lament, even a hard fight with a loved one), we can lay ourselves right down.

Nine years into our marriage, Andrew and I were battling I don’t even remember what. We were exhausted and overwhelmed parents of two babies, carrying the responsibility of a parish under stress.

And let’s just say high stress brings out blame and it’s easier to point the finger away from us. We’d fight until I would lay down and remember God was the ground of my being and stable enough to carry us both. Gravity became a gift of prayer. We weren’t holding ourselves up on the earth. He was.  “For in Him we live and move and have our being.”Acts 17:28

Two years ago my sense of vocation was rocked. Once again, I often laid down cruciform in front of the altar. The lament was so darn heavy, laying it down in front of the altar was the only way I could hand it back to God. As I lay down on the red carpet, I would sense Him lay down next to me, look into my eyes and whisper, “I do this all the time.”

Cruciform, our bodies teach our minds and spirits to empty.

Cruciform, we lay down our own toxic self-righteousness.

Cruciform, we lay down knowing that even in the pit and pain of life, we are not ever alone.

Cruciform we join His suffering, and still choose to serve.

Cruciform we give up demanding our rights and choose to focus on our Redeemer.

There are many who found their prayers answered during Tuesday night’s election and they are rejoicing. I find myself sitting with this bizarre election cycle trying to remember how to breathe. Everything was downright messy and many got smeared. Some of us experienced the roller coaster of this last year more like an earthquake. But whether you are rejoicing or rocked from Tuesday night’s election outcome, it’s time to lay ourselves right down on the ground facedown, cruciform. It’s time to seek the healing of our land.

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and I will forgive their sins, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

The healing always starts with the humbling.