Wonderings and thresholds have been part of my ponderings the past few weeks. Thresholds are a common image for liminal space, that time and space between what was and what is not yet. The time between what is known and not yet known. It can be a period of uncertainty, of watchful waiting, discernment, questions, limbo.
A physical threshold is that space between spaces, between rooms or between inside and outside. Do you ever sense that you have a foot in one place and the other foot in another, like you are straddling a threshold? Or maybe there’s a decision to be made and you stay in the in-between the options.
Where I have felt myself on a personal threshold for almost the last two years, the past few weeks have found me on two community thresholds, in two moments of in-between what was and what is yet to be.
The first is my faith community. We have called a new pastor. Our interim pastor’s time with us ended about three weeks ago, but our new pastor is not joining us for another ten days or so. We’re in that truly in-between time…waiting, preparing, anticipating…but not knowing a lot of what the next chapter in the community’s history will look like. So we wonder, I wonder.
Not only do I wonder when we will be able to gather for worship again, even outside, in this time of pandemic, but what will worship be like with this new pastor? What will it be like to be part of council with her leadership. I wonder about the renewed energy that is building and the excitement of “new”. Many are looking forward to trying new things, doing things differently. It’s a liminal, in-between, time filled with anticipation, dreaming, and looking forward.
My other community threshold is the threshold our nation is straddling. Events of two weeks ago when a mob stormed the Capitol, some even searching for specific congressional leaders, leaves us as a body caught in a tug of war with one foot on one side of the threshold and the other foot on the other side. If anyone hadn’t been paying attention the past four years about how divided we are as a nation, there are plenty of photos and videos from January 6, 2021 that illustrated the division. And so here we are, it’s the last moments of the eve of Inauguration Day. Today’s president will be replaced tomorrow by a newly elected one. It’s been two months since election day, of tension, anxiety, and for some denial of the election results. It’s been a rocky time on the threshold.
There have been many wondering how we arrived where we have. How is it that there seems to be two different realities? It leaves me wondering how we leave the threshold and move forward. I wonder what it will take for our leaders to truly engage in their work respectfully and with civility despite differing views. I wonder about those who are convinced that the election results are wrong. How do we move forward as neighbors? I wonder how the canyon between us gets bridged. I wonder, even with all the threats of more violence, if tomorrow will actually be peaceful. And there’s the wondering about the pandemic…when it will subside, when immunity will be wide spread, and how many bell tolls will there be before then.
Yet, even with those anxious wonderings, there are also wonderings about how we have shown our ability to work together in the past, so how will we do that now? I wonder how we will love our enemies, care for our neighbors, and welcome the stranger. I wonder how our better angels will bring out the best in all of us.
As we stand on our thresholds for a few more hours, or days, or even longer, may we use that time and space in-between yesterday and tomorrow as a time and place of deep reflection and listening to the still small voice. May we be granted the courage to step over our thresholds, or off of them, and take those first next steps forward into the tomorrow that beckons us personally, locally, and nationally.
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