We have come to a certain point in the pandemic where we can do a little looking back and looking forward at the same time. Some folks are certainly longing to return to the way things were. “I’m so glad we can get back to normal!” Some folks have reassessed their priorities and are hoping we’ll be doing life differently, even a little better from here on out. It’s the story of humanity, again and again, to ask, “Where have we come from and where are we going?” In our Christian faith, we come to this point every Sunday morning in worship at the time of confession and assurance of pardon. We hear God calling us to re-evaluate our lives, confess our failings, and receive through God’s grace for a fresh start, hopefully having learned something along the way.

I love the scripture passage that goes, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Ps. 51:10). The psalmist knows that we all need a fresh start, each and every day and that God makes that happen. God renews our heart…the center of our being…and restores us to community with one another.

Here in the US, more and more people are experiencing the freedom that comes with being fully vaccinated, and there is a drive to return to normal, to the way things used to be. I think, that before we rush too quickly to recreate the past, we take time to ask God to show us the best way forward. What was most important about the way life used to be? What is essential for life now? What can I let go of? What do I pick up again? Who does God want me to be?

I certainly think that I was too busy before the pandemic started. I was over-committed, doing too much. I loved all those things I was doing, but I found myself spread too thin. This time has given me the opportunity to see what wasn’t working in my life, what wasn’t working in my community, what wasn’t working in my faith life, and what wasn’t working in the world. I will certainly never look at basic life staples, like meat or toilet paper, the same way. I now know a bit more about how these things come into my life. Every piece of meat is touched by many hands…human hands. People lost their lives keeping meat-packing plants open during the height of the pandemic, keeping the food chain going. I find myself much more grateful for all the people who make my life possible, people I may never meet.

During this time, I remember all those we lost, and I pray for God’s restorative grace to guide us all in our pilgrim faith, following Jesus.

A few years ago, a friend of mine took that verse from Psalm 51 (above) and wrote a hymn that sums up how we can call upon God at this time, to help us assess the past, experience God’s renewing forgiveness, and be empowered for living life in a restored way. As we approach Pentecost, may our prayer always be, “Come, Holy Spirit, and make us new….”

Create Us New (Tune: O Waly, Waly)

Words by Rod Romney c. 1990 AmaDeus Group

We lift our hearts, we bring our lives
Just as we are without disguise.
O Spirit come, create us new
That we may walk in peace with you. 

O holy flame of God that burns
Within each heart and truly yearns
To claim each heart and make it new
That we may love ourselves in you. 

O holy wind, now sow your seed
Let new life grow to noble deed.
O spirit, come create us new
That we may serve this world for you.