Thresholds

“As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.” (Isaiah 62:5 NIV)

Liminality is defined as the transitional period or phase of a rite of passage. It is the condition of being on a threshold or at the beginning of a process. We have all experienced transitions--from childhood to adulthood, from student to worker, from employed to unemployed, from single to married, from married to divorced, from young to old, from strong to weak, from rich to poor, from being needed to no longer relevant...

"Liminal space is an inner state and sometimes an outer situation where we can begin to think and act in genuinely new ways. It is when we are betwixt and between, having left one room or stage of life but not yet entered the next. During this graced time we are not certain or in control. This openness allows room for something genuinely new to happen. We are empty and receptive. Liminal space is where we are most teachable." —Richard Rohr

Transitional phases make us vulnerable. The uncertainty and discomfort often cause us to linger undecidedly on the threshold.  Should we go back to the familiar or move forward into the unexplored? The unknown is always a bit scary. It takes courage to knock on strange doors, assertiveness to negotiate entry, and a willingness  to learn and adapt once you are inside.  This process is not always smooth and simple. Many of us clumsily trip over the threshold or are forcibly pushed from behind by circumstances. This usually results in a less than graceful entrance into new phases.  However, there is another option. We can trust Christ, our Bridegroom, to carry us over each threshold. We can acknowledge our insufficiency while recognizing His capability. We can submit to His power. We can cling to Him in faith and love.  

Lord, may we trust you to carry us and our loved ones across the thresholds of life.