My name is Cara Regehr. I’m married to Mike and we have four gloriously dynamic children: Myer (9), Truman (6), Phoebe (4) and Maeve (1). I love spending time with friends and family, moving my body, connecting to nature, and of course exploring delicious food and drink! 

I have been attending Calvary for 22 years. I have participated in leadership roles and  many ministries at Calvary during that time. Through the years I have found Calvary an incredibly loving and supportive community. Through the people at Calvary I have known Jesus more deeply and have had beautiful and cherished companions in my faith exploration.

I look forward to sharing my reflections on this week’s passage, Ezekiel 36:22-28.

When I read this passage for the first time, I read that God wants to restore his good name and be with his people. They compromised his good name, and yet, in his goodness and grace, he wants to be made known through them. He wants to pour out his spirit into theirs and renew their hearts. He wants them to live as his people, and he as their God. He wants to restore and renew.

As I read through this again, verses 22 & 23 immediately stand out to me.  My heart is tenderly reminded that God, knowing that we are broken and imperfect people, graciously allows us to bear his name and reveal his love and goodness to our communities. God restores his profaned good name by restoring the goodness in his people. 

He concludes “and the nations shall know that I am the Lord, says the Lord God, when through you I display my holiness before their eyes.” 

He chooses to make himself known through the very ones that caused this mess. He doesn’t need them to do this, he chooses to.  He renews all things, even the things we make a mess of.  

Lord God,  You are gracious and kind to me, even as I make messes. God, I want that same graciousness and kindness to flow from my heart to others.  Spirit, you restore me, your love renews me.  My heart is filled with awe and gratitude for the ways in which your love is bigger and better than I could ever know. Amen

I am human, even with the best intentions I have not done things perfectly in his name. Through the text I feel so aware of the ways in which he is greater than that. His power and love are so deep and wide they engulf my narrow view of him and wash over me like waves that heal and renew. I can think of examples in my life where I believed I was bearing his name well, where I thought I was doing something “for Jesus” yet I greatly misrepresented the depth and scope of his love. My lack of awareness, understanding and privilege hurt others. But God is kinder and better. His love renews and restores me, and by his grace his goodness will be made known through me! Through us!

May I have a heart that is humble and receptive to the mysterious work of the Spirit that chooses to renew me as the way to renew his name everywhere I go.

Did you try out Lectio Divina this week with Ezekiel 36:22-28? Share your reflections here! If you still would like to follow with our community and contemplate weekly passages of scripture with us, check out the guide to Lectio Divina and this week’s podcast or subscribe to weekly podcast releases on Apple music.