Keys and Calling

Every Sunday morning, before I unlock the doors to our sanctuary, I pause. I hold the key in my hand, and I remember Jesus’ words to Peter: “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19).

I believe those words weren’t just meant for Peter alone, or just for pastors. I believe they speak to all of us who belong to Christ — the priesthood of all believers. They remind us of the sacred responsibility we share to participate in what God is doing in the world. Through our prayers, our forgiveness, our words of hope and encouragement, and yes, even through the unlocking of sanctuary doors, we join in God’s work of opening what needs to be opened and closing what needs to be closed.

This past Sunday, as I looked at that little brass key in my hand, I found myself wondering how many pastors before me have held it just the same way — standing at the threshold of a new Sunday, a new gathering of God’s people, a new opportunity for God’s grace to meet us. It’s humbling to think about. I’m just one in a long line, entrusted with the task for a time.

But it’s not just pastors. It’s all of us. Every time you show up to worship, to serve, to pray, to love — you are unlocking something sacred. You are binding yourself to the community of faith and loosening the grip of loneliness and fear in this world. My hope is that you’ll take this to heart: you hold a kind of key too. The keys to kindness, to healing, to reconciliation, to joy. The keys to opening the doors of your heart to someone who needs to know they’re not alone. God has entrusted us with more than we often realize. May we be faithful with what we’ve been given — and may we never forget who holds the master key.

May God hold you,

Rev Chris Hester