Scripture: Psalm 22:23-31
You who fear the Lord, give praise! All you of Jacob’s line, give glory. Stand in awe of the Lord, all you offspring of Israel. For the Lord does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty; neither is the Lord‘s face hidden from them; but when they cry out, the Lord hears them. From you comes my praise in the great assembly; I will perform my vows in the sight of those who fear the Lord. The poor shall eat and be satisfied, Let those who seek the Lord give praise! May your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; all the families of nations shall bow before God. For dominion belongs to the Lord, who rules over the nations. Indeed, all who sleep in the earth shall bow down in worship; all who go down to the dust, though they be dead, shall kneel before the Lord. Their descendants shall serve the Lord, whom they shall proclaim to generations to come. They shall proclaim God’s deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying to them, “The Lord has acted!”
A Note to You:
Last week we looked at stories in which it would be easy to devalue life because of circumstances and physical limitations. For some reason, as human beings we cling to the illusion that anything less than a perfect existance without struggle is not worthwhile. Trouble is, of course, that life is not perfect. We are broken people who live in a broken world.
You can deny this. You can invest time, energy, and resources into pretending that such imperfection is for the losers, the ones who don't try hard enough, the ones who don't believe deep enough. You can join the throng who follow the prosperity gospel with its seductive lies; those who trust in God succeed in life. They are the rich, the powerful, and the worthwhile. Blessings are the just rewards - earned credits - for your faithful efforts.
You can do that if you want. There is a danger though. When the path starts to get rocky, your very faith will suddenly be shaken to the core. You will join the chorus who cry out, "Why God?" Why have you let these bad things happen to me? I am such a good person. I don't deserve such struggle, such tragedy. Why are you punishing me?
I have seen these tormenting questions do their destructive work in the hearts of many good and faithful people. Have you seen it too? Perhaps, you've experienced this struggle first hand. It is not a good place to be for at the very time that we need our faith the most to comfort and strengthen us, it seems cold and unavailable. When that happens, it is as though a double tragedy has hit.
It is at these moments that the prosperity gospel (and every other success-based spirituality) is revealed to be hollow and untrue. The empty calories of "make it your best day" fail to sustain our weary souls.
When the path gets rocky, and it will (that's life, after all), Jesus invites you to a different kind of living. Instead of an investment strategy (be good and it will produce dividends) you need assurance. No matter what might befall you - no matter how hard or rocky the path becomes - God is present with you and for your life. God remains faithful and steadfast in love. What is more, Gods love invites you to respond in ways that open outward.
This week, we will look at the temptation of withdrawing from community and others. When the path gets rocky, you might want to isolate yourself. Sadly, I have seen this time and again. Some folks disconnect from friends, family, and church when they hit a rough spot. This inward turn, unfortunately, leads to further brokenness and sorrow because we need others. Others need us. God created you and me for community and connection.
This week, you will read stories about and be asked to consider the following focal statement:
When the path gets rocky, you might stop connecting with others and isolate yourself. Jesus invites you to turn to God by caring for your neighbor.
Thank you for opening your emails, breathing, reading, reflecting, praying, and making a plan to connect with others during this coming week.
In Christ,
Walt
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