Saturday, February 8, 2014

snow and sorrow

gently falling softly covering
so fitting for this time of grief
stark clarity when we open our eyes
gaze for a moment in wonder
and long... long... long... for rest.


So where is God today? Is he silent to our tears, to our rage, to our pain?
No.

A life well lived is one full of hills and valleys, trails and trials, gorges, waterfalls, and oceans. Some elements are vast - and some difficult, but all are part of an amazing adventure.

It is in these moments that we ponder much. Pain and sorrow bring focus that cannot come in any other way. It is the way of man, to search for ease and seek for pleasure so as to escape from the truth.  Russel Brand, in an interview given last year, describes his struggle with drugs and alcohol in this way: "Drugs and alcohol are not my problem — reality is my problem."

So, reality it is. I'll admit it, I'm not fond of reality all the time. I'm not fond of reality right now, actually.

In the Psalms, David speaks often of his desire for nothing more than the presence of God.
Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life. Psalm 119:49-50

My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word.  Psalm 119:81
I lift my eyes up to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.  The LORD wil keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.  The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. Psalm 121

I have to close remembering the lesson I learned on this Psalm. In plain English it appears completely insane, especially this week. However, Bo Stern taught me once that the word keep in this Psalm is to be considered more like a hedge about you; all around you. (like a keep, a castle)

and...

In all these things we are discussing our eternal life. Not so much this one, as we know David, and many psalmists, and many countless people from the bible and all human history, suffered physically due to evil. yet.

We have a solid hope. We are surrounded on all sides, through and through. May we therefore live life with our eyes fixed, as Davids were, on Christ. May we hold one another up as we face reality day by day. And may we grieve as those who have hope. 

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