I want to fix something

   In another person’s life

I try and try

   But to no avail

I am at the end of my rope

   No one is there

Oh really

   Look again

Still no one

   Maybe that is because it can’t be fixed

Everything can be fixed

   Oh really

Sometimes in life situations can’t be changed

   Especially for those we love who are hurting

   Especially for those who are powerless 

   Especially for those who don’t deserve such pain

I can’t believe that

   And so there is no one at the end of our rope

But if we do believe that

   We will find God holding us not fixing things

Is being held by God enough

   For us and those we love

Dear Friends,

We live in a very interesting time.  An old Chinese Proverb states, “The worst time to be born is in an interesting time.”  Why would that be the case?  I have searched my heart and the answer I come up with is because it is so easy to become distracted.  Now we need to ask from what?  I would venture to say God.  This is an important idea to put in the context of Holy Week.  This is of course a key time for Christians.  We move from Parades, to Communion, to Prayer and Betrayal, to Death and who knows what will be next.   I believe it is crucial to not move too quickly to Easter.  We need to embrace the uncertainty of death and what happens next.  We claim in our faith to believe in eternal life, but there is a small part of our faith that wonders – Oh Really!  Maybe not.

That first Lent and Holy Week sounds like an interesting time doesn’t it.  It could have been so easy for Jesus to lose His focus on God.  Maybe He did.  Remember what He said, ”If it is possible God let this cup pass from me.  My God, my God why have You forsaken me?”  Those could have been comments filled with wondering what will happen next.  Jesus was honest in His relationship with God.  He didn’t move too quickly over the death parts of life.  Because Jesus did that we are able to catch glimpses of God in the rest of the story.  Like being with Jesus as He said, “If this cup cannot be passed from me let Your Will be done,” and “Into Your Hands I commit my Spirit.”  God was going to have the last word.  How did Jesus know that?  Because God had consistently been with Jesus throughout His life and ministry.  We have no greater assurance from God than God’s continual faithfulness.  The problem, over and over again in the Bible, is for people of faith to trust God to be totally in charge.  We read about failure after failure in the faithful’s lives.  Is God really with us? is asked over and over.  This question continues down to today.  

As you read these words we may be at war.  The economy may continue to be in decline.  The stock market may be in chaos.  The education of our children may still be facing a shortage of funds.  Medicare and health insurance may be sky rocketing.  The poor will still be with us.  In other words, various forms of death will continue to be everywhere.  People like you and me, who are sensitive and caring individuals, are hurting.  We would like to make it all better or for it to be all better.  We have done all that we can, BUT nothing has seemed to change.  Where do we go with our feelings about this?  To God of course.  But what do we say to God?  Let this chaos pass away!  Why don’t you do something?  Sounds a bit like Jesus doesn’t it?  The cup will not be passed from us and we may very well feel like God has forsaken us.

But life goes on, even in the midst of death.  This is the tension we live in and in interesting times like ours we need to keep our focus on God.  We may be living on the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter.  We don’t know what will happen, BUT we know God will happen.  This is the very moment to embrace the words, “Be not afraid for I am God.”  Even when our best efforts have failed to make a difference, God’s Efforts always will!

Peace

Gary