A friend of mine has been under the weather of late--for several days in fact. In the midst of her illness she said to me that she believed God had meant for her to be sick--that He needed to stop her in her tracks. She hadn't been praying like she usually does and she believed that God wanted her to take time to pray for certain people in her life. As she recounted this to me, I suppose the expression on my face must have revealed judgmentalism. She said, "I know you don't believe that but . . ." What she didn't know was that I was thinking, "It doesn't matter what I believe. What matters is what she believes. What she believes is what serves her. What she believes is what serves her relationship with God."
In chapter 13 of II Kings, there is a story of two prophets. One hears a message from God and believes that he is to risk his life and go confront the king over some matters. He does so and I imagine that he must have felt a great deal of pride and accomplishment. He is then approached by another prophet who tells the first one that God has changed the plan and reports a new scenario. The first prophet chooses to believe what the second prophet has said instead of following through on the final details of God's original direction. The result is that the first prophet meets his death. Had he listened to what he knew was right for him, he might well have lived a little longer.
Some years ago, a friend came to me troubled about her nephew who was really near death. She didn't know what to do about him or for him and she asked me what she should do. I looked at her and said, "Pray for a miracle. Miracles happen every day. They are just what God does daily." I covenanted to pray with her and over the months we watched her nephew, our miracle, heal completely. So in December, when I found myself longing for my own miracle, I began to pray. I reminded God of what he had done for the young man and told God that if he could do that for him, I was pretty sure that God could provide the miracle that I desired. As I drove down the road, praying this very personal prayer tears streamed down my face. I concluded the prayer and immediately a blue chevrolet pulled off of the ramp onto the highway in front of me. Its license plate read, "Miracle 9." I laughed out loud and felt that God had just promised me, in God's time, the fulfillment of my miracle just as I had requested it.
When I recounted the story to my friend, I told her specifically what I prayed for and I could tell on her face that she did not believe that what I prayed for was right. In her eyes, I should have prayed for whatever God wanted rather than the specific thing that I desired.
My friend and I may not see eye to eye about our interpretations of God, but we each would do well to learn of the prophets. We each understand God in our own ways. Her way would not be right for me and my way would not be right for her but granting each other the right to know God in the way we each do speaks to an appreciation of the other person. It speaks to an understanding that there is not just one way to know or communicate with God. It speaks to the fact that God's ways are so much greater than we can comprehend. It speaks to the fact that as humans we need not be so focused on right or wrong, we need be focused on accepting each other with all of our differences and therein rests the gift of love.
You may well know God in ways that neither my friend nor I can understand. I hope for each of us that we have a means of seeking God, knowing God and choosing to walk in the way of personal relationship with God for therein we find life!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
On Lent
A student from Maryland recently recounted to me the struggles that her family was facing. Her siblings have been out of school for a week now--no doubt driving her mother crazy--due to the snow days in Maryland. Snow literally covered the entire height of cars! I can't imagine such a scene much less having to live with that.
I've heard so many people say of late how they are ready for the snow to just go away and I can only imagine the more snow one has had the more magnified that sentiment!
This week we began the season of Lent. Lent reminds me of that readiness for the dissipation of snow. It brings sacrifice and darkness of the soul that we just wish would go away!
Somewhere around 100 AD Christians began to realize the need to prepare their hearts for the resurrection day of Easter. To do so, they realized that they needed to observe the same or similiar sorts of sacrifice that the darks days leading up to Passover in Jesus' life represented. They needed to experience sacrifice or at least something of the sacrifice that God in Christ was making when he gave his son's life. This is what Lent is about. This is that sense of being overcome by dreariness and the woes of life. This is that wrestling over the things we know are coming but cannot yet see. This is that wilderness when we know not what God is doing but we are called to step out in faith and trust.
I'd just assume experience joy and happiness all of the time! I realize that even in sad and trying moments I can choose joy. Still, Lent reminds us that we really can't appreciate the joys and blessings of life if we can't at least understand something of the sadness and suffering that can occur.
I've always thought of Lent as an invitation. It is an invitation for us to be grateful for the cold and snowy winters of our lives (whether literally or figuratively) for in their gift we realize the value of the warm and wonderful springs and summers of flourishing that happen in our lives.
Whatever wintry experiences of life are yours this day, know that Lent is the call to remember that God is at work and wonders ARE forthcoming! Thanks be to God for the wonders that are ours! Amen.
I've heard so many people say of late how they are ready for the snow to just go away and I can only imagine the more snow one has had the more magnified that sentiment!
This week we began the season of Lent. Lent reminds me of that readiness for the dissipation of snow. It brings sacrifice and darkness of the soul that we just wish would go away!
Somewhere around 100 AD Christians began to realize the need to prepare their hearts for the resurrection day of Easter. To do so, they realized that they needed to observe the same or similiar sorts of sacrifice that the darks days leading up to Passover in Jesus' life represented. They needed to experience sacrifice or at least something of the sacrifice that God in Christ was making when he gave his son's life. This is what Lent is about. This is that sense of being overcome by dreariness and the woes of life. This is that wrestling over the things we know are coming but cannot yet see. This is that wilderness when we know not what God is doing but we are called to step out in faith and trust.
I'd just assume experience joy and happiness all of the time! I realize that even in sad and trying moments I can choose joy. Still, Lent reminds us that we really can't appreciate the joys and blessings of life if we can't at least understand something of the sadness and suffering that can occur.
I've always thought of Lent as an invitation. It is an invitation for us to be grateful for the cold and snowy winters of our lives (whether literally or figuratively) for in their gift we realize the value of the warm and wonderful springs and summers of flourishing that happen in our lives.
Whatever wintry experiences of life are yours this day, know that Lent is the call to remember that God is at work and wonders ARE forthcoming! Thanks be to God for the wonders that are ours! Amen.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
On Friendship
The Scripture tells us that a friend loves at all times . . . .Some of you know that I have a most adorable little niece who in a matter of weeks will turn two years old. So hard to believe! This week my mother recounted to me a story about Isabella. My sister had taken Izzy to the grocery store. So imagine the scene. A little curly brown haired girl sitting in that little grocery cart basket likely swinging her legs as her mother examines the goods on the shelf. All of a sudden a tiny voice from across the room yells out, "Itabella!" Immediately, Izzy throws out her arms and yells out in response "A-dah!"
It turns out that Ada is in the preschool class ahead of Isabella's class. They had made friends at school and I realized that this is the first friend that Isabella has had of her own choosing. All of her other friends are the children of her parents' friends. I realized that in that shouting to each other over a vast grocery store, two little people began to live that scriptural lesson . . . a friend loves at all times.
My youngest sister when she was just older than Isabella developed a friendship with a neighbor of the same age. Amanda was often at our house and I always found myself jealous at their closeness. They went separate ways as they graduated from high school but they never lost touch. Amanda, who is now 28 years of age, has melanoma that has metasticized over her body. In November she was given two months to live. She is under 24 hour care now. She and my sister have prayed together throughout this ordeal and are tied together even still. A friend loves at all times . . . .
Throughout the fall, I found myself not feeling like myself. My behavior was not what it should have been and my emotions were all over the place. I couldn't understand why I was acting the way I was nor could I articulate that I didn't understand what was wrong with me. I just knew that I didn't feel like myself and I couldn't control it. I blamed it on the stress of an upside down life. I blamed it on anything that I could. I made life difficult for those I loved and for those who bring the most enjoyment to my life, I created anxiety for them. When we discovered that it was a physical problem easily amended with drugs for a short period, I regained my old self. The people that loved me and whom I had pushed away showed themselves true friends by sticking with me. A friend loves at all times . . ..
Recently, someone recounted to me the story of a rift in a relationship. The person's friend had just stopped communicating with them for no apparent reason. When the person tried to find out why and make amends, there was still no response. The person was distraught about it and concerned about the drama being created. Yet, through it all the person had simply continued to be a friend. The situation is not resolved but . . . a friend loves at all times.
That phrase that a friend loves at all times seems the best advice I know for our living and being in the world. It teaches us not to let relationships be threatened by failures of others in communication, by our own failures or even by the threat of death. The simple lesson of friendship is that it goes on eternally because a friend loves at all times.
Isabella and Ada are only two years old but they know this already at some level because they are living it and stand as a challenge to us to do the same. A friend loves at all times. May we prove ourselves as true friends! Amen.
It turns out that Ada is in the preschool class ahead of Isabella's class. They had made friends at school and I realized that this is the first friend that Isabella has had of her own choosing. All of her other friends are the children of her parents' friends. I realized that in that shouting to each other over a vast grocery store, two little people began to live that scriptural lesson . . . a friend loves at all times.
My youngest sister when she was just older than Isabella developed a friendship with a neighbor of the same age. Amanda was often at our house and I always found myself jealous at their closeness. They went separate ways as they graduated from high school but they never lost touch. Amanda, who is now 28 years of age, has melanoma that has metasticized over her body. In November she was given two months to live. She is under 24 hour care now. She and my sister have prayed together throughout this ordeal and are tied together even still. A friend loves at all times . . . .
Throughout the fall, I found myself not feeling like myself. My behavior was not what it should have been and my emotions were all over the place. I couldn't understand why I was acting the way I was nor could I articulate that I didn't understand what was wrong with me. I just knew that I didn't feel like myself and I couldn't control it. I blamed it on the stress of an upside down life. I blamed it on anything that I could. I made life difficult for those I loved and for those who bring the most enjoyment to my life, I created anxiety for them. When we discovered that it was a physical problem easily amended with drugs for a short period, I regained my old self. The people that loved me and whom I had pushed away showed themselves true friends by sticking with me. A friend loves at all times . . ..
Recently, someone recounted to me the story of a rift in a relationship. The person's friend had just stopped communicating with them for no apparent reason. When the person tried to find out why and make amends, there was still no response. The person was distraught about it and concerned about the drama being created. Yet, through it all the person had simply continued to be a friend. The situation is not resolved but . . . a friend loves at all times.
That phrase that a friend loves at all times seems the best advice I know for our living and being in the world. It teaches us not to let relationships be threatened by failures of others in communication, by our own failures or even by the threat of death. The simple lesson of friendship is that it goes on eternally because a friend loves at all times.
Isabella and Ada are only two years old but they know this already at some level because they are living it and stand as a challenge to us to do the same. A friend loves at all times. May we prove ourselves as true friends! Amen.
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