Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them. - Isaiah 42.9
It has been an interesting 12 months. Lots of stuff going on physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Since last Holy Week I have come face to face with the frailty and uncertainty of human life. I know the sense of feeling fragile and broken in a manner I've never experienced before.
All through the psalms and in the writing of Isaiah and other prophetic passages, God's people come face to face with their own frailty and the uncertainty of life. They experience that sense of feeling fragile and broken in a deep way. The Suffering Servant says in Isaiah 49:
“I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the Lord, and my recompense with my God.”
Yet the Servant's heart is not dissuaded or distracted. The Servant does not turn cynically away from God or question the "unfairness" of life or God or anything. The Servant states simply a faith, a trust. in the God who calls and sends. The Servant affirms that the work and the exertion of effort has not been in vain and without purpose. The Servant knows that at the end of the age it is God's desire for His creation that will triumph in spite of the struggles and suffering of the day. Just as God has spoken reliably, truthfully, about all that has come to pass up to this point in the life of the Servant, God's truthful and truth-filled words are declaring "new things" in the life of the Servant, the lives of God's people, and the world.
I have no idea why I have been dealt my set of cards in life. That is not really any of my business. My business this day is to "suit up and show up." Whatever the cards I have in today's hand are not for me change. These cards I have been dealt today are able to help me participate in God's plan for the renewal and restoration of the world.
Today, rather than question the condition of my health, my finances, my relationships, my past struggles, my whatever, I will offer God thanks that He entrusts me with a message of hope and redemption. I will offer thanks to God that He has given me much indeed that I do not deserve. I will offer thanks to God that He has not given me what I deserve. I will offer thanks to God and open my heart and my mind and my life to hear how I am to gather up all the good and not so good in my life that He may use it as proof of His goodness and His power in this fragile, frail, uncertain and broken world of ours.
"Almighty God, whose beloved Son willingly endured the agony and shame of the cross for our redemption: Give us courage to take up our cross and follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen." (BCP, pg. 252)
Excellent message...excellent reminders. Thanks for sharing, Ram!
Posted by: kabsav | April 07, 2009 at 08:18 AM
As you have told me before we are ALL broken, and have our own issues to deal with. This gives me many things to go over and over and over and I'm sure get help from. Of course I have to open my eyes and my ears. Thanks Ram, I miss you. My best to K and the boys. MLW
Posted by: mlw | April 13, 2009 at 03:59 PM