Ezekiel 39:21-29
Psalms 30, 32, 42, 43
Philippians 4:10-20
John 17:20-26
Did you ever find yourself stuck? Like, in a rut. Kind of directionless, lost. Most of us have.
When I was younger, at a time when I was sort of taking a vacation from church, I felt that way sometimes. What pulled me out was being in Southeast Asia in 1970-71. The reality of maybe not returning home pushed me into “having faith.” I realized my situation was pretty much out of my control, and that the military’s training would go only so far. It helped that my office, for a time, was close to the chapel. Two of my softball teammates were chaplains. Our initial bond might have been sports, but more than hits and home runs rub off when you’re around folks like that. I found faith – believing – came easily. If I didn’t try to fight the concept.
Long before the term became fashionable, I learned to go with the flow. My emerging faith helped turn fear into something easier to live with.
I’m still struck by those who say, “I’d believe in God if I just had some proof.” That’s the point of faith – you won’t find the science to prove it. You either suspend some of the control we try to instill in our lives, or you don’t. If you can bend on the idea of control, faith comes more easily.
That’s what came across to me as I looked at two of today’s readings. My Bible labels Psalms 42 and 43 as “Prayer of a Man in Exile.” What I get is that the writer is lost; he’s searching. Both Psalms end on a positive note. In Psalm 42: “I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him.” Psalm 43 ends the same way. Good ending, I think.
Ed Spaulding