The Lord gave me my tongue

Ecclesiasticus 51:21-22 My heart was stirred to seek her; therefore I have gained a prize possession. The Lord gave me my tongue as a reward, and I will praise him with it.

The "her" referred to is Wisdom, personified in Hebrew scriptures and often called Sophia. It is the fruit of a spirit-filled life. I'm sure we've all heard, "The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom", but the word doesn't really imply being afraid of God, but rather, feeling awe before God, the recognition of our own insignificance before the Source of All. Humility is a huge piece of it, and perhaps it is that recognition of our own humility which opens us up to see, hear and understand true wisdom. That has certainly been my journey. Though I don't claim wisdom in myself, I do experience this process as a bowing down before the superior wisdom of scripture, and when I humble myself before it, putting aside my own ideas, and listening and waiting for the voice of the spirit, I am rewarded with new insights, perspectives on life that I wouldn't come to on my own. In that waiting and watching, in that bowing down and receiving, in that pausing and reflecting, Wisdom, in a sense, arises. Or at least I hope she does.

So I have searched and sometimes found, and God has given me a tongue. When I saw that, I immediately thought of this blog, and how it has given me a way to express what I have come to understand about life and God and the mystery in and around us all. That is what Jesus Son of Sirach is doing in his book, Ecclesiasticus: trying to pass on what he has learned, hoping that others will benefit from it. It has been difficult, lately, to read with fresh eyes, to bring renewed energy to this work, but this reading has reminded me of my purpose in speaking in this way. I am reminded that I am called to this as a sacred art, and I must persevere even through times without inspiration. I do feel a slackening of energy in all parts of my life, and partly, I suppose, I just need a vacation (which is coming up September 1 - 15!), a real prolonged rest. But this reminder has renewed at least a sense of purpose in what I am doing, and I find myself reinvigorated even as I slog through what feels like a stagnant time.

Prayer: Dear God, I don't know why I am experiencing this time of dullness and lack of energy or inspiration, but I know that you are here with me, if I will but look for you and open my heart to your presence. Help me to follow through on my commitments even when I don't feel like it. Give me the opportunity to rest and restore my soul, so that I can continue my path renewed in vigor and excitement. Amen

God was with Joseph

Genesis 39:20b-21a But there in jail, God was still with Joseph.

God was with Joseph from the beginning. It aroused the jealous and enmity of his brothers who sold him into slavery. It aroused the lust of Potiphar's wife, which got him thrown into jail. But God stays with him through thick and thin, eventually bringing huge bessing out of Joseph's suffering. We shouldn't conclude, though, that just because God is with him, life is easy for Joseph: he had to avoid temptation, maintain his integrity and work hard to prove his capabilities to his captors. He is fully aware of the desperateness of his circumstances: he refers to the jail where he has been put in charge as a "hole", and later refers to his hardship and sorrows. But he trusts in God anyway, remains faithful despite all the adversity that comes his way until God's mysterious purposes begin to be worked out.

Some people look at faith like an insurance policy or a good luck charm. 'If I believe in God,' they think, 'if I have faith, than nothing bad will ever happen to me.' We might call this the Gospel of Security, a close cousin of the Gospel of Prosperity. God, however, makes no such promise. Unfortunately, as a result of this false belief, many who find themselves in difficult circumstances see that as evidence of God's abandonment, and then they themselves abandon faith, abandon God.

Faith isn't about protecting us from life. Faith is an action, a series of practices, a discipline that gives us the tools to engage in life more fully, to experience all that life has to offer, the sorrows as well as the joys, the hardship as well as the abundance, tools like endurance, resilience, steadfastness, gratitude, compassion, peace. Such faith equips us for living; it doesn't keep us above the fray, but plunges us more deeply into it. It enables us to experience our own lives more fully, and to be present with others as they walk in the shadow of death. So develop your faith not to avoid things, but to live the full, abundant and rich life that God has prepared for you, for all of us.

Prayer: Dear God, It is hard to remember when times are tough that you are always with me. Help me remember to turn my face to you when all else seems lost, to have joy in your presence and gratitude for the gift of grace, even when I can only find it in the shelter of your heart. Amen,

Take heart!

1Chronicles 28:20 David continued to address Solomon: “Take charge! Take heart! Don’t be anxious or get discouraged. God, my God, is with you in this; he won’t walk off and leave you in the lurch. He’s at your side until every last detail is completed for conducting the worship of God.

David has just handed his young son, Solomon, an enormous project: the building of the Temple for God. David has stockpiled materials and developed extensive plans, in response to God’s divine communication, and they are elaborate. I can only imagine that Solomon was completely overwhelmed. I know that I get that way frequently, regularly. Life in all of its complexity often seems overwhelming! And I can think of no other encouragement as helpful as this (plus a good nap): that God is at my side.

God is not in the forsaking business. We humans, frail and errant, often find we cannot follow through on what we intended. All of us have at times been on the receiving end of that – and, if we are honest, probably the giving end as well. We’re doing the best we can, but sometimes we just can’t follow through. God never fails. We may feel lost, but God is there. When everyone else deserts you, God takes your hand. So when I, inevitably, get anxious, or discouraged, I take the time to stop and connect with God, to remember that God abides in me as I abide in God, and to lean on God in whatever way I can. ‘Don’t worry,’ God tells me, ‘we’ll get through this.’

Prayer: Dear God, As I move forward in my intention to reclaim my space, the project seems absolutely overwhelming at times. Remind me of your presence in everything I do, that I may call on your strength when mine fails, and find your hope when I am discouraged. And through it all, keep me always grateful for your presence in my life. Amen.