Valleys
It's only January 6, but I'm thinking of Lent 2011 already. With the exceptional photos that Joe and Lindsay will provide, I'm hoping to complete the 3 or 4 year Lent book project in time for Ash Wednesday this year. Ash Wednesday is only about 60 days away.
I'm also thinking of Lent already because Lent reminds me sometimes of the 40 days of trial and temptation that Jesus encountered. Yes, encountered. I don't know if he merely "endured" them. I doubt seriously that he "enjoyed" them. But he did encounter them. He lived them.
I'm in a valley, and I don't know why. I don't understand why things are the way they are. These are days of trial and temptation. I wish they would last no more than 40 days, but I do not control the duration. Many days, I feel like I'm merely enduring these days. The pain -- though emotional -- is real; and I feel like I'm aging in dog years instead of human years.
I read a story in USA Today . . . today. (I do love the fact that it's always awkward to say "in USA Today today.")
The story was about a 38-year-old itinerant minister in Haiti who contracted HIV, quite possibly from his wife. "Eventually, the sickness took its toll on his marriage: His wife left him. He says he is still married to her and would never consider marrying anyone else. But his devotion is now to his work" visiting other people with HIV. He will sit with those who are not feeling well, sing, pray, and counsel. If he has money or food to give them, he will. If he needs to refer them to a clinic, he does.
Once, he said, he aked God why. He asked God to tell him what he had done that made this thing happen. And, he goes on, God answered me, "What did Job do?" And then, he says, I came to understand that this is my calling and mission.
I think of Christ in the last few days of his earthly life. I think of him anticipating death, knowing that he would suffer for -- well -- nothing he had done. I think of him crying out "My God, my God, why?" And I think about the fact that our story only ends well when we view things from a perspective other than merely temporal. In the near term, Christ died. In the longer term, Christ arose.
And, for that reason, I remind myself of Jars' Valley Song:
"I will sing of your mercy
that leads me through valleys of sorrow
to rivers of joy."
. . .
Yeah.
I'm also thinking of Lent already because Lent reminds me sometimes of the 40 days of trial and temptation that Jesus encountered. Yes, encountered. I don't know if he merely "endured" them. I doubt seriously that he "enjoyed" them. But he did encounter them. He lived them.
I'm in a valley, and I don't know why. I don't understand why things are the way they are. These are days of trial and temptation. I wish they would last no more than 40 days, but I do not control the duration. Many days, I feel like I'm merely enduring these days. The pain -- though emotional -- is real; and I feel like I'm aging in dog years instead of human years.
I read a story in USA Today . . . today. (I do love the fact that it's always awkward to say "in USA Today today.")
The story was about a 38-year-old itinerant minister in Haiti who contracted HIV, quite possibly from his wife. "Eventually, the sickness took its toll on his marriage: His wife left him. He says he is still married to her and would never consider marrying anyone else. But his devotion is now to his work" visiting other people with HIV. He will sit with those who are not feeling well, sing, pray, and counsel. If he has money or food to give them, he will. If he needs to refer them to a clinic, he does.
Once, he said, he aked God why. He asked God to tell him what he had done that made this thing happen. And, he goes on, God answered me, "What did Job do?" And then, he says, I came to understand that this is my calling and mission.
I think of Christ in the last few days of his earthly life. I think of him anticipating death, knowing that he would suffer for -- well -- nothing he had done. I think of him crying out "My God, my God, why?" And I think about the fact that our story only ends well when we view things from a perspective other than merely temporal. In the near term, Christ died. In the longer term, Christ arose.
And, for that reason, I remind myself of Jars' Valley Song:
"I will sing of your mercy
that leads me through valleys of sorrow
to rivers of joy."
. . .
Yeah.