Honest Faith

Just paste a smile on your face.  It's easier that way.  Then maybe no one will ask.  You can pretend that everything is fine.  People of faith are always supposed to be happy, right? 

Prayer

Lord Jesus, we really want things to be fine.  We want to be Barbie and Ken, the perfect people with the perfect lives, but we know better.  Can we come to you with our terrible dirt, the choices we made when we thought no one was looking, the daily hurdles we must overcome?  Can we be honest with you when we wonder where the good is in life? Give us grace to be real with you.  To be free of pretense.  Give us grace to seek you and give you praise by the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Psalm 30

Comments

So the great warrior faced the clanging of swords, the thunder of horses, the burn of scissored flesh, the fear of death in battle, the loss of comrades in arms, the potential shame of loss to one's enemies. When injured and suffering and afraid, he called out to God saying, "What good will I do for you when I'm dead? Keep me alive and I will sing your praises!"

Interestingly, the psalmist equates his time of suffering with the absence, the "hiding" of God in his life. He can't feel God in the pain, though he reaches out for God anyway. Then in the joy of healing, of new life, of victory, he gives praise to God and proclaims that he will do so forever.

If this song was used to dedicate the temple, it would have called forth the collective memories of Israel, the times of enslavement, loss, and suffering when they wondered where God was. It would have also called forth the memories of how God broke the bonds of slavery, freed them, and led them to victory and to the promised land.

What do we do when we struggle and suffer? God, through the psalmist, encourages us to call out to him for help. What do we do when we find healing and joy? God, through the psalmist, encourages us to sing and share with the world what great things God has done for us.

Life is a mix of joy, sorrow, suffering, and delight. A life of faithfulness does not gloss over the tragedies and horrors. It cries out to God. A life of faithfulness does not exalt its own efforts when times are good. It sings and dances and points to the Lord who is gracious and good. Faithful lives look to God honestly, in good times and in bad.

Prayer

Thank you for freeing us from the need to pretend everything's fine when it isn't.  Thank you for being a God who can take the messes and struggles and failures of our lives and resurrect us!  Thank you for bringing joy from sorrow, life fron death, and hope from hopelessness!  May our lives give you praise!  In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, amen.

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