Christ, our EVERLASTING Light in Dark Places

 Psalm 18
2 My God, my rock in whom I put my trust, *
my shield, the horn of my salvation, and my refuge; you are worthy of praise.
³   I will call upon the LORD, *
and so shall I be saved from my enemies.
⁴   The breakers of death rolled over me, *
and the torrents of oblivion made me afraid.
⁵   The cords of hell entangled me, *
and the snares of death were set for me.
⁶   I called upon the LORD in my distress *
and cried out to my God for help.
⁷   He heard my voice from his heavenly dwelling; *
my cry of anguish came to his ears.

 

Every day we move about in the chaos of the world - from the daily troubles within the turmoil of our own lives to the macro-traumas of the world stage where war, famine, drought, oppression, cruelty and strife taint our soil, our water, our bonds in humanity.  Each individual struggle is macro to you because it is your strife, your trial and your affliction - it is easy to cast off one's pain as nonexistent until we walk in their shoes.  On the other hand in suffering we must stay vigilant that we do not lose perspective - we do not lose hope - there are blessings in the midst of trial...sometimes it takes the deepest wounds to cut us down in size to understand empathy, compassion and reveal hidden lessons in strife.  None of us likes to be forced into suffering and testing - no matter how great or how small the trial may be. There have been many times I've been at the end of a pay period with an empty cupboard and my bills were piling up - I panicked and wrestled in the strife - the strife was temporary and my paycheck came but for a week it was unbearable...somehow I was fed and I survived...I've faced greater trials than this - wounds so deep only God can heal the emotional scars and physical scars.  I still have a rod in my leg from a 2002 car accident when I broke my right leg, neck, hands and both wrists...many would have seen the painful recovery as a trial - but I found the blessing of survival out of the wreckage...I swore I would PRAISE GOD for saving me.

We all tend to forget God's former blessings and rescues when we are in the midst of trial.  I have screamed at God about fear over bills - forgetting the times I've had checks come in the mail to pay my bills out of the blue when I was at my lowest - forgetting HIS saving grace in the wake of my car accident.  When we walk we think we are paralyzed, because we focus on fear.  When the paralyzed first walks - it is grace in motion.  We cannot forget our blessings during pain and suffering, nor can we forget to PRAISE GOD for blessings of life and also ask for HIS help to break the bonds of the situation.

The infections of the world: Ebola, ISIS, Kenyan Massacre, Boko Haram, natural disasters, our own personal daily fears over finances, health and life issues - it is easy to get caught up in the negative and to start to believe the lie that God is absent in our lives and that God does not care - how could a loving God allow ISIS to take hold...but these evils are not from God - rather the light of the world - the true light of love, not hate is from God.  God, Son and Holy Spirit - the TRINITY is pure loving energy.  While our sins comes from the fallen nature of free will and those who choose to forsake love in the temporal power of hate - which cannot stand against good - God is ever present in our trials and when we seek HIM in suffering - HE will make our paths straight.

How can he make paths straight when evil persists? God is a light - and Christ guides us through The Holy Spirit - part of the human condition is about choice.  Choosing God's love makes us an instrument of peace - but we are called to more than that - we are called to be an example of love - and in this example we must help all of humanity and the earth.  We are called to service.

How can we serve when we are so small and the evil is strong as a hammer?  We can make a difference - one small light of love can penetrate the darkest of nights.  Serving meal to a neighbor in distress - taking time to send supplies to refugees or donating to a charity that does work overseas in crisis zones (United Nations, Episcopal Relief Development, Catholic Charities, UNICEF). 

We can also PRAY.  While prayer seems small especially when we are but one voice praying for the entire healing of the world - how can our prayer matter?  It does.  God listens and our free will to serve HIM and ask HIM to act - helps to heal the situation - the more who pray the greater the army of joyful petitions shouting out for mercy - God will take one prayer and use it for good.  We might not see the effect of that on the evening news - but peace penetrates even the most forsaken and barren of places. 

While justice cannot  be fully served on this earth for the travesties in Syria, Kenya, Nigeria and Western Africa and Iraq (the lives lost cannot be replaced - but God has through Christ brought victims up for glory in the resurrection - that seems a small consolation when such hate has stolen a life, don't think God doesn't mourn - nor will God ignore the debt - God will work justice - sometimes it is in this realm, sometimes by the heavenly throne of judgment.)  We too must act by seeking peace.  Sometimes this puts us in the seemingly impossible battle to wage war - at the end of the day we must fight for good - through love, compassion and a dedication to our fellow mankind and the earth.

- Remember God is with you - If God is for you - even if the world is against you in the eternal spectrum you will find release in HIS peace.  Be vigilant even in impossible trial for joy conquers hate - love sows love...where revenge creates a cycle of hate recycled - fight the GOOD FIGHT but let God be the JUDGE...This is so impossible in human flesh and human hearts - we grow weary by the hate and that hates makes us bitter and it makes us turn our backs on humanity - suffering - we lose hope.  Joy is not a false hope, but rather a realized hope that good is always worth a struggle over evil - goodness is pure and full of love.  Hope is not a false decree in these terms where you ignore suffering and your trials - you can ignore evil and pretend it doesn't exist - that won't make it disappear.

Rather hope in this case reminds you that life is beautiful - this world may be flawed but it is the glory of God's creation and represents his CREATIVE canvas - wars come, powers come and go - love is a test of endurance - hate cannot withstand - its cup is barren.

For many years I lost hope.  I struggled through - thinking nothing good can come to me - I'm damaged, I'm lost - my hope alone was in salvation and heaven - but I gave up on life - when we give up on the goodness of life - EVIL wins - so we must look for the good even in suffering and embrace chances to love our neighbor as Christ loved us even when it is difficult - even when hate surrounds us.

We must not lose sight that prayer and thanksgiving and supplication do work - we cannot see the effects all the time - but God is always at work - even in rest HE is at work in the world for GOOD.

When you face fear - seek God's counsel.  I felt the most hopeless in trial when I realized my 'friends' did not understand the depths of pain - I did not expect them to feel the pain as much as take time to listen and show empathy - but many found hearing about my problems impeded on their happiness - when I refer to this I did not come forth with an expectation of huge amounts of time - I hoped for a hour long cup of coffee and some good conversations - just simple acts of kindness - we often are called to God to sow goodness and love by being compassionate and empathetic - perhaps that is the great lesson of suffering.  When we suffer we understand the pain of loss and rejection - so when a friend is in dire need we can help soothe and uplift them.  I think of God's petition and commandment to the Israelites in the desert to be kind to the alien because the Hebrews were once foreigners. 

I make this final point because goodness and mercy starts within the soul, through the RESURRECTION we are called to carve a part of ourselves out for service to others in love.  Sometimes this may be uncomfortable - sometimes we may be put into conditions of persecution - remember the world first hated Christ - we are never alone in this battle.  Goodness has the endurance to stand - it is full of the living cup of the holy waters of HIS SPIRIT

While the world is fractured - love and goodness can bind the wound - healing the spirit and the flesh - we are called to PRAY and to actively serve.  Every community faces poverty, hardship, trial - the world is at war - but if we light but one candle in someone's life - we have lit the hope of life in another and that gift of goodness reaps a far deeper and everlasting harvest than ignorance, bitterness, anger and selfish collaboration when tests come.  

Prayer (from BCP); Thess. 12

Go forth into the world in peace;
be of good courage;
hold fast that which is good;
render to no one evil for evil;
strengthen the fainthearted;
support the weak;
help the afflicted;
honour everyone;
love and serve the Lord,
rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.