I searched for words yesterday to describe the horror of what happened at Virginia Tech, but couldn’t find them. My response these days to such wickedness is to pray the Lord’s prayer and trust that heaven is breaking into this world — often in silent, hidden ways.
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My braindead status continues. I have about enough creativity for preaching and barely enough for teaching (Hebrews yesterday). Barely. But I come to my blog and there’s nothing. Sometime I’ll have to look over the past four years and see if that’s always been the case as the spring semester draws to a close. I remember one spring when I was worn out David Wray said, “Around here we don’t accept resignations in April.” Wise words. The summer comes — along with rest, rejuvenation, and reading.
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Assuming Hebrews was written to exhort (13:22) a weary congregation to endure (10:36 - “You need to persevere”), it’s interesting to follow the writer’s strategy. In this book filled with journey imagery (my favorite imagery of spirituality), he makes these moves: (1) he points them to Jesus, the guide (2:10) and forerunner (6:20) in the journey; (2) he guides them through scripture (passages like Psalms 2, 8, 95, and 110); and (3) he calls for intense community.
Still not a bad strategy. Don’t you think?
There are now answers….there is only trust.
Whoops…NO answers!
Cope, you’ve got more to offer “bone dry” and “running on fumes” than the rest of us have when we are filled up to the brim and raring to go! I relate to your feelings, but remember, some of your best work is done when you feel helpless and empty. Sort of like Willie Nelson–always wrote his best stuff when his life was undone. Keep walking. We love you!
Sometimes in dry spells, you reach out to the Spirit more and that is good.
Wow. If yesterday was you on a bad day, then I am quite impressed. I was about to tell you that yesterday was a really good class and that I enjoyed it immensely.
It is encouraging to a young, weary minister to know that it is common among men (at least in April)!
I was struck how much your very last point (Hebrews calling us to “intense community”) actually has something to do with your initial statement about the tragedy in Virginia. For the past two days, the shooter has been consistently described as a “loner”. I’m not offering any excuses at all for what he did, but it did point up to me the value of connection and community. I am personally convicted about my unwillingness to reach out to my neighbor, especially if he/she appears to be satisfied in their isolation. We cannot make it through this life alone, and the Good News is meant to be shared!
I’d rather have an ‘in tents’ community!
Yikes! After 14 years with this church, I’m announcing my resignation this Sunday! Should I wait until May? Actually, it’s a very positive thing, involving my elders all the way. I would stay and preach here the rest of my life, but I’m going into business with my son and I’m very excited about that! I seldom comment on your blog site, but your thoughts are a part of my daily read. Most of the time you encourage me. You almost always make me think. And when you really challenge me on something, I don’t like you!
But we’ll tolerate the brain-deadness and await the freshness we know will come. BTW, my wife and I are to become grandparents in August, so your posts about your grandchild was very meaningful to me!! Congrats to all!
In thinking/praying about the VT tragedy, an Andrew Peterson song comes to mind. It’s the same song that I leaned on when my heart was a mess after the kids were in “the” accident. So these are my words when I have none:
Give us faith to be strong
Father, we are so weak
Our bodies are fragile and weary
As we stagger and stumble to walk where you lead
Give us faith to be strong
Give us peace when we’re torn
Mend us up when we break
This flesh can be wounded and shaking
When there’s much too much trouble for one heart to take
Give us peace when we’re torn
Give us hearts to find hope
Father, we cannot see
How the sorrow we feel can bring freedom
And as hard as we try, Lord, it’s hard to believe
So, give us hearts to find hope
Give us faith to be strong
Give us strength to be faithful
This life is not long, but it’s hard
Give us grace to go on
Make us willing and able
Lord, give us faith to be strong
Give us peace when we’re torn
Give us faith, faith to be strong
Hebrews is hard to beat with its journey language. We are getting ready to start this book in my Sunday morning class? Any resources you would recommend?
Peace.
Perhaps there is some richness in celebrating the Christian calendar that we’ve traditionally missed out on. Aligning our lives with the rhythms of the universal church might be a good way to roll through the troughs in the swells of life, knowing that there is another crest coming.
Mike,
I am studying Luke 24 for this sunday, and it strikes me that there is a huge connection with the moves of Hebrews and what Jesus does with his disciples on the road to Emmaus. They come with shattered hopes, walk with Jesus, Jesus takes them through scripture, and then they come to communion and community.
Ditto Greg.
A college administrator here in my hometown once said,”In the Fall, there’s enough energy on campus to change the world and by the end of the Spring semester, there’s barely enough energy to get to class on-time.”
Steve,
I’m teaching Luke now. Check out Luke for Everyone by NTWright. Awesome book.
Blessings.
-Joel
Mike,
Could it be possible that a silent prayer is eactly what God wanted you to have? I’m working through healing/coping as are countless others, and sometimes the greatest comfort I have is knowing that when I call He comes.
Speaking of community, there was an AMAZING picture of thousands of students gathered on the VT campus holding candles and each other. It was posted yesterday on the ESPN website…hope you saw it. There was no words needed there either. “Intense Community”…its a great strategy.
Thanks for sharing your heart. Blessings to you as you lead and model.
“…and sometimes the greatest comfort I have is knowing that when I call He comes.”
Don’t see it. People have called continously and God has failed to show up in tangible ways (ie The morning of April 16 in Virginia)
Mikes version”…and trust that heaven is breaking into this world — often in silent, hidden ways.” makes the most sense, especially the silent and hidden part.
Mike,
As Bush would say, “Sounds like a great Strategery!”
Today in Iraq well over 166 people died in bombings in one 2 hour period. It is almost normal for them as they walk among the rubble. We weep for the 30 plus precious students and professors in Virginia. But I would think as the new normal comes to America the terror we will feel will exhaust us as Americans. I am concerned how we will make it as a nation. Our strength must be in the Lord as the persecution arrives. May God bless us all. Don
For someone who is brian-dead, you sure did give a lot of information to us on Tuesday. If you know all that stuff on auto-pilot, I’m jealous.
I keep a healthy list of annoyingly unanswerable questions on my mirror to look at when I’m brain-dead. It’s interesting how new insights often come when I am to my limit with other kinds of stress, or when I have a piece of lettuce between my teeth, or when I haven’t thought about it for 3 months.
I want to applaud you for “strategizing” ways to help the suffering. As terribly academic as the term may sound to some, I am encouraged to know that my preacher is preparing himself for the dark times.
Thank you for teaching me how to find meaning in the psalms on Tuesday. I am slowly learning that every part of the Bible has value (and Shakespeare, too).
“Aligning our lives with the rhythms of the universal church might be a good way to roll through the troughs in the swells of life, knowing that there is another crest coming.”
I heartily agree with you GKB (not so rare an event as you may think).
Lectionary and liturgy rock.
Mike-
When you give and give and give, sometimes you run low on supplies. I was filled last night at our daughter’s Senior Huddle Blessing, and I wish I could share a cupful with you. Is that possible?
I, too, love the journey of Hebrews. Maybe most of all the realization that Jesus removed my sins, past, present AND FUTURE when he accomplished in one day what the priests had to repeat daily and yearly. It is such a great part of Grace to know I am forgiven tomorrow because of my faith in Him.
you like regina spektor. that’s very cool.
God can tailor even a presentation that a speaker feels is lacking zeal. Sometimes the miracle of communication occurs on the airwaves, after one person speaks and before it reaches another’s ears. Supposed dull words from the speaker help to heal a hearer.
Because of everyday chaos, clutter, noise, this has been one of my breath prayers for over a year: “Come find me” (Psalm 119:176, NLT).
I’m glad I came and read this… Because it’s all I can think about the last 10 days. How weary our church is, how sometime hopeless we seem and how we are hungry for God… possibly more than ever..
Thank you for sharing.
I believe in the ministry of encouragement because it worked for me. I believe we need to be in community with each other on this earth. You sound like you need some healing words of encouragement…
God Bless.
http://www.howtoencourage.com