Staying with Mount Shoop's notion of in-forming, today we enter a section called "in-forming Surrender."
What if churches spent more time practicing how to surrender to divine power to the Christ-living power that vivifies who we are? Isaiah and Peter ware tow of our forebears who had their fingers on a pulse categorically different from fear. These men were immersed in the world, but not overcome by its cruelty and disappointment. And their visions are not naive. They reflect and refract a strong intention to live toward God. Isaiah invites believers to respond to God's work in the world with thanksgiving: "Surely God is my salvation. I will trust in God; I will not be afraid; God is my strength and my might; with joy I will draw from the well of salvation....I will sing to the Lord" (Isaiah 12:2,5) Thanksgiving is an act of trust and it is a rejection of fear. It is even the audacity to be joyful in the midst of hardship and peril.
I like the image of one having a 'strong intention to live toward God.' It is a truthful statement. It carries with it the understanding that in the middle of things, I may not do and be exactly what I pray I will be. The intention is there. Yet, it is in that intention that the life takes up its place and faithfulness emerges even when we are being pounded by the fears of our lives. We intend to live toward God and for now - we will do it. Lord God help us. We admit that we are not those brave warriors of the movies. Rather we are like prophets of old and saints before us who, like us, questioned whether they could do and be the ones who would witness to their God. Their words of praise already thrust them into the middle of that life. Already in praising God we are leaning in that direction - we are giving time and thought to that lean - we are looking at the possibility of stepping off and tipping over into the way of that lean. Yes, fear is still at hand but as we fear, we call our to our God who dismantles fear and therefore in the middle of our praise we are transformed.
Connection: We are already in the ballpark. When we pray or praise or give a fleeting thought to our God who is willing and able to see us through the fears of our lives, we are already empowered to surrender to that new life.
You, O God, empower us to let go and listen to your word. Remind us again of your mighty acts that take place in, with and under the frightened ones who become in your presence, mighty witnesses to your grace. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment