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The old song encourages us: - 'Back of the clouds, the sun is always shining . . .'
We all have dark, dank, cold and oppressive days. We look out the window, or simply around us or, if we dare, within ourselves, and groan: 'O God; this sucks; how did it come to this; how can I escape; will it ever go away?'
One of my favorite phrases, found in several passages of Scripture, is - 'And it came to pass.' Things never continue as they are, as they were or as they will be. Nothing in life is static; there is no ultimate constancy, no permanency, no staying-for-ever ability.'
Except there is One, Another who comes near, a constant, Friend, who stays closer by us than any sibling, any other friend or family member. The is One is unchanging, a steadfast Lover, Who enables, comforts, directs and finally carries us Home to ourselves, to Himself, to the Place and to the Person to Whom we most truly belong.
So, in the 'mean - while' what to do in the dark and the cold?
We must remember that sometimes, perhaps oftentimes, the way things are - are not our fault. Life events are often bigger, greater, grander, scarier, than we could ever predict, avoid or escape. Things happen to us. Stop beating yourself (and others) up.
But we must also remember that sometimes the winter that descends is of our own making, the results of our own choosing, chains that we bound to our own hands and feet, decisions we knew were foolish but - 'Hey! it won't happen to me!' But we do not escape certain inevitabilities as well as what seems to be irrelevant, or pure chance, or the result of ignorant others. And, it takes some of us a long time to discover that we really are not that unique on this planet or in its history - not that immune or immortal afterall.
But grace can overcome and see us through as the Other comes by, comes near - the One Who though mighty, descends to our weakness. There is no one of us who does not need such grace, such forgiveness, such hope of rescue and of things being put right. Ultimately there is no one, nothing in life that can put us right, put all things right-side-up - than this Other.
Can we remember that things pass, even the most excruciating, mindless, seemingly hopeless seasons. Winter comes with its own certainty each year; but so also does the new life, warmth, beauty of Spring and the bounty of Summer and Fall. It will not always be this way; this too will pass.
Said the Psalmist (Ps 2)
Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break their chains
and throw off their shackles.”
4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
5 He rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
6 “I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
'My King' in verse 6 refers to the Messiah of Israel who would come, whom Christians believe to be Jesus - the Christ (the Messiah). God sets up and pulls down earthly rulers, but ultimately in God's Providence, God rules, God reigns.
Can we believe (commit and act accordingly) that even in the dark and the cold, this God - the one who is Other will come near(?) - of and as we ask (and sometimes mercifully, just comes by anway) to share in whatever grief or failure, uncertainty, brokenness and despair we may experience. Or our family, our nation, our world may experience.
As the ancient Celtic saints would put it: 'Bidden or not bidden, God is near.'
It will be better.
