Washed ashore

The scripture lessons of the last few days have generated alot of conversation about the power of the Word to clarify, divide, overturn, upend. There have been times when it has been like riding huge waves -- hope...despair. Promise...fear. Certainty...confusion. Balance...chaos. Up and down, over and under... looking at where I (or we) are discovering what is true... and then seeing other areas where we clearly are not getting "it" right (whatever "it" may be).

I have seen this wave action occurring in politics, environmental concerns, church dynamics, families....on the surface of relationships...and within the deeper regions of my own mind.

There is a predictable tendency to look around the chaotic sea and find like-minded people ... to gather together with those whose opinions mirror ours. Then we set up a camp that will define our differences... and all too often new waves are generated that proclaim that we have got it right now...and they have it wrong.

I don't wring my hands about this... at least not this morning. You see, when I went to look at what was going on in the news about politics or the church, my eyes fell upon the reading for today.... Psalm 30 ... Praying with it is like being washed ashore... finding myself established on the safe white sands of forgiveness.

When it comes to sorting out the myriad waves of questions and debates that face us, sometimes we will get it right...and sometimes we will err. Sometimes we will be united in love and mutual respect..even when we differ. At other times we will cave into the sin of fear-filled judgment of "the other".

It really is up to each one of us to attend to our own state of heart and mind as we travel these waters. The gift of God's mercy truly is a power that can move you to the one sure refuge... God's forgiveness for what we do or what we leave undone is where we can find time and space to breathe, to become realigned.

Thank you gracious God... Thank you for washing me ashore.