Tough Times

Times of Trouble
Psalm 69:1-4

"God, save me, because the water has risen to my neck. I'm sinking down into the mud, and there is nothing to stand on. I am in deep water, and the flood covers me. I am tired from calling for help; my throat is sore." (Psalm 69:1)

At the VEV conference in the Fall, a member of the Iona community in Scotland presented several songs to us, songs that were not just based on the 'glad texts' (as Pollyanna would put it) but also upon the difficult, sad, even angry texts. These passages in the Bible are important, because we get a sense that the Bible is real and the Word is living. These people so many years ago felt real pain and sadness and struggle. When I am in deep struggle and just need someone to listen to my feelings, someone to sympathize with me, I can turn to Psalm 69 and hear that someone else felt this way and could cry out to God in their time of trouble... knowing that God would help them through it somehow but in the meantime it is still ok to express those feelings.

Times of Sadness
John 11:28-57

"When Jesus saw Mary crying and the Jews who came with her also crying, he was upset and deeply troubled. He asked, 'Where did you bury him?' 'Come and see, Lord,' they said. Jesus cried. So the Jews said, 'See how much he loved him.'" (John 11:33-36)

Even more comforting is the familiar passage that 'Jesus wept.' And though I never took note of this before, Jesus wept with others. He mourned with those who mourned. It reminds me of the song "Let Me Be Your Servant" in which one verse goes "I will weep when you are weeping, when you laugh I'll laugh with you." Yesterday I learned the importance of presence, but also important is the propriety of presence. When you really love your friends, you feel what they are feeling. The mere fact that they are sad makes you sad. The fact that they are rejoicing in a new success causes you to rejoice. While the Jews identified that Jesus was showing his love for Lazarus, I also believe that here Jesus was demonstrating his love for Mary and Martha and all of those with whom he was mourning as well.

Times of Danger
John 11:28-57

"That day they started planning to kill Jesus. So Jesus no longer traveled openly among the people. He left there and went to a place near the desert, to a town called Ephraim and stayed there with his followers." (John 11:53-54)

We often think of Jesus' own tough times in his last hours, but even before then it was never easy for him. I can't imagine having to travel in secret, inhabit only certain spaces. My ability to move around the world is something that I take so for granted. Jesus didn't even go to the Passover Feast right away, because people were there ready to arrest him. In fact, they were instructed to arrest him. Lord, you were there watching over Your Son, and I know that You are watching over me in times of danger... just as You did in Brazil.