Walnut Canyon National Monument, Flagstaff, Arizona
Romans 5:3-5
3 And not only this, but we also celebrate in our tribulations, knowing that
tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven
character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the
Holy Spirit who was given to us.
— NASB
I grew up in Hillsborough, North Carolina, a town that is incredibly proud of
its historical past. It was one of the colonial capitals of the state, and you
would not have to call around to too many people to find a calico costume
with a white gathered hat, hanging in the back of someone’s closet. As
teenagers, we were tour guides during the Spring Parade of Homes. There
are historical houses, large and small, all over town along with the
“George-Washington-slept-here” Colonial Inn. All built in the 1700’s. The
graveyard behind the Presbyterian church has headstones dating back to
the 1750’s. It even boasts the grave marker for William Hooper, one of
North Carolina’s signers of the Declaration of Independence. And as
impressive as that is, the history of the desert dwellings makes that history
seem very young.
The historical evidence left by the desert people is a true testament to the
spirit, tenacity, creativity, and resilience of humankind. According to the US
Park Service, there are ruins and reminders that people lived in this land from
1100 AD. They grew small gardens, built dwellings which used the
overhanging cliffs, and hunted in the valley. They endured droughts and other
hardships and then moved on to other places in the desert, leaving behind a
story of their lives for those who came behind at which to marvel.
It is humbling to imagine the hardships the people who came before us
experienced; they chose to endure the elements and human tragedy as a way
of life. What is it about the human spirit that compels it to keep persevering in
the face of overwhelming and often oppressive odds? Ironically, I believe it is
how we are designed. We are designed for amazing resilience, not for timidity
nor faithlessness.
Those who buy into the cultural narrative that says we are created for ease or
comfort have never read the stories of the Old and New Testament, listened to
tales of the people who settled this country, or even heard their grandparent’s
stories. We are wrong when we believe that God’s love for us is measured by
how easy our life is.
Some of the Old Testament concept that God rewards and punishes in the
here and now was still evident in the question asked by Jesus’ disciples. As
they passed a man born blind in John 9, they asked “Who sinned to cause the
man’s blindness?” Jesus replied that they were asking the wrong question.
The question is how can you lean into God’s love during the times of our
greatest distress. Where is God in the moment of our pain?
A story my father often told me when I asked those questions was a story he
was told as a young man. Daddy said that a man who had lost his son
confronted his preacher with anger and pain and asked,
“Where was YOUR
God the night my son was killed?” The pastor answered with great love and
compassion for the man,
“He was standing at the same portals of heaven he
was standing the night they killed His Son.”
The Lenten season has always been a time of reflection and preparation for
Easter, but before the resurrection, there was great pain, loss, disbelief, and
fear. For as long as there have been people, there has been sorrow and
anguish with the promise of HOPE. When we think of the ruins of our lives and
the caves where we go to hide from that pain, let us remember that we are not
alone. The desert is only part of the journey. There are oasis, warm springs,
and mountains that lift our eyes toward the God, who has always been and
always will be, present in the lives of His children.
Prayer:
God of the forever has been and evermore will be, we do believe, but help our
unbelief. As we look over the ruins that are part of our lives, give us the eyes
and heart to see beyond and know that You go with us, with us, all the way.
Amen