Thursday, August 28, 2008

Some Serious Trouble in River City

"There's bound to come some trouble to your life, that ain't nothing to be afraid of...that ain't no reason to fear...reach out to Jesus, hold on tight. He's been there before and He knows what it's like. You'll find He's there. There's bound to come some tears up in your eyes and that ain't nothing to be ashamed of...that ain't nothing to be afraid of. People say "maybe things will get better, maybe it won't be long, maybe you'll wake up tomorrow and it will all be gone" But "maybe" just ain't enough when you need something to hold on to. Reach out to Jesus, hold on tight!" Rich Mullins

I'm looking around at all the various troubles: mass exodus of people from Parkview, many people tired and discouraged, so many complaints ranging from small to large. I am not even sure how to view all of this trouble. Is it my fault? It is Satan's fault? Is it God at work....ripping through us like a wild fire, consuming, in order to create once more?

Eugene Peterson says that the Hebrew word for "create" is never used with humans, only with God. "Create is a word that is used in the Bible exclusively with God as the subject. men and women don't create. But God does. When nothing we can do makes any difference and we are left standing around empty-handed and clueless, we are ready for God to create. When the conditons in which we live seem totally alien to life and salvation, we are reduced to waiting for God to do what only God can do, create." (p. 64, Christ Plays...)

Can God, when will God, does God, bring something new out of this turbulent water of chaos? What else besides Jesus can we hold onto when the waters have risen up to my neck. "Save me, O God, now as the waters have risen up to my neck" (Psalm 69:1)

2 comments:

Mindi said...

As someone who has been there (but has no answers) all I can say is that I am praying!

Anonymous said...

As someone as well who has been there, and now can look back, sometimes I have seen God planting seeds in the midst of "trouble." I just wished I could of seen it when I was in the midst of it. I'll be praying too but if I can help in anyway contact me! (By the way I found pictures from a "moving day" you all helped with about 8 years ago or so!)