This Lenten season I am wrestling with the losses that we face in life. Today I will help a daughter bury her mother while also putting ashes on that daughter's head and reciting these poignant words: you are dust and to dust you shall return.
The title of this blog derives from the reality of exile: when life throws you a curve and you end up in a place you never thought possible. The Israelites didn't know what to make of their exile and they struggled to trust God and His provision. In many ways, exile is a time of feeling stuck while struggling to move, feeling as if you will never make the mark, never get to the promised land.
Today we wear ashes on our foreheads to announce our acceptance of the truth that we are not here to stay: that we are on a sojourn that demands of us many sacrifices and disciplines. If you look back on your life it is probably the "exiles" endured that have taught you the most lessons or had the most impact on spiritual maturity.
Is it possible to see our exiles as times in which God is shaping or strengthening us for further or more advanced ministry in the Kingdom? Or do we prefer to see them as mere hardship, a test of endurance, or an occasion for pity?
Today we are challenged to redefine and repent for squandering the 'dash' of our lives: the time spent between birth and death. Is my ultimate concern myself and my petty wants or do I trust and accept that my heart will be restless until it resigns to the peace that only God can give? Am I willing to sojourn through the wilderness without whining and seeking a false sense of control?
Exiles drive us to seek answers: are we willing to look to God and in God's Word? Where is God driving you this day as we gaze into the wilderness? What images or concepts do you wrestle with? What stories or narratives are competing for your attention?
I think in this journey, the journey between life and death, it is the hardships during our "exiles" that shape who we are and how we handle future endeavors. If we think of these as stepping stones and focus on the positive instead of the negative then perhaps we will learn the valuable lesson God is trying to teach us. As trite as it may sound, God never gives us something we cannot handle.
ReplyDeleteAs for the young lady that will be saying her final good bye to her mother, perhaps during these 40 days of reflection she could focus on the bright light that her mother left shinning for her, much easier said than done I realize. It has been 3 years since i lost my dear dear grandmother and it is still hard on me & my mother during this time of year. I try to turn the sadness into something positive by following in her foot steps and following her example.
"We are dust, and to dust we shall return."