Our faith exists for such a time as this.
Faith doesn’t exist and isn’t given to us for the good and easy times. Not for the comfortable times in which there are few real challenges.
Faith wasn’t given to us for the times that we have been so used to for so long for so many of us.
No. Faith exists for such a time as this. This is a time of disaster. Of chaos. Of suffering. Of poverty. Of financial meltdown. And more.
This is when we really “get it”. These are the times that faith becomes clearer to us – what it is really about. Faith is a gift from God that reminds us that we can’t do this on our own. Is there really any more doubt about that? When I see stories about people ignoring the risks in a variety of ways, what I see is selfishness – the idea that I am an island and no one has an impact on me and I have no impact on anyone else. That kind of attitude will make this pandemic last longer than it has to.
See, this is the time when we either “get” it or don’t. I’m not talking about getting the virus either.
This is the time when we ask if we really embrace all that we preach – do we really buy it? Or is it just a bunch of words? Are we all in? Or does that seem a bit much? Is this the time when we shed what we claim to believe because we never really bought into it anyway?
This is the time when we either really understand and embrace Jesus’ words to pick up our cross and follow him, or we just walk away in order to turn inward on ourselves and only look out for our own interests.
This is the time when we truly embrace God’s message that is spoken throughout Scripture – “Do not be afraid.” Or we just yell out at God and tell God “You’re full of it!”
This is the time when we find out what we truly believe. We’ll know what we believe, and what others actually believe, based on what we do. Faith isn’t just a set of beliefs. It’s the core of who we are that drives what our behavior is. You can’t do actions that contradict your true beliefs. I’m not talking about your stated beliefs – the ones you would tell someone when asked. I’m talking about what you actually believe when it comes down to it. The set of beliefs that are at your core. You may never actually state what those beliefs are. You don’t have to. You will know what you actually believe in based on your actions. Your actions never lie.
This is a time of clarity.
Faith was given to us for such a time as this. Let us use it wisely. Let us embrace its message. Let us let it abide in us and transform us so that faith is evident to all who encounter us.
This is the time.
Laced up Lutheran 
Great observation.
You have me thinkin’ alright.
Do you reckon PRAYER is back in America today in a new way? Do you think people are starting to spiritually grope for God afresh as a society yet?
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No, not yet. At least not in a healthy way yet. It’s still a scramble way. More like an “order something online and expect it to come when I want it to come” kind of way. Changing a culture and habit in our relationship with God will take time to move us into a healthier relationship.
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I wanna be careful and not step in the Jerry-Falwell 9/12 trap here calling this the Judgement of God against America, not because of the backlash per se, but because when I say something like that, I don’t think I am saying the same thing as him. AND besides the offensive nature withwhich that sentiment is heard in the larger culture seems to have deafened ears too.
Be that as it may, it is hard to say that this crisis catches God Almighty off guard. It is hard to say he has NO HAND in it.
It might be easy to say that he grieves it, didn’t cause it, wants to helps us through it and all that, but perhaps there is more wishful thinking in all that than sound theology too.
Whether it be a simple burn-in-hell judgment or a complex matter of God’s mysterious ways, I am thinking HE is at work in it already.
Let me know when you think you see signs of it. I totally imagine the more mysterious his involvement, the harder that will be to discern. But I am thinking he surely wants us to play our part in being one of the “answers” the culture gropes for.
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God is always active in the midst of tragedy. Luther wrote about this in the idea of the theology of the cross. It is in the cross that the fullness of God is revealed. And God is hidden also. It is in disaster that we see God more fully. I see God active in lots of ways – discipleship, serving the poor, prayer, etc. My earlier comment was more in the general culture, rather than specifics. The general culture is still lost and in the dark. It will take longer for the culture to “get” it, if ever. I don’t know that that’s the real goal anyway. Our job isn’t to save everyone and to change the culture. Our job is to live the faith and share the Good News and be Christ’s hands and feet and follow him. I think that is happening. We are living in a unique time in which faith is touching people’s lives. Some churches will just roll over and die. Others will flourish as a result of this because they will experience death and resurrection.
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I’m debating sending this to Natalie who is one
of those hurt by the church. At this point I’m not sure what she believes. I know she has prayed and asked us to pray from tine to time. Sometimes I stay quiet to let her figure it out but not sure that is best. She knows our faith but she had a very different church experience from ours as youth and also frim Leslie’s.
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Being hurt by the church is so sad. If I can ever be of assistance, please let me know. People who have been hurt by the church need to hear that what happened was wrong and is not acceptable. They need to hear that the church is sorry and needs forgiveness. I’m willing to do that as the representative of the church. It’s only when that happens that healing can ever start to truly take place.
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