I had not given it any thought beforehand.
The reality of it, the significance, surfaced in my memory
this past Sunday during the Mass.
It has been forty years since that major life-turning event
in my life took place. I am sure the alignments have happened before. I find
their occurrence this year (2018) to be particularly timely and significant.
Our Scripture readings for today[1]
transport my thoughts back.
Though the significant life-events happened on
December 2nd and 9th forty years ago, on the 1st
and 2nd Sundays of December forty years ago, it seems like it was
only yesterday in my mind.
It seems like only yesterday, on December 2nd
forty years ago, when, after realizing how lost I was, that I brought all that
was left of my spiritually deaf, blind, and poor self to the altar in that little
country church, offered the mess that I had made of me to Christ, and pleaded for
his mercy.
It seems like only yesterday, on December 9th
forty years ago, when, on a cold December day, an old preacher and I climbed
down the bank and waded waist deep into the cold water of Fish River where he baptized
me before a congregation of witnesses.
A lot has happened in these forty years.
There have been a
lot of seasons. Some of the seasons have been gentle seasons. Some of the
seasons have been difficult seasons. Through them all, even through the most
difficult of the difficult, I have learned something more of the truth that in everything God works for good with those
who love him[2]
and that in every circumstance and trial God is there working to conform me to
the image of his Son.[3]
I have learned, over the course of these forty years, that,
though I have not “enjoyed” going through them, it has been the hard seasons of
circumstances and trials that, once through, have taught me the most about myself,
my need for God, and the ache that fills the hearts of humanity. It is here, in
the hard places of life rather than on the spiritual mountaintops, where I have
been taught the lessons that help me relate to the brokenness of the world.[4]
What now that these forty years are spent, the physical
vigor and stamina of my younger years is waning, and the remaining years of my
brevity of life are before me?
What else can I better choose to do with what remains of me
and my remaining brief mist of time[5]
than to focus intently upon keeping His name Holy in my life, to live each moment
in reverence, and to be in awe of God who saves me by his grace?
May the peace of Christ be with us all.
[1]
Isaiah 29:17-24, Mark 9:27-31
[2] Romans
8:28
[3]
Romans 8:29
[4] 2
Corinthians 1:3-4
[5]
James 4:14
No comments:
Post a Comment