| The more I talk to people, the more chaos I see in our world today. For some people the chaos is in their family … either their own homes or the homes of immediate family members. Many feel like they don’t know where to turn, or, for some unanswered reason, just can’t see the light. For others the chaos is in our government … or the world … or their neighborhoods. Emotions here often include anger, fear, or that simple feeling of being helpless and/or hopeless. The chaos can also appear in our bodies, our minds, or who-knows-where else! Like Martha in last Sunday’s Gospel reading, we try (want, wish) to control things (people) that are not ours to control. These conversations have led me back to Exodus 4, where God calls Moses to lead the Children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt and toward the Promised Land. As God speaks to Moses from the burning bush, Moses responds with excuse after excuse as to why he is not the man God wants. The conversation wraps us like this: “But Moses said to the Lord, ‘Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘Who made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.’ But he said, ‘Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.’” (Exodus 4.10-13) You know how the story goes. Aaron starts out as the speaker. God gives them the words to say. Things get much worse before they get better. Eventually Moses speaks for the Lord to the people. Many times the people stop listening. Failures also abound in Aaron and Moses. Chaos comes and goes … and comes back again. Yet, through it all, God is in control. I just love it when God says, “Who made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?” It’s as though the Lord is saying to Moses, “You and I both know your limits, but don’t you for one moment think that my limits are the same as yours!” And the reality is this: Our limits are not just in physical strength or human attributes. Our limits are also … and perhaps, more importantly … in our understanding of God and his ways. And our God has no limits … in strength … in mercy and love … or in his control of what is taking place in our world, nation, families, or bodies. And, the more we trust him in the midst of the chaos, the better off we will be! I think I need to say that a second time. The more we trust the Lord our God in the midst of the chaos, the better off we will be! Trust is not a matter of understanding what is going on … or liking it, for that matter. Trust is a matter of knowing the promises … and who makes them. Probably the easiest promise to quote here is “The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8.26-28) Another way to focus upon the one who makes the promises and faithfully fulfills them is to read the entire Old Testament … and then follow it up by reading Luke and Acts in the New Testament. Talk about chaos! We might say that it comes and goes, but more often it seems to come and stay! Yet, somehow, God remains in control. “And, when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as his children. And because you are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts.” (Galatians 4.4-6) Chaos to the left … Chaos to the right … Chaos down below and seemingly up above! We can focus on the chaos and live in fear … or anger … or whatever. Or we can say with David (who, too, experienced chaos … chaos), “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who … redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.” (Psalm 103.1-5) I will continue to pray to Jesus about the chaos in your life. I will continue to groan before him about the chaos in our world. And I will continue to proclaim to you and all, “Fret not – The Lord is in control and his promise is clear: ’His goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives, and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever’ – where these is no more chaos!” (Psalm 23.6) |
Chaos … Chaos … Control
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