You know, God, that life is messy and complicated and unpredictable. We really can’t force it into something other than that. When we assume it can be tidy and a matter of our own will, we might just be leaving you out of the equation. We might just be assuming we can do it all on our own, and that is unbelief when you get right down to it.
Our well-meaning eagerness to get past our grief and confusion is a mark of our desire for your will, God. We yearn for abundant life, as you do. But we too often think “abundant” means “perfect.” How are we to live in this messiness, God? How are we to understand a good life, a faithful life, and have peace?
Perhaps there is not an easy answer. Perhaps, in your wisdom, this is where we might turn to each other and learn, as the body of Christ, what it might mean to roll away the stone that stands in front of us.
God, give us the courage to face the messiness of our lives head on. Together, teach us to see your redeeming work in every nook and cranny. Amen.
Today we remember Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, (d. circa 202). We also observe the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost. Today’s readings are Lamentations 3:22-23; Wisdom 1:13-15, 2:23-24 (alternate); 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27 (semicontinuous); Psalm 30; Psalm 130 (semicontinuous); 2 Corinthians 8:7-15; Mark 5:21-43. This message was adapted from “Abundant Life” by Catherine Malotky that first appeared in the April 2011 issue of Lutheran Woman Today (now Gather) magazine.
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