Behold, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened the weak hands. Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have made firm the feeble knees. Job 4:3-4
In recent weeks we have journeyed the Bible with Abraham, Isaac, Rachel, Leah, Job, Jacob and now Joseph. It is a journey of God’s message to us but it also a message that reveals the parts within us to ourselves. With the students I recently read, The Little Red Hen. A story I always return to in which a hen wants to make bread for her friends. Hen needs to grow the seed, pick and mill the wheat and so on and each time there is a job to do she asks the animals one by one, Who will help me plant the seed? and so on but every time the hen asks for help the animals say, “Not I “. I think how many times do we say Not I when asked to give of ourselves or admit to ourselves our brokenness so that we can share in a beautiful relationship with one another. This week the speaker read the story of Joseph who was very loved by his father but despised by his brothers. Joseph had a dream of his greatness and in one of his dreams the wheat bowed down to him. Joseph shared his dreams with his brothers which only added to their jealousy towards him. In jealousy the brothers threw Joseph in a hole to die then changed their minds and sold Joseph to traders passing by. As horrifying as this is there are times when to a lesser degree we may feel jealousy towards another. If gone unhealed can turn to envy which hurts us and others. What if our loving God wants to reveal to us how we can cleanse our thoughts of unhealthy emotions to enable us to simply love those around us. Most of all be ever so grateful for the people in our lives and their existence.
In our reading we then read about Job and his suffering and steadfast love in God. Where is our soul on the scale? There are moments I feel I have such wisdom in my faith and other times I am like a child that has yet to be open in certain ways of my being. The good news is God meets us where we are. The great news is God forgives but we have to forgive ourselves because His ways for us supersede our wants and needs. God asks us to listen. So instead of saying, Not I for one reason or another we can, with an open heart say, Yes. Instead of not I to help others or not I would want ill for others we can be humble ourselves and say, thank you for all things.
We can tend to dwell more on the offences of others than the offences we have done. We can let pride come forth and lack forgiveness instead of asking ourselves how have we shown mercy to others. God gives us new mercies every day. In his tender mercy he wants to reveal His intentions in our lives. Each day can be filled with wonderment and utter love that flows like that of the great falls. Imagine if the great waters could flow through you and cleanse all your iniquities with one swoosh of a tide. God’s accomplishments are greater than all things. Like salt to the wound can hurt but also heal. In all brokenness God wants to pour His wisdom and love. The healing can be great. If the mind ventures into darkness be brave and allow God to dwell in those moments. Allow his word and gifts to wash over the afflictions. He will guide you in your relationships so that they can bloom in mysterious ways.
So as I listened with heavy heart for Joseph and Job some thoughts that trickled in my mind were on those whom I have thought caused me grief but perhaps it was I who felt a sense of entitlement. We can choose to think on what is owed to us or instead how we can let others shine, be kinder and simply love to receive nothing. God is love. He made us out of pure love. He is the source of all love. It can be a simple as give and keep giving, regardless of what we have received. Family, friends and people in our lives are a gift. Share you gift and let others share theirs. We can live in these moments if we but set our eyes on God’s will. We would hope to never reach the end of our lives feeling entitled. But during the amazing journey and when we reach the end we can say, I loved to the fullest. That’s what matters. If a man could be so blessed to have loved fully with great faith then maybe God can deem such a man worthy of eternal life. In this comes eternal joy.
God our father work within us to forgive as you would like us to, to see what you want us to see, to live as you want us to live and to love and you want us to love. Amen.
Peace,
Claudia