What is it like for you to be upheld by love? How do our communities, nations, and all of creation experience being upheld by God’s love? Is it like a funny cartoon characterization of a person holding his or her arms in the air over the head? And with each frame of the cartoon the person is shown as progressively tired from raising their arms on their own strength. Yet the final frame of the cartoon has two other individuals come alongside the weary arms, and each holding up an arm.
Our world is spinning very fast with many unpredictable and moving circumstances. I wonder how does God’s love uphold us in standing firm in the midst of temptation to grow weary, give up, or relinquish hope?
The Scripture
Life is difficult. Often, we get caught in remembering things of old, old hurts, habits, and heartache. Sometimes, we make choices that are forced while we are not truly leaning into the desire and heart of God. This was the Israelites experience as Paul wrote of it to the Corinthians. (I Corinthians 10:1-13) Even though God had miraculously nourished, quenched the thirsting souls of the Israelites, still they rebelled. Paul held them up as an example of what not to do for the Corinthians. Paul names the reality that life is hard. Each generation and every individual endures a lot of circumstances. However, no one endures more than previous generations of the faithful. And yet, for each generation the pain and suffering are fresh and tender.
In this mix of sorrow and anguish, Paul highlights a promise. Verse 13 states:
No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.
In this mixture of sorrow, sighing, and anguish of temptation, God is with us. God does provide an exit plan for new life to spring forth. With this promise hope is born.
Today’s Prayer Practice
Creative writing is a simple way to focus the mind and heart upon God’s new possibilities. The topic for today’s prayer is hope. Amid all that is before us this day, from world events to personal cries whimpering within, we seek to discern God’s hope.
Our prayer practice is writing a Haiku. A Haiku is a simple poem comprised of three lines. The first line has 5 syllables. The second line is 7 syllables. And the final line is again 5 syllables. Here is a sample of a Haiku on hope that came to me in the preparation of writing this blog.
Hope upheld by Love.
Anointing new life and breath.
Living possibility.
Today spend time contemplatively writing your haiku on hope. If the word hope does not inspire you, please choose a word that God lays upon your heart for the focus of your Haiku. When you have completed your writing, spend time in silence discerning the invitation from God which is being whispered to your heart.
Enjoy praying.
