Deborah: A Mother of Israel
We read it,
ㅤ we hear it,
But the words are difficult to digest.
To absorb.
We question.
We demand an explanation.
We search for meaning,
ㅤ but are left wanting.
We desire an alternate description,
ㅤ but none is found.
Our questions are tough…
The answers, necessarily complex.
In the midst of our confusion,
ㅤ we position ourselves…
Not with an attitude of unbelief,
ㅤ but one of desire.
A sincere desire for faith.
Authentic faith.
True faith.
Through this story,
ㅤ through this people,
God is patiently revealing himself.
Individually these events confound.
Seem to point to nothing.
To nothing good.
And we resist.
Turn away.
For we have passed judgement.
From our view of one simple rhythm,
ㅤ we have decided the song is not worth hearing.
The story,
ㅤ not worth reading.
The Author,
ㅤ not worth knowing.
Yet God continues the telling.
And we are drawn in.
He gains our attention with his actions.
By defying our expectations…
By overthrowing our cultural norms…
He calls something out of us.
He calls to something in us.
And we begin to realize,
ㅤ to recognize,
That he is calling us into a future.
Our future.
A future designed by him.
A future designed for us.
In the apparent evil of these supposed facts…
In the repeated misery of these appointments with tragedy…
A story is being worked out.
A story of beauty and brokenness.
And we see ourselves in this story.
As we follow,
ㅤ as we engage with,
The story,
We sense progress.
We begin to see a direction.
A direction that,
ㅤ finally,
Points to goodness.
To his sovereignty.
His ability to move through the chaos.
To move toward Shalom.
Our freedom does not,
ㅤ cannot,
Deny his sovereignty.
Regardless of our response…
Whether we continue to demand explanations…
Or we choose to trust…
He will move toward,
ㅤ and into…
Goodness.
The Goodness of his purpose.
A Goodness he offers to us…
If we can but listen to,
ㅤ listen for,
His story.
Psalming as Performance Art — written in real time, as I sat in church listening to a sermon preached by Pastor Phil on 7/22/18: Deborah, A Mother of Israel
