Isaiah 55:1-2
"Ho, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and you that have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money
for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat
what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food."
It's been a while since I've been to the Grand Canyon. I went as a boy and even then, I don't think we ventured down the long, dusty trail that leads to the bottom. We just stood at the rim and oohed and ahhed like the other tourists. But I am told that every so often on that trail, there are signs that say, "Stop! Drink water. You are thirsty, whether you realize it or not." Makes sense. It is the desert, after all, with very low humidity. Dehydration can catch up with you, even before you realize you are thirsty.
That's the way life is. You're strolling down the trail, taking in the beauty around you or maybe just trying to manage the difficult twists and turns on the rocky trail, and you don't even recognize your thirst until it's too late. You've lost a sense of centeredness, a sense of purpose; things seem to be spinning out of control. God seems distant.
Lent is the church's way of erecting a big sign that says, "Stop! Drink. You are thirsty whether you realize it or not."
How do you know when you are dehydrated, spiritually? What, spiritually, sates your thirst and hunger? Do you know how to get a drink?
I feel as if I have been thirsty for most of my life and searching for a refreshing cool drink of water. I don't think I started to quench my thirst until the last two years when I truly worked on my spiritual path. Some of this work is from my reading my favorite religion and Jesus authors. Some of this work is going to worship service every Sunday. Some of this work is helping out at St. Charles and the Soup Kitchen. And some of this work is attending the Taize service at St. James almost every Friday evening. Now I know that God is present always. I don't know how long this feeling will be with me, but for now it has brought me peace most of the time. And that is all I can ask for.
ReplyDeleteThis Isaiah passage reminds me of Jesus' parable about the man who sells all he has to purchase a field. I see both of these verses as a challenge to follow Jesus' path, rather than being caught in the dry places or the oases of this world. When the winds or other forces lead us off the path to the desert, we naturally will want satisfy our thirst at an oasis. But I see our continuing challenge, especially in our western society, to leave those water spots and get back to seeking Jesus' living water, which may again lead to another dry spell. I find that each time I return from the desert, I can learn from that experience, if I choose to take time to reflect. I see Lent as our annual time to reflect on the lessons learned while on the spiritual path.
ReplyDeleteAfter yesterday's sermon I wanted to share what association bubbled up for me during the image of the elders as corner reader boards with arms outstretched. Other religious traditions have cautioned that their followers should not mistake the finger pointing at the lunar disc for the moon. For example, I see many Christians arguing whose finger points better at Jesus. I use this image to decide in political debates whether we are arguing over pointing fingers, while sharing the common goal of the moon. I lower my stress level when I understand that we have a goal in common, while only differing in the route proposed.
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