HOPE: WAITING/WALKING IN SILENCE

by June Friesen

And God caused a light to shine across my pathway only visible in this photo –

Not visible to the eye as walking. And so it is with God  – as we walk, as we wait – He is present. 

John 14:1-7

¹“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. ² There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? ³ When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. ⁴ And you know the way to where I am going.”

⁵ “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

⁶ Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”

Waiting in Silence: HOPE

1. What brings you through a dark day/days?
2. What could possibly add life to your life this year?
3. Have many of us, particularly in the church in America, lost all hope or most of it like the Israelites did? Are we focused on Covid, it’s high risk, isolation, not being able to be with family, friends, church family on Sunday, so much so that we may miss where Jesus wants us to see Him or find Him this year? Or are we going to be open to where, when and how Jesus is going to come to us as individuals, families, friends in new ways? Maybe the ways that Jesus shows up will be so different and strange to us that we almost – and maybe some will actually miss Him. 
4. How about Joseph? How about Mary? How about you and me? Is God asking us to step outside our comfort zone this year? What might that look like? Will others question us or even challenge our sanity? I know that there are many who have to continue to work in precarious places because they are necessary staff to meet the needs of people who are ill, cannot care for themselves, in many and varied situations……I admit that this is probably one of the hardest things for me to struggle with.
5. So Jesus reminds us that if we remain true to Him – recognize Him as our God and Savior that He will come back for us to take us to heaven – yet all we are greeted with for now over 2,000 years is silence – so my friends – what about this hope? What about the silence of God? 

Waiting In God’s Silence

God, where are you? 

Are you really alive?

Do you see all the suffering?

All the anxiety over Covid?

All the animosity between people groups?

All the struggling about power, right and wrong?

Do You really care?

Do You really care about ‘the Church?’

Do You really care about me?

You tell Your People to wait.

You told the Israelites to wait and look what happened….

They missed your arrival for the most part – 

They even crucified Your Son – 

Yes, I know that was a part of the plan – 

And I am sure that this Covid is part of your plan too – 

However – 

The quietness looms in largeness – 

The loneliness grows deeper – 

The emptiness seems exaggerated – 

The powerlessness is – 

Well, it is just so consuming – 

In fact, the powerlessness is causing

Self-centered and inner focused people

With pure selfishness and self-preservation 

As the be all and end all.

Then I hear Jesus whisper within –

“Child of mine – come, come with me –

Sit here quietly with me and listen to my heart –

I have hope to share with you – 

Hope that will bring you all the way through to the end

When you will enter into my arms to be welcomed to your eternal home.

Yes, my child, it is hard to hope when the pain is everywhere,

It is hard to hope when animosity among people is so great,

I remember what it was like too and wondered if the resurrection would be real for me,

And as I faced that struggle everyone else had their own disappointment and pain 

Leaving me alone, feeling so alone, so hopeless – 

But my child, I knew without a doubt that my Father cared and loved me,

And He was victorious in the end giving me back even a better life – 

And so here is my ‘Hope Gift’ for you today – 

‘Please trust me with your earthly life today, and every day,

Especially in the midst of this dark time,

I will hold it safely until it is ultimately gifted 

With eternal life as you enter my eternal home prepared especially for you.

I love you my child (your name), 

I cannot wait until we meet face to face,

You will make it – trust me – 

Together we will make it in spite of Covid and anything and everything else,

Because My Father said that nothing shall separate any of His children from me ever. 

I LOVE YOU! YOU ARE SPECIAL! 

See you soon.” Amen.