Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, "Bob's World"

I sit upon the ash heap of my own making and scrape the sores of my own failures with shards of broken dreams. I mourn the death of innocence. Through it all I will attempt to maintain my integrity. I am compelled to wrestle with the questions of why. I eagerly await the coming of my companions who will bring comfort. I long for their insight and wisdom. Come my beloved and join me in my quest.

We sit upon the ground, as the Poet said, "and speak of the death of kings." We warm our bodies, hearts and souls by the fire of God's holy love and stare in wonder into its flickering embers. We all wait for someone to come and share our pain or our joy. Each friend sharing their heart and their insight. Genuine concerns, real and honest. In the midst of it all, it is their presence that is longed for and their nearness that is desired. Come let us reason together and explore the life and reality we share.

Have you ever puzzled over the way we (church people) boldly proclaim that we can see God working among us when good things happen? Does it mean that God is not working among us when bad things happen? Of course to me the real question is how do you define a good or bad thing? The very language implies inclusion or exclusion depending upon one's situation or circumstance.

Have you ever felt that our churchey (my word) language is a bit hollow or inadequate? We rejoice and praise God when someone finds a job or a sick loved one gets well. We shout and praise because God is good to us and our loved ones. It is right and good to rejoice with those who rejoice. Is this a good thing? How do you determining what is good or bad?

What if the person sitting next to us in the pew lost their job or did not find a job. What if their loved one did not recover. What if their parent or child did not come home from the hospital. What if despite all their prayers they are still unemployed or a loved one dies. Does this mean that God is not working in their lives? It is right and good for us to weep with those who weep. Is this a good thing? Again how do you determine what is good or bad?

How do we both weep and rejoice at the same time? Is it even possible to address these seemingly diametrically opposed realities at the same time? Yet they are realities for those sitting in our pews on "any given Sunday". If we address the joy or sorrow of one group does the other group feel neglected, empty or un-important? How do we become more sensitive to the uniqueness of each individual in the body? How do we become more inclusive of all our fellow travelers on this journey of faith?

I would suggest to you we are much better at rejoicing with those who rejoice than we are at weeping with those who weep. It is just much easier, more upbeat and positive to lift our hands in praise than to mourn. We like the song that reminds us that "He will turn our mourning into dancing." Well may be we are not comfortable with the "dancing" part but you know what I mean. Westernized religion is not really comfortable with a "wailing wall," we are much more comfortable with a "celebration or praise center."

Here I sit a sinner waiting upon God. I wait upon my friends, because "I will get by with a little help from my friends...."

Just some things to think about along the way....

Bob