Ch 6: The Waiting
This chapter looked at the faith of two people who came to Jesus for healing. The author speculates that Jesus presented both Jairus and the woman with "a test of faith far beyond anything they had expected." My perspective is that Jairus and the woman probably had enough faith to get to Jesus and both had the willingness to go where and do what he told them.
There are so many concepts and evidences in life I don't understand. Events I can't explain, like violence and disasters and lack of relief of poverty or suffering.* I am never comforted by "God has something 'better' for you" or any metaphor about doors and windows, hindsight, and so on. I don't want a metaphor. I want to understand. I want to know.
Timothy Keller calls what we don't know "some essential variable that is unavailable to us." That's a great way of putting "I don't know why this is happening and I don't know what is next." I am willing to admit that, however, my goal is to take it further. "I trust my Creator." I don't know and I trust God.
One of my perspectives lately is "Take it up with God." Talking to people, which is one of my favorite activities, is just venting or mulling or hypothesizing and speculating. When I spend time praying on my knees and being in solitude to clear my mind, I am taking it up with my Creator. He knows what's up and I can really vent and be comforted: I don't know/The Creator knows. Calling out to my Creator and holding Him responsible for me increases my faith.
After taking it up with God, I look at my responsibility in situations. What will I do with the faith that has been strengthened and increased? What will I do after I've had a time of solitude and go out into the world again? I don't know why my Gma is ill. I know people become ill. I know I will pray for her, visit her, hug and kiss her and serve her. I may even begin to visit others in the hospital because I see people need support. I don't know why that job didn't call me. They didn't call. I know I will pray and continue to search.
The waiting can be a kinetic energy.
- Amber
*I read "How Long, O Lord?: Reflections on Suffering and Evil" by D.A. Carson, which is a very thick book. It was amazing. I recommend it to everyone. It is a supplement to faith in the face of tragedy and a tool for offering compassion and preparing one's self for the unknown.
