No time for tombs
This is important: see!
Why did Jesus call the Pharisees blind? They knew so much! They studied the sacred writings! They could eat, think, and breathe those words. They rose through the ranks to become spiritual leaders. Jesus said they were blind. He called them tombs.
If we give up on God because we are suffering, we, too, are blind. If we give up on God because of the suffering of others, we are blind. We are choosing to live among the tombs.
Join Bartimaeus at the side of the road in the 10th chapter of Mark’s gospel and repeat his words, “I want to see!”
Jesus will stop. Jesus will come over to you. And He will ask you, “What do you want me to do for you?” Why do you want to see? Do you want to see the easy way? Do you want a reason to give in to fear? Do you really have the readiness, the determination to take on true spiritual sight? If so, don’t look for ease. Don’t think it will come right away. Don’t ask for sight and duck when He asks you to think hard and actually use the pain, the hardship, the confusion to understand His way.
“He will not break the tender reed” (Isaiah 42:3).
Well, excuse me, but I feel broken, so what does this mean???!!
See! I may feel broken, but I am not. You may feel broken, but you are not! Look within yourself! See where God resides! We are anything but broken! We are temples of God! Find Him within! Allow Him to move, to guide! Hear Him! Watch Him lead the way out of the tomb within where you keep all the doubts, the nagging (but useless) questions, and the fear. We have no time for tombs.
See!
Reflection
Is it time to stop giving more attention to the doubts than to the voice of God within?
Prayer
Dear God, I stumble around out here looking for you. Over here at this church, over there in that group of people. Sometimes I feel you, sometimes not. Let me look within! Let me hear you within. Let me allow myself to know your voice, the voice that calls for me to rise, to do good, to hope, to love. You’re not the reward for picking the right church or the right faith or the right way. You are here, available, accessible. Oh, Lord, I want to see!