Dear Friends,
A little over a year ago, I was in the process of moving to Katonah, in the throes of packing up the Carmel manse where I’d lived for twenty years. I didn’t see how I could get it all done in time. On one of my trips to Katonah with a carload of belongings, I was looking forward to my favorite sight along the road out of town: years ago, someone had nailed a simple sign to a tree at the edge of their property that read, “Everything will be OK.” Every time I drove past that random act of encouragement, my spirit lifted. But on that day, the squirrels in my head were so loud that I forgot to notice it. When I realized I'd passed it, I wanted to turn the car around to go back and see it. But that would be silly. Or would it?
I wish now that I had. I think of that sign often. It resonates deep within my faith. As Romans 8:28 says, “All things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to God’s purpose.” That’s hard to believe sometimes, but the context of that quote is Paul’s acknowledgement of the many hardships and persecutions we face. 14th century mystic Julian of Norwich wrote, “all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well."
Note that all SHALL be well. Everything will be OK. It certainly isn’t right now. A more contemporary poet is popular artist Jelly Roll, who has a hit song that sings, “I'm not okay…But it's all gonna be alright.”
Everything is not OK. God has work for us. The world has work for us. Our church, our family, our country, our neighbors throughout the world, all are calling us and emailing/texting us with work to do. But Christ is working with us; the Holy Spirit is in us, strengthening us, and reminding us that we can do it. A large sign is hanging over us as we slog through on our journey, reminding us that all will be well, but we have to remember to notice it.
You know, the hardest part of moving wasn't the work of doing it, it was the work of worrying over it. Of all the boxes I carried over to the manse last year, the worry box is the one I could have put down. Or at least packed more lightly. Actually, some of our anxiety and worry is a gift, because it can propel us to get things done. It's when we fill the box too heavy for us to carry that it becomes a burden. And what does Jesus say about burdens? Give them to him. Lay them down.
Our problems are real, but our fears are imagined reactions to problems that have a solution. Strive to create lives of love and light, and don’t lose faith that God is with us. Or as Jelly Roll says, “I know one day we'll see the other side. The pain'll wash away in a holy water tide, and we all gonna be alright.” (I Am Not Okay by Ashely Gorley, Casey Brown, Jason DeFord, Taylor Phillips).
Love and light,
Martin
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