Psalm 97…Jeremiah
17:19-27…Romans 7:13-25…John 6:16-27
The story is told of a
little girl, we’ll call her Rose, who along with other children in first grade,
was asked to bring her birth certificate (or the information on it) to school
the next day. The school bell rang and the children hurried into their
classrooms. Suddenly, Rose began to cry and then to sob. “What is wrong, Rose?”
asked the teacher. “I’ve lost my excuse for being born,” cried Rose. Have you
ever felt like that? I have! There are times in life when things just aren’t
going well … when people are hurting, when friends are dealing with the death
of a loved one … when Alzheimer’s disease is beginning its assault on someone
dear to us … when illness is giving way to more pain and discouragement … when
mental illness appears to have precipitated the untimely death of many children
and adults … when domestic abuse tears a family apart … when we can’t figure
out which is worse, “a fiscal cliff” or a so-called “sequester”… when words
like cancer, heart attack, stroke, or addiction strike fear in our hearts … and
the list goes on. Each of us wants so much to help those on the bearing end of
pain and those on the caring end of pain.
When one, two, or all
of the above cry out for help, or reach into our own lives, looking for
answers, I’ve sometimes wondered if, like Rose, “I’ve lost my excuse for being
born.” So often, I feel that I should be able to come up with the right
answers, the right responses, for many of life’s tougher issues. But, wait just
a minute. Psalm 97 tells us, “The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice… let the
coastland be glad… fire goes before him… his lightning lights the world… the
mountains melt like wax … the heavens proclaim his righteousness… and the
people behold his glory … rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks
to his holy name.” It’s not about me; it’s about God.
No, I didn’t lose my
excuse for being born and neither have you, but I have dropped it out of my
pocket at times. God has gives us every reason for living … no excuses needed!!
God has promised to be with us, in us, and through us, as we try to be his
love, given to others. God fills that reason living with his love, compassion,
hope, strength, trust, and sacrifice. In John 16, we read that when Jesus came
to disciples on the sea, the wind was blowing and the seas were rough. They
were afraid, maybe even wondering if they had “lost their excuse for being
born,” and Jesus said, “IT IS I – DO NOT BE AFRAID.” And Jesus says this to you
and me. Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name.”
– Lorraine Hennigar
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