Matthew 28:16-20
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Jesus, said, “Remember, I am with you always.”That’s a promise. And at times like these, it is a promise that I need to both hold onto as tightly as I can and proclaim this promise to you: “Jesus said, “Remember, I am with you always.”
We live in challenging times. It’s a time of lament. It is a time to lament not being able to gather even to worship because of the danger of Covid19 which is still infecting and killing people; a time to lament the death of George Floyd at the hands of police; a time to lament the sin of racism; and a time to lament the destruction of hopes and dreams, and the burning and vandalism of businesses, a post office, a school and lots of buildings.
In the midst of this time of lament, you may be wondering, where is the God who promised to be with you always? If this is your question, I invite you to take a look at the Psalms. The Psalms are considered the prayer book of the people of God and contain prayers and songs to God over the entire span of human emotion.
Psalm 13, for example, begins with this plaintive cry, “How long O Lord? Will you forget me forever? Will you hide your face from me? How long shall I have perplexity in my mind and grief in my heart day after day?”
We too have a lot of uncertainty in our midst and questions about what in the world God is doing. So you might ask, “Where are you God when people get sick from the virus? Where were you when a police officer was leaning on George Floyd’s neck? Where were you when some people pretended to be protestors and instead of grieving, start fires in the community and smash windows and burn buildings? It’s ok to ask these questions and more! The Psalmists did and so have people of faith throughout history. Questions do not scare or offend God. Instead, God welcomes the conversation. So, whenever you feel like it is time to lament, I encourage you to take your questions, your concerns and your heartache to God in prayer. Remember - God can take it.
I can imagine a psalmist who is angry with God writing Psalm 13. Because, after asking God another question, “How long must this go on?” the Psalmist challenges God saying, “Look at me and answer me! After all, God, you don’t want people to say that you let me down, do you?”
The challenge to God is swift and honest. But then…. something happens. God somehow answers that prayer. Because, despite all the heartache and all the complaints that have been lodged against God, the Psalm ends with these words: “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart is joyful because of your saving help.” Even though the Psalm is only 6 verses long, in those six verses, the Psalmist goes from lament and despair to challenging God to rejoicing and praising God.
But many of us aren’t there yet. We are still stuck in the despair of lament. And, while I would love to clap my hands or snap my fingers and get out of this season of lament and be able to say, “Aha! That’s what God is doing!” God doesn’t work like that. God doesn’t work on our schedule, because even or maybe especially, in those times when our eyes are dimmed – maybe too full of tears -- we often can’t see God’s presence in our midst. And yet, God is with us – just as God promised. It’s just that sometimes, we can’t see God’s presence, until we look in the rear-view mirror.
Earlier this week, I was in conversation with Charles Clomon, the trustee of Greater St. John Missionary Baptist. I asked him how he was doing and how their people were doing. He said that they were mourning the loss of businesses that people count on for employment, for groceries and for living their daily life. But, he said, he had grown up in the South, had experienced the pain of the 60s. Looking back, he was able to put the present time into context and so he said that we are at a time that is better than any other time before for tackling some of the issues of racism because, he believed, people are ready to listen.
I was encouraged by Mr. Clomon’s word of hope and I pledged that we would listen to hear his story and the other stories of the people at Greater St. John Missionary Baptist.
Listening. Respect-filled listening can be powerful. Bishop Desmond Tutu tells what happened in Rwanda with the Truth in Reconciliaton Commission. Victims told their stories. Perpetrators listened. Those who did wrong to their neighbor confessed. It was a holy and difficult process.
I don’t know what kind of a process would work in our world today. But there is one thing that I do know: Jesus is with you and with you and with you, just as he promised. And so, whenever you meet with another person, you are meeting with that person AND Jesus.
That’s a powerful combination.
It is clear that we have work to do to show our love and care to our neighbors – our brothers and sisters, siblings in Christ especially those who have experienced hardship and pain because of the color of their skin, the place that their parents were born, their gender or something else. But the good news is this: Brothers and sisters, friends in Christ, despite the challenges of this world, know this: Jesus is WITHYOUand has sent the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us – just as he promised. Thanks be to God! Amen.