Wandering in the Wilderness; Stumbling in the Light

On Wednesday we walked about with ashes on our foreheads, which means the season of Lent has begun. During Lent we not only prepare for Easter but for more faithful participation in the ministry of Jesus Christ and the church. On the Sundays during Lent and Easter we will read and ponder passages of scripture that provide varied metaphors for the church. We’re calling the series, “Church: A Faith Community Wandering in the Wilderness and Stumbling in the Light.”

Like the Hebrew slaves led to freedom in Exodus, the church often wanders in the wilderness. We usually lack certainty where we are going and almost never travel in a straight line. That’s good! In the exodus narrative the people took forty years to travel a relatively short distance as the crow flies. According to the biblical account, that’s how God intended it. What happened during the journey mattered as much as reaching the destination. In the church, we do not know precisely where we are going, but we know who has called us and whom we follow. That’s what really matters.

Similarly, the church often stumbles in the light. The first disciples walked with Jesus and first generation Christians experienced Jesus in their midst, but they all stumbled. If we remove the missteps of people of faith from the New Testament, it’s a short read! Similarly, we follow the Light of the world, but still encounter darkness and stumble. We seek to obey Jesus’ word and show his love, but still fall over questions and issues constantly. We walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), confident that Jesus leads us but often falling over our own feet and obstacles along the way. That’s good! Stumbling reminds us of our dependence on God and need for each other.

Because God calls us to wander in the wilderness, discomfort can be our friend and guide. Grace is only amazing when we know how much we need it and how abundantly it flows. Like all growth, growth in faith requires exercise, and exercise means moving and changing. Because we stumble in the light, it helps to be gentle with ourselves and others. According to St. John of the Cross, “To be truly humble is to feel a tender acceptance of all reality just as it is, which includes compassion for ourselves just as we are.” When we stumble, the humble smile and help us regain our balance. Because we are a community, traveling faithfully means traveling together. Traveling alone may go faster, but there’s no one with whom to sing and dance, cry and grieve, tease and please, serve and be served.

The words “wandering” and “stumbling” probably appear in few mission and vision statements. Yet, those words honestly describe our ministries, the ministries to which Jesus calls us and through which he changes life. Isn’t that good news?

Grace and Peace,

LP

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