Faith and love are like stars in a dark sky. You know it is difficult, if not impossible, to see pinprick stars at night unless it is very dark – perhaps out in the countryside, away from the lights of cities? Then we see, in the dark, the light we did not realize was there. In order to know the stars of love and faith, we may have to walk in the dark. God does not plan or create dark moments – dead places, like Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones, or tombs like that of Lazarus. But at some point, we all find ourselves there, in our personal tomb, our spiritual grave. We need to be brought out of those graves, to see the stars in the dark sky. We need to be summoned by those who believe in us like Ezekiel, and love us like Jesus. We need the faith to stagger forward, tripping on our burial bindings, believing in the light.
Where is your cave, your grave, your dead spot, from which you need awakening and light? Where are you buried in hopelessness at the moment? It’s a challenge to see stars in the dark sky. But if life is breath, according to Ezekiel, then there is plenty of life in you and in the church. We may hope for new flesh on these bones, but first comes breathing – taking in the Holy Spirit of God so that defines who we are. We open our eyes, look around and take in the lights around us. We trust and have faith that God can act in completely unexpected ways. And as poet Dylan Thomas wrote, we “rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
Blessings to you,
Pastor Carol
