Getting out of the weeds - September 8
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 31; PM Psalm 35; 1 Kings 11:26-43; James 4:13-5:6; Mark 15:22-32
Yesterday, our staff gathered for our fall retreat. I invited a friend to facilitate, and we have been going back and forth for the past several weeks about the content. Earlier this week, he was walking me through his plan. He would present an idea, I would push back, and we would talk about it. About fifteen minutes into our conversation, he astutely noted, “John, you are so much in the thick of launching a program year, onboarding new staff, teaching, preaching, and leading, that it’s impossible for you to step back and see the whole picture about this retreat. Just trust me and we can process what you learn afterwards.”
His words have stuck with me all week, that reminder that even I get stuck in the weeds unable to see everything that is unfolding. We often have blinders or are unaware of our blind spots, good at seeing what we want to see, but not much else. To see the bigger picture, we need to be well enough, calm enough, and centered enough to step outside of our limited view. And sometimes the blinders can be caused by even positive forces in our life keeping us too busy to notice much else.
The journey of faith can be similar. As Christians, we have been entrusted with the story of God’s salvation that has been passed down to us. Knowing, believing, and living into the resurrection means we have been given a broader view than the immediacy of our lives. Whether moments of joy, or moments of struggle, pain, and loss, our faith can help us put our trust in the one who brings life out of despair.
The story we encounter in today’s Gospel is the crucifixion from Mark’s gospel. The chief priests and the scribes are mocking Jesus. “He cannot save himself” they pronounce to others. In the thick of it, it certainly appears that way, but part of the reason they see Jesus’s life this way is they haven’t stepped back enough to understand what Jesus had been saying. And they don’t know the full story. This is a hopeful story because we know what happens on both ends, but only when we aren’t consumed with the details.
What is keeping you from a more faithful life? Are you stuck too close to a story, muddled in the details of life? Step back for a moment. God promises to be with us in all things, but sometimes it takes a new vantage point to see God’s truth.
Faithfully,
John+
Question for Self-Reflection: What pressing needs are keeping you from seeing God’s work in your life? How can you step back for a moment and gain greater clarity in your life? What creates your blind spots?