02-27-25

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 27, 2025
Yesterday was absolutely beautiful. I don’t know about you, but I was sort of needing some weather like that. Today is looking pretty good as well. It’s amazing how our mood and attitude are impacted by the weather. Growing up in Nebraska, I remember when winter was unyielding, the yucky dirty piles of snow and ice were everywhere, and we rarely saw the sun. Teachers would talk about the behavior issues they begin to see in the middle of February, sometimes lasting until the first of April. As a kid, I loved the snow in October, November, and December, but around January, I was done. Rarely was Mother Nature done. What aspects of our lives are almost entirely beyond our control yet still exert a profound impact on us—physically, emotionally, and spiritually? When we’re feeling drained and low on energy, it becomes challenging to muster the emotional zeal to even figure out what is possible. Yesterday, I found myself sitting at my desk for an extended period. The sun was shining through the shades on my window, so I got up and walked around the entire campus twice. According to my phone, it was 82 degrees. I even got a little sweaty. When I returned to my desk, I believe I was more productive, and I know my mood was better. There can be multiple days when the sun does not show itself, and taking a walk might not be a real option. But what can we do? I’ve been thinking a lot about what I can control when there are so many things out of my control. Scripture often says for us to be happy, even if we are suffering. I’m not suggesting such words are naive. However, there has to be more than just choosing to be happy. Finding that happiness is wrapped in a dozen other choices—finding the things we can do to feel as if we have some power and purpose amidst the chaos.

God, you invite us on a journey where we often have a lot less control than we’d like. Of course, Jesus did not fight back, yet his arrest and crucifixion were not what he wanted. He, like any of us, prayed for the cup of suffering to be removed. Yet faithfulness to what is good, loving, and just is often met with forces very much out of our control. Even when the possibilities are limited, help me to do the good that I can, share the love that is possible, and work toward justice in those places where I can make a difference. Amen.