Mindful of Mortals

It has been a roller coaster week at Faith with unexpected events. As I prepare for my sermon titled “Mindful of Mortals” focusing on Psalm 8, I can’t help but reflect on the fragility and brokenness of humanity. Yet, somehow the Great Spirit finds us worthy of consideration. Worthy of “dominion over all the earth.”

We easily forget that in the concept of time that we are but a blimp on the radar. A speck of dust in the sandstorm of history. For some people this is comforting because it makes our hurts and experience seem less overwhelming. For others this is stressful because we have no sense of control and it feels like we might be drowning. Life has seasons. Seasons of grief, fear, hope and joy. No where is that found more wisely expressed than in Ecclesiastes Chapter 3.

Sometimes a single day can run the width of every emotion and leave us utterly bereft. Other days we are numb and simply cannot engage the tides of life. On the very best days we are overflowing in joy and it can look like we are weeping when we just can’t hold that joy in anymore. But most of our days are simply ordinary. In the summer and fall months, the Christian calendar calls this season Ordinary Time. I have to admit that I haven’t always been a fan. How do we invite people into ordinary? It seems like a hard sell.

But then things happen that remind me how lovely “ordinary” is and I think of people in my life who yearn for some ordinary. I think ordinary anchors us.

Eric Pollack sent me a link to an interview of the OU softball team where they explained that they could not count on softball for their joy because it simply doesn’t stand up. These lovely young women explained that they found their joy “in the Lord.” Their coach has modeled for them that their lives are bigger than softball- bigger than winning and losing games. What an incredible testimony! They do not seek their joy in something that will not stand the test of time. They do not expect to find their purpose in a competition. Instead they find their joy in the One who stands for all time. I think we can learn a lot more from these young women than how to play softball. They have reminded us not to anchor our lives on the things are for just a season.

See you Sunday,