Singing Praises

 

Would you pray with me the opening verse of Praise to the Living God…and if you know the tune, sing it out with me:

 

Praise to the living God, the God of love and light,

Whose word brought forth the myriad suns and set the worlds in flight;

Whose infinite design, which we but dimly see,

Pervades all nature, making all a cosmic unity.

 

I love that third line ~ whose infinite design which we but dimly see.  Or as Mark Twain is reported to have said, “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble.  It is what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”  We are living a world that loves the confident and certain.  We don’t like ambiguity or uncertainty.  We might even prefer in some ways being led astray rather than trying to sort through a complex truth that doesn’t give clear answers.  We see this in many areas of our life right now from politics to the church.  We crave solid ground to shifting sand.  Yet, the dynamic, ever-changing, VUCA nature of life means that we dimly see.  Think of it this way, are you the same person you were five years ago?  Ten years ago?  We change, we grow, our understandings expand.  We look back and think, “If I knew then what I know now.”  Which is to say in the present moment, we see dimly.  We are continuing to grow and change.

 

I give praise to God that we can continue to evolve as we explore; expand in new directions as we experience.  I give thanks to God that in these days we are reminded that not everything in life can be solved by a five-year strategic plan or another meeting.  Some things are beyond our ability to solve.  We sit with the unknown-ness of life.  I realize this is not a place any of us were taught or told to be.  It is uncomfortable.  Our brains keep telling us to do something, anything!!  But to sit with the sacred to listen for what God is up to and where we can participate.

 

Notice the order.  First, we sit in silence.  Second, we ask, what is God up to?  Not what is on my agenda or to-do list.  Not for my opinion.  But what does God’s wisdom say and how I can be part of that.  I know that is not a popular question, nor is it one that we are used to asking.  But it is a faithful, heartfelt question, especially when we are led in a different direction than we thought we would go.  Finally, we can ask God for where we can collaborate and cooperate with God.

 

I hope today, as the sugar rush of Valentine’s Day candy wears off, you might take time to listen.  Not just to your own thoughts, but for God’s still singing/speaking voice.  Listen to God’s prayer and for God’s presence here and now.  You may want to do this outside in creation where we remember that we are part of the soil and star dust.  Creation is who we are and perhaps when we sit in the presence of nature, we can hear the Creator clearer.  May this moment lead your heart to prayer and praise.  Amen.