Lent 2022, Day 31

 


¹ I waited patiently for the Lord;

  he turned to me and heard my cry.

² He lifted me out of the slimy pit,

  out of the mud and mire;

he set my feet on a rock

  and gave me a firm place to stand.

Psalm 40:1

 

Fans of early U2 will recognize this psalm as the lyrics of 40, from the album War. I’ve always loved the song and the psalm—they’re so comforting and calming. But I know that in this broken world, these words are aspirational, symbolic, because I know that not every person is saved from the pit. It’s one of those most difficult questions of faith: why suffering? Why some and not others? Why isn’t everyone saved? 

I could give you a Sunday School answer about the long view and fairness and justice and comfort in eternity, and I would bet my life on that answer being more or less correct, but a future solution to a present problem can fall flat. 

So here’s a more immediate question: can we celebrate the one brought up out of the pit, even while we know that there are many still in the pit? Can we celebrate the one while we know there are many who won’t be rescued in this lifetime? 

It might be easier to bring this question down to dog-level, which is where I seem to be living these days: Can I rejoice over the one yellow street dog rescued from abuse, even while many more are still alone and unloved? And is it ok to delight in one inbred genetic mess rescued from the dog-meat industry and currently living in dog-luxury, while so many more precious dogs are still living in misery, bound for torture and death?

When the subject of this question is people, made in the image of God … how can we even function, knowing that the world is so cruel and that life is so profoundly unfair for so many? I honestly don’t know, but I know that we do function, and that somehow we can even do so joyfully.

And maybe that’s the answer? We function, because we must function. Because we are needed; we are the hands and feet of the Rescuer. If we pretend there is no pain, or if we are so focused on the pain that we become frozen, then the next street dog will not find a home; the next victim of cruel abuse will not be rescued; the next precious human soul will not be brought up from the pit. 

So we wait patiently, and we work steadily, and we are grateful, much like these 2 ridiculous and majestic beasties, finally home and completely loved.

#lent2022 #bibleinoneyear #repentandbelieve #rescuedogsofinstagram

 

 

 

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