Today's Meditation
Richard Rohr's Center for Action and Contemplation has a daily devotional each morning. This morning's message was from Barbara Brown Taylor regarding something she calls endarkenment - the opposite of enlightenment, in some ways. In summary, it is the lessons or the blessings we receive after we've embraced the darkness, the struggle, the disappointment.
The devotional itself seemed too dark to simply copy and post here, although it was helpful to me this morning. I've given her message a take of my own.
Reading:
Genesis 32:22-30
22The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had.
24Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” 27So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.” 29Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.”
24Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” 27So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.” 29Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.”
Sometimes we find ourselves, such as now collectively, in a difficult spot, in difficult times, dealing with grief, with anxiety, or with pain. None of us wants that. None of us would choose that if there were a choice. And yet, at the same time, if we were to embrace the darkness, embrace the difficulty, work through the grief, face the anxiety, or endure the pain; there are often blessings on the other side of it. While we wrestle with God as Jacob did in our passage this morning, we can't see it or know it. But joy comes in the morning when our difficult time is over, when the grief gives way to the tiniest sliver of hope for tomorrow, when our anxious hearts find rest, when the pain is beginning to dull. There can be blessings that abound for us.
Isolation can be difficult for many of us. Please don't hesitate to reach out if these days are overwhelming.
Today's music meditation is BYU's Vocal Point singing You Will Be Found.
No comments:
Post a Comment