It’s hard to feel inspired nowadays, much less be inspirational, if you look at our surroundings. Wars break out, violence constantly erupting, conflicts abound, fearmongers by the thousands. What’s to make a person want to get out and make a difference in the world?
Many turn inward, shut themselves off from the horrors of the world — or at least they try. Isolation, for which we were not created, never ends well, tailspins into depression and madness.
Positive thinkers make the effort to shore us up, but it falls short. They’re not convincing.
There’s a solution, but it’s been tried and found wanting, because merchants still set up shop in the Temple, among other reasons. Jesus cleansed it once, twice, and — when we open our hearts to his action — cleanses it for the billionth time.
In a single, open heart he does it daily.
Because faith reaches upward. It confesses limitations: “Forgive my unbelief.” It submits itself to the Lord’s upbraiding: “O you who have so little faith!” It pleads for mercy with humility that dares not look in his direction.
Jesus is the I-AM who fills in all the blanks: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” — “I am the Door.” Again and again. Whatever the need, he is IT, the solution.
The waves of the world, however, keep our attention. Their heights and frights are designed to distract us from the faith that sweeps us toward Jesus. Their movements are made to induce fear and to swamp us from trusting in the Lord who gives us the impossible steps alongside him.
So we replace his I-AM with our own i-ams:
- I am incapable of ……
- I am am worried about the future.
- I am afraid I won’t be able to ……
- I am uncertain about truth.
- I am too weak to make it.
- I am going to perish.
With our weaknesses and faults and fears, the world devours us and we sink.
Maybe it’s time to cry out, to ask for salvation of the One who can save, and grasp his hand with all we’ve got.
He waits for our despair.
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