sign

“Lord, send me a sign”

I used to pray this, that was back when I was young and stupid and immature. It was as if I thought that I could command God to perform magic tricks. Flash me this, do that, confirm for me this. It is a request for safety, that’s all. It is a telling sign from us that we don't really truly trust Him. We wan’t control, we want the decision of wether or not to turn at the sign. Go forward, go back, turn left, turn right. There was a time when those directional decisions were cut and dried for me. Easy answers to all life’s problems. The reality is that people make life hard, because the reality is we are all seeking restoration. And we want it quickly and we want it neat and tidy, wrapped up in pretty paper and a fancy bow like some glittering package under the Christmas tree. The reality is that restoration is messy, it is dirty, it is after birth in the straw, it is over turned tables, it is torn skin and shed blood. There is nothing neat and tidy about our faith and our Saviour. He is bold, and challenging, and loving, and admonishing. He baptizes you in fire to purify you. He asks you to take part in his body, his blood. He loves the prostitute and criticizes the religious. He warned us that the world would hate us because of him, but commanded us to love the world anyways. We try to wrap him in a bow, but he was spread out on a bloody cross. That is the only sign we need look to. And when he says something to you, your only response should be “Yes, my Lord”