2023-10-08 A Meditation on Going Forth Boldly

“6 Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. 11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. 13 In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.” (2 Co 6 ESV)

Easily remembering good times and shared faith, it reminds us as well of the other side of the coin: these our friendly believers, are in the glare of the sun. Believers are persecuted. Many will face trials.

Yet how can this be, when our faith is so cozy and copacetic? How can this be, when it just “feels right”? How can this be, when all was song and dance, tandem voyages, together curt and abrupt impulses, chastened action, mutual discovery, self-realization and standing tall? We had grown into our faith, and do forget until praying over a long lost friend or new friend, that many are hated for their beliefs. Many are tried because of the beauty of a come to Jesus scenario. The courage to wear our heart on our sleeve becomes an insane flight, a catch-22, a pitiable jaunt into climes much to bright and scorching than what we, meek we, can cope with.

So to the onset of war, with that dual confidence, self-confident in the restricted or banned Faith: no matter, if on another day we are lambasted and lampooned, today we are pluck and circumstance, ready and able, knowledgeable of the hardship but borne unto the strife. It is our peculiarity, now. It is our private refusal to apologize for what we hold dear. It is that sense of a coming together then a divergent going forth: we go forth recalling and dwelling with these our fellow experientialist brothers and sisters. The plight, the strife, the glare of sun: these things create a buoyant and pleasantly bumpy ride as we march to the drumbeat and laugh just a bit at how selfless and awe-inspiring said Experience is: courage that lasts, belief that sustains, shared community that warms. So our strangeness of outlay is no cause for demuring or apologizing, but rather gives us two sides of the coin on which to focus and on which to rest secure: if we go anywhere, it shall be with Him, our Lord, our guarantor, our reassuring vote of confidence in ourselves and in our brethren and sistren.