Thoughts of a College Pastor

Read Psalms 22v1-21

Let’s start with what’s easy to see in this world…

We don’t have to look to far in front of us to realize that our world aches within itself. Most of us don’t have to look much further than our own lives and hearts to find the ache.

There’s pain, sickness, death, disconnect, brokenness, hurt, murder, divorce, abuse, gossip, back stabbing, sin, tears, broken promises, cheating…

As I sit and talk with college students I see pain, heart ache, division, stress, anxiety and so much more. I sit and listen to story after story of a family member that left wounds on them, abused them, forgot them, looked over them, didn’t believe in them. My heart literally breaks as I watch people hurt, cry, live in confusion and struggle forward with questions that cannot be answered. I watch this generation struggle to have relationships because most of them have never seen a healthy relationship.

Their stories are layered with brokenness and disappointment. And all of this shapes a view of God that is out of whack and completely skewed.

Sometimes it’s difficult to believe that something more, better, greater is possible. That something other than pain and suffering can exist this side of heaven.

It’s hard to even sit in silence without hearing the screams of brokenness that surround us. It’s hard to just sit and enjoy the quiet of the stars above you and believe that God had anything to do with it all…or maybe He just created it and left it to fend for itself. It’s hard to believe that love can actually exist. Let’s just be honest…sometimes it’s even hard to believe that God even exists or even cares when we see the things we see.

David in Psalms 22 does something so interesting. He doesn’t ignore the pain and suffering that surrounds him. He acknowledges that death is crouching right around the corner (“Many bulls surround me; strong bulls encircle me. Roaring lion tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me”). He even confesses that sometimes it’s hard to believe that God is even going to show up (“O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer.”).

Can you relate with David?

For just a moment…I give you full permission…be honest with yourself…you can relate with David…can’t you?

Yet…

That’s the word that sets David apart from most. He sees the pain. He feels the hurt. He’s honest about the suffering.

Yet…he believes that the pain, hurt and suffering…but the circumstances don’t change who God is.

Listen to what he says…”O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent. Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.”

“All who see me mock me. Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust you even at my mother’s breast. From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God.”

“Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me. Yet, You, O Lord, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me. Deliver my life from the sword.”

Can we approach the dirty and broken parts of this world and God the way David approaches him?

Understanding that there will be pain but believing that God goes deeper than the pain?

Can we believe that the circumstances that life throws our way, no matter how rough they might be, will not and cannot change the beautiful truth of who God is?

Zephaniah 3v1-3 (The Message) understands and uncovers this tension as well.

Doom to the rebellious city, the home of oppressors—Sewer City! The city that wouldn’t take advice, wouldn’t accept correction, wouldn’t trust God, wouldn’t even get close to her own god! Her very own leaders are rapacious lions, Her judges are rapacious timber wolves out every morning prowling for a fresh kill. Her prophets are out for what they can get. They’re opportunists—you can’t trust them. Her priests desecrate the Sanctuary. They use God’s law as a weapon to maim and kill souls. Yet God remains righteous in her midst, untouched by the evil. He stays at it, day after day, meting out justice.  At evening he’s still at it, strong as ever.

The bottom was falling out. Things were falling apart. The circumstances were hopeless. Yet…God remained righteous in the midst of it all! He was untouched! He stayed at it! He was strong as ever!

There is hope in this! God will not waiver. He will continue to change lives. He will continue to redeem. He will continue to put broken relationships back together. He will continue to bring light to the darkness. He will continue to give form to the formless. He will continue to connect the disconnected. He will continue to bring life from death.

HE WILL REMAIN!

I pray this changes the way we see life. I pray it will change the way we see the stars above. I pray it changes the way we deal with the circumstances that life may throw our way. I pray that it moves our hearts from a place of unrest to a place of rest because we understand that the world is full of unrest but we believe that God is still working at bringing rest.

Yes, there will be pain and suffering this side of heaven…Yet…God still remains faithful….There is always hope…God continues to redeem us…God continues to shine bright…God still remains!