“Sometimes There Isn’t an Answer”
Sermon for October 27th 2024
“Sometimes There Isn’t An Answer”
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight- oh Lord, my strength and my redeemer. – Psalm 19:14
What’s the weirdest way you’ve lost a friend? I’ll go first. To try and make a very long story short, Tracy, and that is not her real name, and I had had several moments over the years of not speaking to each other for a variety of reasons. That’s just what happens when you have known someone for over twenty years. We met in high school- I had left the private school I attended most of my life with no friends, because I had been so socially inept while there. And so I started over in public school with no one. Tracy was my first close friend, and her sister Tina would be soon behind.
Tracy and I first really bonded over a boy- and while the boy would not remain- she did. “He created a gruesome twosome- you and me” was what she wrote in our senior yearbooks.
College came and we gradually lost touch- regaining it later when all three of us worked together. I was the first at that job and recruited them not far behind me, each of us moving up the ranks. I was also the first to leave, moving to WMAZ, and losing touch again.
But each time we fell out of contact it was never because of someone else. It was because of easily explainable life circumstances. And then we would pick back up again as if we had never lost touch. This time was different. Her sister in law was upset about something another person in my orbit did.
And after finding out I did what one of my Millennial generation does to see how bad the fall out was: I went to Facebook to see if any of these people had de-friended me. And sure enough, Tracy’s husband had… and several others in this orbit, though Tracy herself had not. So I texted Tracy to ask what was going on. I never heard back.
I still struggle with what role I must have played here because I believe in accountability- and surely there must have been something I did wrong. But I also have this voice in the back of my head:
“Don’t go back through doors that God closed”.
It’s a phrase or one of the phrases I see shared on social media a lot and attributed to God in some way. Another one is “stop trying to sit at tables that Jesus would have flipped over”. That’s a good one. Yet another one is “God will isolate you before He elevates you”. And it’s comforting to imagine that God chooses to do this but I also have to ask- wait, what verse or reading is this based on? Is there a chance this got twisted? Are these easily digestible phrases actually taken from scripture or simply from our modern prophets and their thoughts? Things that are easy to post to social media and help spread whoever’s word.
I had a conversation with one of my favorite theologians, Heather Thompson Day, over Instagram about some anxiety I was having about a boy I liked who I thought was ghosting me. And I made mention that if God meant it for me it would happen- the follow up date. Kind of in the same line of God closes certain doors for a reason. But Heather said to me that she still believes in free will. Which throws a wrench in this whole theology around if it’s meant for us it’ll happen.
And in this world of social media styled theology- easily distilled down to quotes and memes- it’s really easy to twist these ideas.
I have to wonder if there’s more to it than simply these 30 second images?
The thing I love about being Episcopalian is that we are.l called to incorporate our brains- intelligence- into what we’re studying. And as such I have to ask what are the roots of these popular ideas? It’s so easy to cling to this social media interpretation of God because it simplifies what is happening to us in so many moments.
But if we are really using the Word Of God I think it requires at least a little more analysis. So went to said social media platforms- which feels very Meta given that I’m questioning if they’re a part of the problem- to crowd source and ask people what could have inspired these social media quotes about God?
I had a ton of answers- though no one seemed exactly sure where it could be coming from. Here’s the highlights of the verses people suggested:
1. **Psalm 121:7-8**:
*”The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.”*
Proverbs 3:5-6
*”Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”*
Jeremiah 29:11**:
*”For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”*
2 Thessalonians 3:3**:
1 Corinthians 10:13
Romans 8:28
Isaiah 55:8-9
Or the story in Genesis about Abraham and Lot separating. Or Lot’s wife.
It took me a little while to find one of these memes but the one I finally came up with was one that’s a black square with the words:
It’s attributed to JoLynne Whittaker – and she cites Psalm 5:12 and the aforementioned Jeremiah verse. Psalm 5:12 says “Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.”
But I have to wonder if our readings today also apply? We’ve got Job- and after all of the horrible things that Job goes through… for absolutely no good reason I might add, in fact it was for cruel reasons… at the end Job comes out apparently doing even better. All of the issues in the end are tied up nice and neat. Complete with a proverbial bow.
The Psalms say that we praise God at all times- regardless.
Hebrews- Jesus lives forever and had a permanent priesthood.
And in Mark- Jesus heals blind Bartimaeus.
It’s pretty easy. So it seems.
Could it really be this easy? Can it really be just God doesn’t want that person in your life and so poof?
I know the idea of God bringing us where we need to be can be hard. In my specific case at the beginning of this reflection I was thinking perhaps God had removed this friend from my life for a reason. Or that if he really wanted that follow up date to happen for me it would happen. Simple, right? Much like how Job’s story was so neatly tied up at the end.
But what if these people being removed from our lives aren’t bad? When it is the free will of someone else? What if the job you lose is great? What if you’re happy in that relationship? And it still goes away. What if it’s a child who you dearly love?
Maybe not understanding God is about so much more. Maybe it’s just not for us to figure out what moments in life are blessed by God for us and which ones simply go away due to the free will of others.
Maybe what’s happening in Job- as problematic as it is- isn’t meant to be the answer to the question but simply holding space to have the question. Because while the end of Job seems so simple, the journey to get there wasn’t. Job suffered greatly and we’re told it was so that God could prove a point. Which… just doesn’t make sense?
Sitting in a place of uncertainty- that’s something we all hate. But I think the uncertainty- the holding space for that question mark is the point. There are so many times in life when we don’t get answers. And that’s ok. But to still know that we are loved by someone higher. And that we are to praise God regardless.
The other day Tracy liked a Facebook post of mine. I saw it as perhaps a moment to reach out, to say hello and that I wished she was well. So I did the small brave thing and sent the text.
She still hasn’t answered. Sometimes we don’t get answers to questions. Sometimes the questions themselves are all that we’ve got. Sometimes we are blind Bartimaeus. I have potentially lost a dear friend, and it hurts… I will still extol the Lord at all times; and his praise will always be on my lips. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed are we who take refuge in him.
Amen
Readings for the day-
Job 42:1-6
New International Version
Job
42 Then Job replied to the Lord:
2 “I know that you can do all things;
no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
4 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.’
5 My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.
6 Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes.”
Job 42:10-17
New International Version
10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. 11 All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver[a] and a gold ring. 12 The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers. 16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so Job died, an old man and full of years.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%2042%3A1-6%2CJob%2042%3A10-17&version=NIV
Psalm 34:1-8
New International Version
Psalm 34[a][b]
Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.
1 I will extol the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the Lord with me;
let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2034%3A1-8%2CPsalm%2034%3A19-22&version=NIV
Hebrews 7:23-28
New International Version
23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely[a] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. 26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%207%3A23-28&version=NIV
Mark 10:46-52
New International Version
Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” 52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
