God With Us

In his book A Sacred Sorrow, Michael Card writes

... the ultimate answer to all laments is not to be found in the specifics of what is lamented for. The true answer for a lament of disease is not ultimately a cure. The real solution for a lament of financial distress is never simply money. The answer is always found in the Presence of God. It is rarely what we ask for, but it is always what we ultimately need.

In the end of the book, God's answer to Job's loss is not getting his dead children back. Indeed he never gets them back. The answer, God's answer, is that Job gets God back. And Job's response, brought into focus by his suffering is clear: That is all he ever really needed. The same can be said for both David and Jeremiah and you and me.

This is indeed what I find again and again at Easter time -- somehow in the lament of Jesus' suffering, and its expression through His people, that the answer to my own lamentings is found. Never in the sense of getting the specific answer that I thought I wanted, but always in the sense of getting God back, once again.

Somehow, in the midst of my pain, often brought about through the actions or attitudes of persons within the local church, God becomes present through the faithfulness of His one Holy catholic church. And God's presence is enough -- no, more than enough -- even though the problems of the local church remain the same.

Once again then, I join with His earliest followers and His followers throughout all time, in proclaim that God is indeed with us.

Jesus Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!