Abraham
couldn’t see where the Lord was leading him, but had to trust in the promise
laid out before him.
Just
like Noah didn’t see the rain coming, but had to trust God’s plan.
Just
like Moses had to go straight to pharaoh and demand freedom of Israel, not
seeing how it could possibly work out, but the promise was there – “I will be
with you.”
The
same is true in the 16th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel. Immediately prior to today’s Gospel, the
disciples couldn’t see what the Lord was talking about when he said “the Son of
Man will be handed over and crucified,” but today the Lord gives them a sign of
the promise that “on the third day be raised.”
You
know, these stories are so important because they are exactly our stories. We cannot see where the Lord is leading us,
but the promise is there. How often do
we have it all figured out? How often do
all those plans get totally demolished or completely swept away by the
circumstances of life.
In
some ways, this is the hinge of the entire relationship between human beings
and God. All the bible stories point to
this encounter between our freedom and God’s freedom working together in a type
of beautiful dance. Abraham got up and
went. Noah built. Moses spoke.
Mary said “fiat - let it be
done to me according to your word.”
Joseph “got up and did as the angel had commanded him.” Jesus said “Father let this cup pass from me,
yet not my will but yours be done,” and took up His cross and embraced His
death out of the depth of His love for us.
So
today, and really of Lent and every day of our lives, God is trying to lead us
to our true happiness. Even when we don’t see the road ahead, our promised destiny
is before us: to be like Christ Jesus. That
dazzling white raiment and glorified body is a sign of the new way to be human
that God desires for us. For each of us
God shows us the saint that we could be, the best version of ourselves that is
most truly ourselves. We don’t know how
to get there. We have to walk by faith. He is summoning us: will we follow? Will we build according to his plan? Will we speak His words? Will we say “fiat”? Will we take up our
cross out of the depth of our love for Him?
Lord
Jesus, help us to overcome our fears by finding our security in the glory you
reveal to us.
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