TRUST

Trust
At some point, you have to let go

Many of our Christian brothers and sisters celebrated Ascension on Thursday. It is a fascinating account of when the Resurrected Christ rises up to the Creator. I am always struck by the two men dressed in white asking the disciples, “Why are you standing there, looking towards Heaven?” Why indeed? Christ has left. It is a time of waiting and trusting for the Spirit.

For me, this time in the Pandemic is similar. I know that the way the world was, is done. I’m not sure what the New Normal, sometime in the future, will look like. Now, we are beginning to tentatively leave our safe but confining social bubbles. We’re slowly but surely sticking our toes into the ocean of New Normal. Carol and I met some friends for a glass of wine on their deck the other evening – while maintaining distance of course. And I’m probably more excited than I should be about making an appointment to have my hair cut!

We trust that God is with us during these times and all will be well. That is, things will unfold as they should. But that doesn’t mean that waiting and trusting is easy because giving up control is something humans always struggle with even (or maybe especially) if it is handing it over to God. It reminds me of a favorite story.

Not long before his death, Henri Nouwen wrote a book called, “Sabbatical Journeys.” He writes about some friends of his who were trapeze artists, called the Flying Roudellas:
They told Nouwen there’s a special relationship between flyer and catcher on the trapeze. The flyer is the one that lets go, and the catcher is the one that catches. As the flyer swings high above the crowd on the trapeze, the moment comes when he must let go. He arcs out into the air. His job is to remain as still as possible and wait for the strong hands of the catcher to pluck him from the air.

One of the Flying Roudellas told Nouwen, “The flyer must never try to catch the catcher.” The flyer must wait in absolute trust. The catcher will catch him, but he must wait.

I like this story because it brings to mind how difficult waiting is. The flyer gives over all control to the catcher; he must wait in faith. If he tries to take control over the situation by trying to grab the catcher, he is doomed – he will fall.

These times of waiting and trusting for the New Normal are difficult even as we follow Dr Henry’s guidelines. I try to practice gratitude every morning before my day begins and I ask that God be present for all of us during these times of COVID, trusting that it is beyond my control but with God, through Christ and by the Spirit – all will be well.

So my friends, may you be blessed in your trusting and waiting.
Wayne