A Way

A broom is a highly effective tool… until it’s not. And it doesn’t take long to figure out if a broom is up to the task.

When the bristles no longer do the job, debris slips through, making the task of sweeping almost futile. You simply can’t clean.

In scripture this idea of cleaning, or making things right again, is central to the story of God’s relationship with humanity.

This is what God’s law was all about. A set of instructions to provide ways of making things right and in that way we can understand the law as a broom. A broom that is fully capable of keeping things clean with God and clean with one another.

But what happens when the broom of the law doesn’t work anymore? Or maybe more specific… what happens when the people who are supposed to care enough to use the broom leave it in the corner and the mess just keeps getting deeper and deeper.

And the mess… caused suffering. The law… has been subverted and the people do not get justice.

So what do you do when the broom fails?

When all that should be, isn’t?

Well… faith…

⁴ Look at the proud! Their spirit is not right in them, but the righteous live by their faith. (Hab 2:4 NRS)

Faith… Far too often we think of faith as having the answers all line up.

But faith is not about answers… faith is a way of life… a way of living even in a world of failed brooms.

¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.” (Rom 1:17 NRS)

Faith as a way… when all else fails…

What happens when you can’t see the promise?

There are no blossoms, the produce of the olive fails – there is no promise of food,

What do you do when there is nothing in your experience that tells us that a new day is coming?

Faith…

Faith is a militant response – faith is an act of defiance.

Faith….Calls people forward even when circumstances don’t seem promising.

None the less there is a God who created you, redeems you, and it is God who makes your feet not only move quickly like a deer… God will help you find footing over rugged terrain.

May you…  in the waiting… when the broom fails… live by faith… continue to see beauty among the broken… reach out when others hold back… seek joy when life seems the darkest… open up to the possibility that you are part of a new day.