Grace to Trust

I'm writing this on the Saturday of Holy Week, the day between times, between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. I can't help but imagine what the atmosphere was like where the disciples were gathered. Even though Jesus had patiently taught them about his coming Passion, the disciples maintained a variety of expectations. It seemed as though they all agreed that Jesus was the promised Messiah, but to see him die on the cross and then buried in a borrowed tomb must have pushed them into despair. What did they do on that Sabbath between times? Were they in shock? Did they debate theology? Did they share stories, or were the too depressed to do much more than lay around?

Have you ever had a religious expectation (which you labeled "faith") go completely unmet? Have you ever been left confused by what you were sure was true or would happen but didn't happen? Maybe even disappointed in God? The fact is, our religious nature (an aspect of our sin nature) urges us to figure God out, to master the mysteries, so we can get God to do what we want God to do. We define God's nature in a way that bolsters our desire to be in control. Yet, there is finally only one truth: God is God and we are not!

My friend Ken Malmin has defined faith as "agreeing with God." Faith is our response to God's initiative. I would like to add a thought to that definition: Faith is the divine grace to trust God at all times, no matter what. We don't need to understand "why" or "how." We only need to trust. The implied answer to the question Abraham asked, "Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" is "Yes." Even though the outcome may not conform to our definition of justice or right, whatever God does is, by definition, just and right and motivated by love.

In the end, only a handful of faithful women had the motivation to return to the tomb on that Sunday morning, only to discover that the tomb was empty, just as Jesus had predicted. In fact, it took quite a bit of convincing before the disciples were prepared to believe. They had faith in their faith (what the Bible terms "presumption") but they had little faith in God. Easter is a constant reminder that, no matter what else may be going on in our lives, God wins! God does all things well!

So, while we celebrate the wonders of the resurrection, let's remember those who are in a place of confusion or doubt or disappointment. May we all pray for a new/renewed grace to trust.