Servants of Light

It  is one of those rare, lazy days when I have nothing that presses with the tyranny of the urgent. It is a cherished gift that allows breathing space - a chance to ponder and sift recent events and allow myself the luxury of staying in my pj's, being a slug. The past week included the funeral of a gentleman five years my junior, a seminar on the ponderous subject of child sex-trafficking in Atlanta and a meeting on the resolution of a ministry to the homeless which is faltering. Heavy, weighty, real-life issues that press down on the psyche like an anvil. It's good to be able to take a step back, gather in a lung-full of air and offer it all to the One whose burden is light. When I think it is all too much to bear, I am reminded of what He bore for all who inhabit this befuddled, ragtag planet. I know it is just as important to embrace the pain and suffering as the joy. Henri Nouwen said, "Faith is the deep trust that God's love is stronger than all the anonymous powers of the world and can transform us from victims of darkness into servants of light." If I can just strive to keep the beat to that unforced rhythm of grace that is uniquely mine, that is authentic, then I am on my way to becoming that servant of light. If I can be quiet and still long enough to hear that still, small voice that speaks straight from the heart of God to my being, then I am making a modicum of progress. The question, as always, is am I listening? Am I trusting? And, above all, am I being obedient?