“Death is something empires worry about. Not something gardeners worry about. It is certainly not something resurrection people worry about.” Rachel Held Evans Searching for Sunday
“New life starts in the dark. Whether it is a seed in the ground, a baby in the womb, or Jesus in the tomb. It starts in the dark.” Barbara Brown Taylor Learning to walk in the Dark
“In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:1-2
I have often been afraid of the dark. Even to this day I find myself fleeing from the darkness. On the other hand, it is out of the darkness that life comes. I think about the first creation story and how life comes out of a combination of God’s love and darkness. Out of the darkness comes life and healing.
Even though I may be afraid of the dark, sometimes one is thrust into darkness physically and spiritually. I remember the darkness that seemed to envelope me as I walked from my nephew Mikey’s visitation to get the car while Bette and the boys waited in the funeral home. We had a long ride home ahead of us. What was I going to say to them when they asked the question, “Why?” As we started our drive through the darkness of grief and night Tim spoke up. “Mikey isn’t sick anymore. God is with him.” Out of the darkness comes life and healing.
Walking into the Care Center I knew it was going to be a difficult visit and most likely my last chance to visit with her. We prayed, I read the Psalm 121, and spoke to her and her children. Then Lorraine motioned me over and in a weak voice, she whispered, “Thank you for bringing me healing.” Calm came over me as I stepped out into the dark summer night. Out of the darkness comes life and healing.
I lay in bed and the events of the day run through my head: the fellowship, prayers, blessing, and anointing given by Father Kevin. My dad’s calm and gentle last breath. The assurance of healing even as he no longer took an earthly breath. I lay in my bed staring into the darkness, tears streaming down my checks. Out of the darkness comes life and healing.
It took a while, but now I see that healing goes beyond a cure. Life goes beyond death. Out of the darkness comes life and healing. Amen.
Pastor Tim
