Companion on a Tightrope

Here it is again: that tight-rope balance on the hard edge of human reality. Living in our very broken world full of injustice, unfairness and violence while at the same time daring to believe in a God who sees, who hears, who knows and who will bring an eternal justice. But isn’t our real struggle with When will justice come?

It is comforting to know that the psalmist was asking the same questions that we do. And there is most often a relational question at the heart of our other questions - like the one the psalmist is asking in today’s reading: God, are you avoiding me? Where are you when I need you? (verse 1, and all subsequent quotations from The Message).

When will you put an end to the wicked windbags with foul breath, mouths full of hexes, spitting venom, lying in wait to pounce on the helpless, living their charmed lives before our eyes? Aren’t these our questions when life feels like we’re swimming in the industrial-harbor-garbage-scum of wicked and corrupt people and practices?

These are human questions. These are relational God-questions.

And just before we all drown in the litany of wicked garbage scum, the psalmist cries out a declaration-affirming faith of commitment to God who is not indifferent to the plight of the fatherless and the poor and the downtrodden - even though it may appear so at first scum-glance.

Time to get up, God - get moving. The psalmist remembers. And God, who knows this litany all too well, invites us to climb back onto that tight rope of faith and reality - and announce that the reign of terror is over, the rule of the gang lords is ended. To once more choose faith in God, who not only sees the wicked garbage scum all around under the tight rope, and rather than avoiding us, he is actually stabilizing us on our tight-rope walk.

Respond in Prayer

Father God, thank you for inviting us over and over again to find the balance on that tightrope of our human experience. Keep our eyes focused on Jesus, who is the way through scum-filled surroundings. We pray in the name of Jesus, who knows and understands the human journey. Amen.

Elaine Pountney

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® (NIV®).