I recently shared with the Church Council part of an article that was written by Mike Yaconelli in 1992. He was using the image of swinging on a trapeze in order to describe his life of faith. When he first believed in Jesus, it was kind of like grabbing on to that first rung and starting to swing. That in itself was scary at first, but he got used to swinging and used to hanging on to that particular trapeze bar. However, then there would be times when he would realize that there was another trapeze swinging toward him, and God was asking him to let go and grab onto something new. He found that to be a terrifying time.

First of all, there was the difficulty of letting go of all that he had come to know and expect. Then there was that terrifying time of "in-between-ness", when he really didn't know yet what he was being asked to grab onto. At the time that he wrote the article, he was still in that in between time - not knowing what the future would hold, but believing that Jesus would be the one reaching out to grasp his hands when he got close to the next bar.

I can identify with that feeling of in-between-ness right now. I do not know what the future will hold, and many of my expectations for the present time have been dashed to pieces. I am being asked to let go of the things that I thought would be happening and to be prepared to grab onto something new and unknown.

In this respect, I understand what Mike Yaconelli was talking about. It can be terrifying at times - the "not knowing." At the same time, it is an opportunity to grow in faith. It is an opportunity to say to God, "your will be done" - and mean it! Yet, it does not come easily.

There was a whole article in the most recent Canada Lutheran entitled "Gardening God's Way." It was all about patience and persistence in prayer. It was a reminder of the parable of the widow and the unjust judge (Lk. 18:1-8). It was a reminder to ask, and seek, and knock (Mt. 7:7-8). It was a reminder to imitate "those who through faith and patience inherit the promises" (Heb. 6:12).

In this respect, Austin has far more patience and even far more faith than I do. I want things to happen right away. I want answers. I have some days that are angry and some days that are just plain sad. I have many days that are impatient. Yet, as Austin is so good at reminding me, our prayer has to be "your will be done." There is no other way to be content with whatever happens. There is no other way to have peace during this in between time. There is no other way to live the life of faith. We have to be asking what God has in mind for our future.

And so, we keep in mind the promises of Scripture:

"Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened" (Mt. 7:7-8).

In Christ,
Pastor Lynne Hutchison