I found myself this morning on a path with pilgrims who were journeying to Jerusalem for the feast. (Psalm 130) Here is what they were singing:

“Oh God, I find myself alone again, and vulnerable. The emptiness I feel, the sense of isolation is deep. It threatens to swallow me up and take me to a hopeless place. From here, from this hole, I reach out to You. Can You hear me? Do Your eyes see me today?

If what I am feeling right now is about my sins, then there is no hope for me, because I am a mess. Truly, no one can stand up under Divine scrutiny.

No. That is not what this is about. This is about me going deeper into my Relationship with You. If this is about sin, and my ability to be good?!…, then it is “game over” for me. But for all of that - my sin, my brokenness - You have given me the Blood, and the Cross, so that I can continue in this process. This is not about judgment, or my destruction. This is about me getting to know You at a deeper level, and coming into a more Real, more True Relationship. This is ALL about Relationship.

So, I am taking all of my dark emotions, my borderline depression and the sense of potential judgment - and letting it go. Instead, I am shifting my focus towards You. I stare into the emptiness, because I know that if I do, I will eventually begin to see the form of the Creator of emptiness, and feel the Hand that holds all of this together.

I am counting on You, Father. I am pushing out the borders of my trust. I am opening the door of my heart so that Hope can come in. I know that when You do, one Word from You will change it all. Those who wait for the sun to come up, right on schedule, have no idea of how I wait for this, for Your Rising. You follow no schedule, but Your coming is more reliable than the timing of this morning’s dawn.

So, fellow journeyers, let us all reaffirm our trust in the Lord today. His Love for us has not, and will not waver. He can fix anything, so that we can all continue to grow into the complete fulfillment of our eternal destiny. He is eternally committed to make that happen, for each one of us – we are ALL precious.

God, our Father, is going to get what He set out at the Beginning to get – all of our hearts in a deep, real, and eternal Love Relationship - our Love just…like…..His.”