Forsaken
Photo by Bluebird Images on Unsplash
“Where is God in the midst of this pandemic, in the midst that deadly winter blast?” came the searching question of a faithful friend. “Why has God forsaken so many people to suffering?” She immediately followed her own question with the common response given when someone is searching for God’s presence amid tragedy. “Look for God through the hands and feet and love of those who serve.” I believe this is true. AND. I believe God is in the forsakenness.
As consequences of the pandemic and winter’s devastation in Texas unfold and suffering of the most vulnerable is exposed, God is present and asking, “where are you? Why have you forsaken my people?”
Yet, rather than turn to the real question, we prefer to point fingers. We bicker over what single solution will solve the injustices (as if there could be only one) without even asking the suffering communities what they need. We blindly honor tradition or our own best thought at the expense of love for God and neighbor. I believe the overarching guidance for discernment is to seek to love God and love neighbor as yourself (it’s written somewhere a few times!). In other words, to ask where is love in a particular attitude or process. This is not a mushy love subject to whims or emotion. This is a tenacious Love. Tough Love that seeks accountability with justice even as it exercises mercy. If I am to claim God is love (1 John 4:7), then Love prompts questioning the forsakenness…
Where is Love in forsaking the vulnerable, sending them back to work without first protecting them with vaccines?
Where is Love when I claim rights for myself as a human, yet others are forsaken trying to earn the same rights?
Where is Love when someone suffers judgment without understanding their story?
Where is Love that neglects looking at the wounds of our history that have shaped our present for the sake of putting a legislative band-aid over the wound to hide it, without ever taking the time to understand why the wounds continue to cause suffering?
Where is Love in the homes forsaken without running water 4 weeks after a freeze?
Where is God in the midst of the forsakenness?
God is asking her people – where are you?