Psalm 2:7-11
The other day I ran into an administrator at my hospital. What began as a casual conversation about haircuts soon turned into a deeper dialogue about faith. We talked about the current context of the world and what it means to lead an institution through it. We spoke of an unknown future and how hospital leadership faces the enormous task of “steering a ship when we don’t know what the waters ahead will be.”
This administrator then offered an incredible word about living faithfully. He said, “Somehow, we must continue to do the work we are called to do and plan for an unknown future. We must trust that, if we are faithful, a way forward will be made.”
I was taken aback by his humility, and his acknowledging that we are in far less control than we like to think. We do our work, and we do our best, but we are not in control of tomorrow.
“In many ways,” I responded, “we have all been thrown into the reality that the parents of our patients experience every day.” Life is going along, and we think we have a handle on where it’s going. Then our worlds turn upside-down, the ground opens up beneath us, and we are left with the only thing that really matters: faith. Serve the LORD with fear . . . with trembling, the psalmist sings (v. 11). Humble, trembling faith.
Consider
Tell me about a time when your world fell apart. How quickly did your response move from anger and despair to one of humble faith?
Pray
God, if someone asks me what matters most in this world, I quickly answer that it’s faith in you. But if I’m honest, I never really let go of the illusion that I’m in control of my life. Can you help me? I want to walk in faith, all day, every day. Amen.