Beside Restful Waters

by Gregory Hermann

“Despite the failings and limitations Moses perceived in himself, he is liberated by God’s faith in him.”

Fr. Richard Rohr

Failings and limitations perceived in himself!!!!!!

Yikes. I remember the story of Moses being asked to set the people free. Mostly, I remember the excuses Moses used to convince God that he, Moses, was not up to the task:

Who am I to take on such a task?

Who are you?

What if they don’t believe me?

I stutter.

Why not send someone else?

I remember this argument because it became the mantra of my denial when responsibility was required of me. When considering the basic responsibility of sobriety, I had a book full of excuses. What, then, liberated me?????

“God’s faith in him.” God’s faith in me.

Oops!

I missed this one.

God had faith in Moses?

God has faith in me?

God has faith in us?

If I truly believe that you and I are the hands, feet, eyes, heart and voice of God, then YES, God has faith in me, in us.

At first this idea that God has faith in me seemed novel and strange. Yet, how many of you have spoken words of encouragement to me? How many people throughout my life have expressed approval, correction, instruction, correction, love, correction, education, correction………..

As I ponder, I hear the voices of the many villagers, from many villages of my past and present.

Here we are voicing our faith in each other.

Here we are supporting each other.

Here we are caring about and for each other.

Here we are expressing God’s faith in each other.

This is what church is.

This is what the Sacred Hoop of Life is.

This is what the village is.

These are the expressions of God’s faith in us.

Whew!

We got this.

Thank you.

Namaste’