Sermons

Jan 27th , 2008
Dark Times for Starting New Ministry

Rev. Philip Cable

I think our God is the kind of Loving parent that just adores when her children come to her and ask ‘Mommy, please tell me about my birth.’ ‘Tell me how it all started, and then tell me about life and what to expect from it, where it’s likely to take me.’ ‘Please tell me! I know you told me before, but please tell me again.’
I believe that God can’t wait for this kind of request and is delighted to snuggle into a cozy rocking chair with us and start the story.

Well it all starts in the huge warm ocean of the womb. All your parts started coming together there and growing into the shape and tools that you would need for your great journey here on earth. Everything you would need for your unique life was provided, and fed, and nurtured so you could start to grow. And you really liked it in there at first, you danced to the rhythm of my heart beat and after a while your dancing turned into kicking, at first just playful like, but then it got sort of intense, insistent. I think you decided this ocean was too small, and you began to kick hard against the shores and before we knew what was happening the damn broke and out you came into a new set of currents and flow, accept this was a sea of air. It was in that moment, that instant, when you emerged from the water of the womb into the sea of the air that I sent a dove down to perch on you shoulder. A peace dove, and it sat there for just the slightest moment cooing in your ear; ‘You are my beloved child!’ Then it changed into the most beautiful glittering gold dust and as you gasped and filled your lungs with your first breath it was sucked all the way down into your belly, and it moved from there into every cell and fiber of your being. It is still there, most of the time it just waits. When things get tough or you get frightened or distracted by the great sea of the air it waits and it longs for you to stop, breath deeply as you did as an infant and listen for its soothing song.

For here, here in ‘the sea of the air’ many new adventures await you. There is much to learn, great diversity to observe and explore and wonder about. Most of all there are many noises and distractions to keep you from hearing and feeling the cooing song of your inner peace dove. But do not worry, ‘fear not’ that dove is present and persistent. In fact so persistent that it will convince you, will even trick and connive you if it must to drive you out into dry places, dessert places, even harsh places. This may sound cruel at first, but this inner part of your being knows there is a different kind of muscle or tool that needs to develop within you. It’s been there all along; you just haven’t needed it yet, haven’t observed it, and haven’t worked at developing it to its full potential. Just as in exercise your body muscles need something to push against to develop, to become and stay toned, so too your spiritual muscle or spiritual ear needs a resisting force to push against to fully develop or tone itself.

To fully strengthen it so it can affectively assist you in fulfilling your unique life’s purpose, travel your required journey, fully explore your corner of ‘the sea of air’ and help others fully explore, wonder about and claim theirs. (Harper, ‘Water into Wine') These resisting forces, obstacless to push against are often called demons or temptations, and they come in many shapes and disguises. Don’t fool yourself child, everyone faces them. Everyone is given the gift to push against in one and more often than not many ways. And the dove will lovingly drive us back into desert places time and again until we have received the profound gift maturing and toning these spiritual muscles or ears.

If you are wise you will find trusted friends to share what they have learned in pushing against there demons and temptations. But be aware, most will probably be very cautious to talk about their personal demons or wilderness experience. Many will try to deny such opposing forces in their lives. Again, don’t let this frighten you. Persist, and with the doves help you will find those who will join you on this great spiritual task, those who will guide and accompany you along The Way.
You may grow to enjoy the routine of the gymnasium of the desert. The exercises may grow as comfortable as old socks. But even the best made socks wear out my child. And the time comes, like the breaking of the womb dam, when the newly developed tools must be put to their work. For even a spiritual tool must be used or it will go flabby. ‘Use it or loose it.’ This is an unalterable law of Creation.

You will know the time. A friend or loved one will get the message to you. Often, they will let you know they are in trouble. The powers and principalities of this physical earth are threatening to imprison them, maybe even threatening to remove their head. There will be dark times, dark long nights that may stretch into years, decades, centuries where it seems that the original message, ‘You are my beloved child’ that deep inner peace can never return, justice will never prevail, the forces that press against us will seem destined to crush us. Yes even my precious gift of life to you and your neighbours throughout creation may seem in peril. It is in these darkest of dark times that you will finally know:

This is the time for your ministry to begin.
This is the time you were sent for.

This is the time to reach out your hand,
the time to let others in.
This is the time to let your heart break,
the time to cry from the depth of your soul.
This is the time to teach a new dance step.
This is the time to sing a new song.
This is the time to serve up a new dish.
This is the time to lengthen your table.
This is the time to turn to your neighbour
listen with care and hear of their pain.
This is the time to die to your temper,
open new doors embracing all shame.
This is the time to spell out my teachings.
This is the time to sing out my praise.
This is the time to point toward my justice,
Right all relations and honour my days.

Philip Cable, Jan. 27, 2008