Frustrations

This last May and June we had to make a choice between a healthy garden and a healthy baby. Marian is doing great, our garden not so much. I was utterly amazed at how fast the weeds grew and soon took over the garden patch. With some serious help from our family we were able to clear the weeds and tarp over the garden in anticipation of planting a rose garden in the coming spring.
One of the great things about living in Merrill at over 4000 feet is that the temperatures cool off every night. That also means we can get some serious wind blowing down the basin toward us. Despite several fixes and multiple ground staples, our black tarps were ripped away by the wind time after time. In addition the neighborhood cats had discovered that they could push the tarp aside and, uh, make a deposit. My wife eventually decided that we would need to put down some bark in order to maintain the tarps and keep down the weeds.
My wife made some calls and found a nursery in town that was willing to supply us with bark for $120 for four cubic yards with a delivery fee of $50. For only $170 our frustrations with the garden would be over until next Spring.
Yesterday my wife took a trip into town to one of the local nurseries to procure some bark for our soon-to-be rose garden. She carefully got the baby ready and drove up to the nursery. When she mentioned her telephone call, the lady at the desk told her that unfortunately the price of the bark had gone up $8 a yard since her call (the Friday prior). And, what's worse, the delivery charge to Merrill was higher. Even still, the price was still reasonable to put the frustration behind us (plus, it was still cheaper than anywhere else in town). My wife signed on the dotted line and they said they'd deliver first thing in the morning.
At dinner last night my wife and I had a long discussion about what, "first thing in the morning" means at a nursery. Just to be sure we would not miss the delivery my wife rose early this morning to meet the delivery truck-that never came.
When she called the nursery, the lady on the phone told her that the order had been misfiled and the truck could be out tomorrow first thing in the morning. Frustrated, but unable to do anything else she agreed to see them first thing in the morning (still unclear what that could possibly mean).
Frustration is an odd emotion. I suppose it is akin to anger, but coupled with a deep sense of helplessness. I believe it must be the emotion Paul felt when he stated, "I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate" (Romans 7:15). Paul, when faced with his own actions, was frustrated with himself. He was confused, angry and pained by his sense of helplessness. Like Paul, all who feel this way know that Christ is the only way to alleviate the frustration. Christ can ease our frustrations with ourselves. While we may still do the things we hate, Christ brings us forgiveness. It might not be the total cure for frustration, but then maybe some frustration is alright. Maybe we need to be a little frustrated with they way we fail to follow Christ and live for God in our lives. That frustration motivates us to rise up again tomorrow and with God's help dedicate ourselves to Christ's service once more.
I just hope the delivery truck shows up tomorrow for the sake of my wife's sanity.

Victory Before the Battle

Last Tuesday night I read Psalm 149 with the Session. It was an arbitrary decision, but the Holy Spirit definitely had a lesson for me that night.

Psalm 149 (NRSV)

Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in its Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.
Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory.
Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their couches.

Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands, to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters and their nobles with chains of iron, to execute on them the judgment decreed.
This is glory for all his faithful ones.
Praise the Lord!

As we read through this Psalm and talked about its meaning I first remarked that the Psalm had several warfare images in it that are out of vogue in the mainline church. I really think this is too bad, because when we exclude warfare imagery we lose a lot more than we gain. First, believers begin to view themselves as doormats, laying down in the face of opposition rather than standing up to fight for what is right. Second, we lose the joy of Christ's VICTORY on the cross. Third, the Greek word, euagglion, was often used to announce the Good News of victory in battle. There is truly a victory in our faith, a victory of Christ over sin, death and the devil upon the cross. To dismiss passages like Psalm 149 because of their warfare imagery is unacceptable. To reject warfare imagery in the church is to truncate the Gospel.

As I read this Psalm over, I am also struck by its order. The Psalm begins with a celebration. The victory party is in the BEGINNING. The battle comes next. In our Christian faith, the beginning is victory, the battle follows. In Christ Jesus we have already achieved victory over sin, death and the devil. After the victory begins the war between the flesh and the spirit. The victory is assured, but the battle is still fierce.

Let's stand on the side of Christ Jesus who gives us the victory and continue to fight, continue to struggle, continue to take up your arms and battle on, Christian soldier.