Wednesday, December 20, 2017

See, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.

Malachi 4:1-2

There is a moment in the Harry Potter books when the main character encounters Fawkes, a phoenix, the mythological bird that rises from the ashes to soar again. In the story, Fawkes regularly goes up in flames with a shock only to reemerge fresh and new. New life emerges out of the ashes making Harry amazed and full of wonder each time the cycle repeats.

The prophet Malachi speaks of that same cycle – not with a mythological creature – but with the cycles of human life beloved by God. There are days when life feels like enduring a fire that consumes our hope and energy: natural disasters, the infirmity of loved ones, money woes, broken relationships, war and violence, racial tensions, the list goes on and on. There are days when it feels like there is little left to give and we are running on fumes.

God promises that there will be new life. God promises a fresh beginning. God promises to raise us up out of the stubble and ash. Even more, the prophet proclaims a hope beyond mere living, but a hope of thriving, leaping, and soaring. God brings us through the fire and heals us beyond our imagination.

As a practice of faith, imagine your troubles and worries consumed in the refining fire of God’s love and reemerging into renewed life and love. The discipline of facing the fire will train our eyes to see the emerging hope. Out of violence will come stories of gentle compassion as strangers help strangers. Out of natural disaster will come stories of rebuilding and new relationships born out of service to one another. Out of the infirmity of loved ones, we will know the compassionate care of medical personnel and caretakers who bear the load with us. We will see signs of life soar beyond the sufferings and troubles.

God of new life, when life feels like a consuming fire, open our eyes to see your promise of new life and hope. Train our hearts to expect your love coming into this broken world in all circumstances through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Ollikainen is pastor of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Perkasie.