Jason Silver

Friday, April 26th, 2019

Down a dead-end road, past a tiny hamlet, in an area where hardly anyone comes, stands a building with dry, gray walls. The antique rail fences around it seem to fend off encroaching modernity.

In situations like this, when I come upon a bit of a mystery, I can't help but weave a story in my mind. Whether or not this building was ever a home, I try to imagine the circumstances which might cause it to be abandoned. What sort of trouble did these people come upon? Did a mother or father find themselves in a difficult situation, in need of protection, but without a place to turn?

As the camera pans over the flaking skin of this building, the words of Psalm 20 seem to echo in a type of irony: May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the God of Jacob protect you! May he send you help from the sanctuary, from the very city of Zion!

One trite response might be that these people could not have called upon God, or they would never have found themselves in such a situation. But let's be honest: misfortune awaits us all, whether we are godly or ungodly. In fact, at times it would appear that those who orient their lives around God are more likely to suffer such circumstances.

Life is tragedy! If you haven't experienced it yet, just wait a little while. And when you do, keep your trust in God, and the principles of truth. Yes, some people take pride in earthly strength, the metaphorical chariots and horses, but these will collapse and fail! Instead of taking pride in these things, take pride in God's name, and you will stand upright, even as life falls to ruin around you.

Amen.