Facing The Long Dark

Throughout history, human beings have sought to make sense of their world. From the various creation myths of ancient civilizations to Plato, to the writers of the New Testament, to Neitzsche, to Rick Warren, people have put forth a set of glasses through which we can view the world. This desire is inborn in us, and is one of the distinctive characteristics that separate us from the animals. We want our lives to have meaning, and to fit into some ultimate pattern. What is terrifying for most people is the thought that we are alone, that there is no pattern, that we must face the dark of night on our own.

Mark 5:35-6:1
“While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?" 36 Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."  37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep."  40 But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.” 

One of our greatest fears is death. We don’t think about it much when we are young, but even then it is there, lurking in the shadows of our consciousness. It is usually as teenagers that we begin to personally experience what it is like to have someone you know die. At that time it begins to dawn on us that we might die too, and we become afraid. What happens after we die? Do we simply return to the organic elements our bodies are made of, feeding trees and worms and fish? Or is there something more?

Imagine the terror and despair that must have overcome this synagogue ruler. As a parent, I cannot conceive of my life if any of my children died. His desperation is palpable.  And this is when our own mortality rears its black head and leers at us through pointed teeth. When we realize we are living in the valley of the shadow of death.

But Jesus is in control. He is running the show, although most everybody else doesn’t realize it, cowering down in that inky black valley, the Shepherd is coming. The dawn of an endless sun is breaking. And it is at this point we can begin to hope for something more than a brief existence, plagued with frustrations and disappointments, and look forward to someone taking our dead hand someday, and saying, “Arise, my child.”