How then shall we live?

You, son of man (human one), I have made a watchman for the house of Israel, writes the prophet Ezekiel.  Whenever you hear a word from my mouth you shall give them warning.  You have said, “our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we waste away because of them, how then shall we live?”   Ezekiel 33

The people’s lament comes after the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. Ezekiel has been appointed a watchman, a prophet among exiles in Babylonia. His personal sorrow included the death of his wife, the “delight of his eyes.”  When the temple was destroyed, and Jerusalem brought to rubble, the foundation of the faith of Israel was dealt a death-blow.

I realize that to some of you reading this, this is going to be a bit of a shock, but my daughter is not feeling well.  No.  Ashley has been in a horrible accident and is not well.  I'm sitting in her room right now seeing the delight of my eyes clinging to the thinnest filament of life.  If that filament were visible it would be as one of those spider webs that you walk through when passing through the garden gate.  You know, the kind you feel on your face and wipe quickly cause there might be a spider there.  It was so thin - you didn't even see it.  That's what I feel like Ash is clinging to as I sit here and watch the numbers bounce around, and listen to the long slow hiss of the ventilator as it delivers another breath.  I won't go into the gory details here, but Ashley has been destroyed.

How then shall Ashley live?  I don't know.  I know machines are doing most of the physical living for her.  And, right now, that is how Ashley will live.  When she is better...how shall she then live?  Again, I don't know.  I imagine that she will live a life so incredibly deeply rooted in her faith and really true, genuine love of God - just as she always has.

How shall I then live?  I don't know.  I know this though - my own spider-web-like faith remains.  Not because it's an unshakeable faith, - just the opposite.  My faith remains because it is so thin and fragile and surface deep that I have had to lean on others.  The faith of others, Uncle Harold, Mom, Pastor Abby, T, my brother, my sister, and on-and-on!  My faith has been thus far sustained because I cling to the faith of those who truly have faith.  I dunno.  Maybe that's really what faith is.  Maybe it's a huge part of faith, that when we don't have much of it, or don't know how to have it, those around us help bolster our little smidgen of faith.

The whole thing reminds me of Aaron and Hur holding up Moses' arms so that Israel might defeat Amelek (sorry, I can't think of where that story is in the Bible, but I promise - it's there!).

So I will sit here with Ashley and rest my arms on those of you who hold me up by praying earnestly for Ashley.  And one more thing - if you don't mind - please pray that Ashley will live!  Not that "Lord's will" stuff.  I'm being selfish here but please - just ask God to let her live!