Terry Paul Choyce
July 22, 2007, Brunswick Street United Church
"In ancient times, a king had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the big stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. As the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many others never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one's condition."
Every one of us here has had major boulders in our path. We've all been confronted with obstacles that cause us to mumble and complain, or manoeuvre ourselves around them, or climb over them, or move them out of our way. Sometimes these obstacles have just been annoyances. But sometimes, they have been the major teachers in our lives. From them we have learned creativity, courage, compassion, patience, and perseverance. And sometimes we have benefited financially, emotionally, or spiritually from this struggle. It is how we deal with our personal boulders that shows what kind of people we truly are. And with each major obstacle comes change.
In our Bible readings today Moses and Paul both have gigantic changes in their lives forced on them by God. Moses' first reaction to the angel of the Lord speaking to him from the burning bush was to say "I am nobody?" (Exodus 3:11) Not only did Moses believe he was a nobody, he also knew that he was in exile because he killed a man. And he was not a confident public speaker. He was a shepherd, and his flock did not even belong to him. God asking him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt seemed to be a ridiculous choice. But, as we all know, Moses obeyed the calling of God.
And then we have Paul, whose job and passion was to persecute and kill the fanatics who followed the trouble maker named Jesus. With a flash of light Jesus speaks to Paul. Paul finds out that he is to "serve me, to make my name known to Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel." (Acts 9:19) Paul is one of the least likely people on Earth to be given the task of spreading the word about Jesus, but he was the chosen one. And he does it.
Very few of us have God intervene in our lives like Moses and Paul. But that does not mean that God is not speaking to us in quieter, less obvious ways. That does not mean that we are not affected by Divine power. My friend Shelley Yates, who originated the Fire the Grid meditation, did have an intense communication from God that drastically altered her life. My being able to speak to you in this church every Sunday is a result of God moving in my life. But to get here I had to leave my 32 year marriage and go through much emotional pain. The calling of God is rarely easy. But to ignore it can be excruciating. When you ignore the call of God you become a shell of a person. You feel hollow and directionless and empty. Because without God in your life, your spirit is in mourning. Your spirit is disconnected from its source and its energy. The result can be depression, addiction, or obsession with material things. With God, you feel connected to all of life. You feel an inner peace and power that is worth far more than a Hummer or a diamond necklace Your reward is unconditional and eternal love.
Marianne Williamson, in her book The Gift of Change writes (Pg. 25)
"The only way we'll have whole lives is if we dwell within the wholeness of our true selves. And we are whole when we are one with God. The word HOLY refers to our connection to Him, and outside that connection we are dissociated from our own essence." She goes on to say that "Through prayer we can work miracles in our lives. We have so much more power than we are yet using - to heal disease, repair relationships, reconcile nations, protect our cities, and transform our world. As long as we think that only others are holy, then only others will seem to carry miraculous authority. Yet it isn't true. In fact, all of us are holy, for all of us were created by God."(Pg. 29)
To be a whole, holy person means that you will have to live a life that includes spiritual practices like prayer, meditation, going to church, or reading sacred books. It also means that you will have to reach out to others who are in need or in pain. Jesus healed the sick and disabled, and he hung out with people who would not normally be his friends. And it means that you will have to live conscientiously and within your value system. And, occasionally, it means you have to make self sacrifices that are hard. You will have to move the boulders in your personal road. And when you do, you will be rewarded. It may not be with a bag of gold, but it will be with the knowing and joy that you have followed your heart and soul.
So how will you face the challenges and changes in your life? I can guarantee you will have them. Will you face them with love, confidence, and courage? Will you pray for God's guidance? Will you rely on your spiritual practices to give you peace and purpose? Will you reach out to others, as well as reach in to your own inner strengths? Will you use your problems as a lesson on how to live and love better, or as a stepping stone to a brighter future?. Do not be afraid of how God works in your life. Be a partner with the Divine to make this world an even more wonderful, beautiful, sacred place. You have the power and the grace of the Lord to help you through every hardship and obstacle. You are holy and whole.
Praise Be the Lord
"Cradle of Awakening" by Danna Faulds from
From Root to Bloom
Unto you is born all responsibility.
Receive this sky-clad babe, this seed of being,
this sparkof light in darkness.
Hear the angel choir sing "Glory be to God on High."
Look into the child's eyes and dive so deep within that pool
of love that you finally believe in your own goodness.
Don't give up on yourself, even when the days are at their
darkest, for the mysterious star is shining again in the East,
beckoning you to the cradle of awakening, calling you to peace.
©Terry Paul Choyce. Used with permission from the author.
