How Long O Lord ?

My first appointment as a Methodist Minister saw me based in St Ives Cambridgeshire where I had pastoral charge of five churches. The Ecumenical scene was good particularly between ourselves the Roman Catholic Church and the United Reformed Church. So it meant through conversations, a group of Christians from the various churches came together to put on Christian musicals at the Methodist Church over a couple of years. "'The Witness "and "Pharaoh to Freedom "saw a packed church enjoy the Christian story. With a wonderful choir, actors, lighting, and in those days 'special effects', the church was transformed for the performances. As enjoyable as these events were, I recall that even then I had a nagging uncomfortable thought; Its easy to tell the Christian story to Christians, but how do you share with non Christians? Plus how do share the very real doubts and questions we all have about God and life? So a small group of us produced our own musical using songs from the Iona Community. Entitled 'Many are the faces' it was an attempt to express the reality that we know so little about God. I think we did this because at times it may appear the church claims to have it all wrapped up. So we played with images and names for God. These images and names expressed the glimpses we have received and yet we have so much more to discover. The last verse of the key song sums it up.

Can we be certain of how the Lord looks,
Deep though our faith and conviction,
When in the face of the Saviour we see
The smile of divine contradiction?

I had great fun in writing sketches which explored a full range of questions we might as people of faith want to raise but very often do not articulate.

One song that we used in the musical springs to mind in the light of our current crisis. It asks the age old question in the face of any kind of suffering - How Long O Lord?
It is based on a Psalm 13. Sometimes we have to call on God's care, because we have been made redundant, victimised, lost out in love or been hurt by people close to us. At such times the words of Psalm 13 can be very helpful.

1.  How Long, O Lord,                                                 2. How long, O Lord,
    Will you quite forget me?                                             Must this grief possess my heart?
    How long, O Lord,                                                        How long, O Lord,
    Will you turn your face from me?                                 Must I languish night and day?
    How long, O Lord,                                                        How long, O Lord,
    Must I suffer in my soul?                                              Shall my enemy oppress?
    How long, how long,                                                     How long, how long,
    O Lord?                                                                         O Lord?


                                            3. Look now, look now
                                                And answer me, my God;
                                                Give light, give light,
                                                Lest I sleep the sleep of death,
                                                Lest my enemies
                                                Rejoice at my downfall;
                                                Look now, look now,
                                                O Lord.                       
                                                                                           Tune new Thirteenth
                                                                            Words and Music (c) 1987 The Iona Community

As a Christian minister you would always hope that you could offer the right word that would bring hope. However I've never been good at platitudes. What I share is what I learnt in the early weeks of  ministry. Elizabeth a church steward was in hospital dying of cancer. I went to visit, a little in trepidation. What I found was that she taught me to sit quietly with her with barely a word being said. Yet in that space and time spent together God was very real. That was enough. No miracle. Elizabeth died. Somewhere in my belongings I still have her Methodist class ticket that she had kept from years before I ever met her. We may want to talk about how we are feeling, others may not. Allowing people to respond in the way to the crisis that works for them is right. In the doubting, in the fear, in the silence you may discover a glimpse of God, and for the moment that is enough, and yes throw up the cry 'How long, O Lord?'

The musical was linked with conversations by two characters dressed in white shirts and black trousers. Josh and Mo, ( a nod in those days to Mel and Griff),just musing. The musical starts in darkness and slowly the choir builds the volume 'Kindle a flame to lighten the dark and take all fear away.'
Then the darkness is transformed as the stage becomes full of light and colour as the creation story unfolds in song, scenery and with actors. And so God as Creator and the question of suffering begins.

Josh:  Not bad eh?

Mo :   Not bad at all!

Josh:   Pretty impressive?

Mo: Amazing

Jo: Well that's God for you

Mo:  What's God for you?

Jo:  You know

Mo:  Know what?

Josh:  Creation

Mo:  Oh Creation.  What Creation?

Josh:  God's creation. The universe, birds and the bees. He made them all.

Mo:  Out of what?

Josh:  What do you mean out of what?

Mo:  Well you have to make things out of something.

Josh:  Now look Mo. We are talking Creator. The ground of all being.We are talking about the one                 who is Transcendent, Omnipresent, Omnipotent, ommm...

Mo:  Ommmi what?

Josh: Where have you been all your life Mo down the steel works!
          Didn't they teach you anything in Sunday School?

Mo: Couldn't do with Sunday school

Josh: Look Mo, God is the one who just has to think and it happens.
         He can think Icebergs and they appear

Mo: That would explain Titanic !

Josh: No No, look God, he's all powerful, all knowing, all loving ever present, everywhere.

Mo: Is he a nice bloke then?

Josh: Yeah of course he is

Mo: Then how come If He's all powerful

Josh: All Powerful

Mo:  He's everywhere

Josh:  Everywhere

Mo:  He can do anything

Josh: Anything?

Mo: How come the world's such a lousy mess if he's so caring.How come people are starving, and theres sickness and homelessness. Why doesn't he do something about It

How Long, O Lord?