The Firm Branch

effiestar
Nov 17, 2015
2 min read

Dear struggling faithfuls:

Thank God that the worth of all your drive, all your work in research and prayer and in asking for your eyes to be opened over years of applying yourself (take up your own bed and walk) is again justified through the ignorance of others who blindly respond to world acts and to spiritual events with mere opinions, like reflex jerks, and with mounds of ignorance that will drive you to further prayer, on their behalf (forgive them Father for they know not what they do...).

Thank God for your civilized nature, for your wisdom (Wisdom! The fruit of the tree!) and yes, even thank God for the conflicts that make so evident to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear who are the sheep and who are the goats...

Thank God for the struggle that keeps you real and humble and raw and aware, for the blessing of gentleness and wisdom, you doves and wolves, and for the Ephesian armour of preparedness to speak and live in truth while others, though often well-meaning, woefully stumble and fall before us with no light; though we reach out a hand, they instead reach for the wilted branch for salvation, and it bends as they falsely trust, pulling them downward, and they fall further down the pit... and all we can do is stand there pleading, "my arm is firm!", and in this wretched, blessed moment realize, in the most miniscule way, that at times we too have reached for a false saviour and have fallen; we connect that Christ has been that arm, Christ has made that plea. And as we have risen, so can they.

Thank God we have found the firm branch, and have wept, and reached, and are now lifted, and are risen, and with compassion we have life to live, and love to give, and our eyes are open to clearly distinguish the wilted from the sturdy; we reach out with one arm to help others, and with the other to be helped, knowing that no man stands alone, and one Son shines on us all for growth, and only those who willingly hide from the light cannot see its glory...

Still, we pray. In thanks for our great gift of discretion, and to honour those to whom it may still be granted.