A time to celebrate, a time to fast

Matthew 9 : 14 - 17

There should be a time and place for the community of God to celebrate God's goodness in their lives. This happens at the weekly worship services. In fact, in some churches these services are called "celebrations". This is right and good, as Jesus says. When we experience the presence of God in our midst, when life is evidently full of his blessings, it is right and proper to express this through the songs we sing.

But there is also a 'down' side to our spiritual lives. It cannot be just spiritual highs all the time. What do we do then, when very often the songs we sing do not give a balanced and realistic picture? It is hard to just sing songs of consolation when one is in desolation. Sure, as a spiritual discipline, it is important to praise God at all times. And yet, there is a place for 'fasting', for mourning at appropriate moments. As the prayer/worship book of God's people, the psalms are more realistic, as they contain a mixture of genres. There are psalms of joy and celebration, there are also laments and expressions of sorrow, of loss, of contrition. In modern worship, there is a place for realistic songs. Songs that help us express the joy as well as the pain and godly sorrow that is part of every life. Yet, as in the lament psalms - it is interesting to note that the last few lines bring the pray-er back to hope in God - we do need to end with the praise and hope that is ours in Christ.

Today, we could say that Christ is with us "all the time". So why the desolation and 'fasting'? I believe his presence does not guarantee temporal victory over every evil in our fallen world. Ultimate victory is certain. But in the life of faith in this world, there are times when his presence is hidden, for a while. There are times (often enough) when we see as through a glass, darkly.