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Laments, Psalms, and Contemplations
for Global Healthcare Workers

There are times when the intensity of human suffering we attend to is heart numbing. There are moments when we understandably fear but need to buckle up and manage a crisis. And, there are soul wrenching decisions we abhor to make. In all of this we wonder...where is God? What on earth is he doing? How do we reach out when what we have to offer is not necessarily "nice." This blog is trying to find a voice, steeped in the tradition of biblical faith.

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Jesus in Gethsemane

4/3/2020

1 Comment

 
Last year I had the privilege to visit the garden of Gethsemane, which lies in a valley between the Mount of Olives and the city walls of Jerusalem. After dinner, Jesus went to Gethsemane with a few disciples to pray, anticipating the suffering ahead. There, in the shadows of the old olive trees in the cool of the evening, he wrestled with his impending suffering. We see his body sweat in deep distress. We see him vulnerable and in need of his friends. The giver and lover of life faced with suffering and death! Fear arises in his body designed for living, a deep sense of vulnerability, and a need for a reliable band of friends. Seeing him there, sweating, vulnerable and needy, I know that he knows...he knows my fear, my sweat, my vulnerability and need as I get ready to face risk and suffering. His whole humanity pleads with God for the chalice to pass him by. His whole divinity surrenders to love, the love of the Father, and to fulfill the purposes of his loving Father. I sense the enormity of the shift from fear to love. As I look forward with trepidation towards the suffering that is coming our way, I feel known and accepted in my human fear, and invigorated by Christ's choice to love. I notice his determination to get up and face the beginning of his suffering, his resolved and relaxed posture, and I remember that he does not leave me alone in this.  His Spirit is in me, giving me hope that everyday I will find strength and resolve to go to work and face what comes with a love far beyond mine. 
1 Comment
MILF Massachusetts link
12/30/2022 06:53:38 am

Hi nicce reading your post

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    Editor and Author
    Frauke Schaefer, MD - family physician, who served in Nepal, then turned psychiatrist and counselor to support those in high stress environments.
    This blog seeks to capture various voices from global settings. 

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