***
Did you hear about the rock climber who attempted to scale a large mountain?
About halfway up, he slips and nearly falls to his death. Somehow, he manages to catch himself, but is left dangling by his right hand.
Stunned, he cries out, “Help! Is anybody there?”
Silence. He cries a second and a third time. Finally, a voice whispers in his ear, “I am God. I’m here to help you. Though you can’t see it, there’s a ledge just beneath you. Let go and you’ll land safely.”
The climber pauses…thinks…and cries out, “Is anybody else there???”
***
The climber asked for an answer…and he got one! It’s just not the response he wanted.
How often does that happen to us? We pray for something – and God responds – just not the way we want.
This was also true for the Jews in the Gospel. Their faith was centered around the promise that one day God would visit them. And he does!
But instead of appearing in a fiery blaze of glory, God comes to them in Jesus, a humble carpenter from Nazareth. Not exactly the response they wanted.
Is anybody else there??
***
How often do we say something similar? Is there anybody else there?
Maybe God closes a door we wanted open; he inspires us to take the road less traveled; he chooses not to heal our loved one; he urges us to take a faith-centered risk.
These answers, although not what we may want, somehow work for our benefit.
***
Think of that rock climber left dangling from a cliff.
Instead of crying out, “Is anybody else there?”, he can let go and let God. He’ll be relieved if he does!
So will we be, if we let go and let God. So, if you find yourself dangling from a cliff, perhaps it’d help to recite that old prayer for surrender:
“God, grant me the grace to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.”
