From the lips of children and infants,
you have ordained praise.
Psalm 8:2

I was at the tenebrae service on Good Friday evening. Sitting behind me was a mother and her young child. Pastor Dan had just completed the reading he had selected for the seventh word,

"It is finished." John 19:30

His text was taken from the book God in Pain by Barbara Brown Taylor, chapter 15 entitled, "Believing What We Cannot Understand".

"That is, in the end, the message that the cross calls us to believe without knowing how or why; that come hell and high water; come affliction and hardship, persecution, hunger, nakedness, peril and sword; come whatever may, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord, who has promised us that everything, finally, shall be well. Amen"

The child behind me repeated his, "Amen." -- the only person in the congregation to do so. Quickly, the child whispered, "Mama, I was the only person to say Amen." And then asked her, "Why?"

Indeed, out of the mouth of that child came great wisdom, "Amen." That is, the child confirmed, "So may it be."

Lord, help me to believe without knowing how or why even when I cannot always understand.

All Glory, laud and honor to you, redeemer, king,
To whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.
Hymn 344, Evangelical Lutheran Worship, 2006

Contributed by Nancy
Sunday April 20, 2008
Liturgical Year A Week 21
Sunday Gospel reading
Second Sunday of Easter