River songs and the day ahead

"Alongside Babylon's rivers we sat on the banks, we cried and cried, remembering the good old days in Zion."

Today we come to bury Adrian Burst, the mother of my son-in-law. Just like that we remember Adrian's life in bits and pieces, in fits and starts, in bursts of color and pageantry and moments of dark grays and deep somber yellows.

It is time.

The Zionists ask this simple question: "Oh, how could ever sing God's song in this wasteland?" In other words, we've played into the depressive nature of this captivity. We're lost with out hope, a people without the good news of  freedom after 70 years.

The writer then makes a pledge..."If I ever forget you, Jerusalem, let my fingers wither and fall off like leaves. Let my tongue swell and turn black if I fail to remember you."

When this was written, the Israelites were in literally hung out to dry in Babylon. They were miserable for any number of reasons, including the fact that the temple in Jerusalem had been destroyed. No temple, no worship, they thought. Songs of old slumbered for lack of a place of worship, or so they taught. How can we (fill in the blanks). The psalmists were without a muse. No inspiration. No drive. They stole hope as well as people.

Seems to me, however, that over time they understood this necessary lesson: Worship happens every where. There are few dictates, fewer rules, fewest old remedies. God enters the holy ground and worship happens. That's what began to happen. Synagogues anyone?

God happens, and worship follows.  It's a simple rule, a simple accomplishment. It would happen in Babylon. It would happen on the long trip back. A cloud by day. A fire by night. All the way back it would happen. God led; people followed.

What's our accomplishment? What's our moment? What are our songs by the river?

Today we bury Adrian. Today we let go and let God be God once again.

God.
Holy Ground.
Worship.

God happens. By day and by night.

Praise Him today as we come to bury Adrian. Be the open book of Psalms 139. Understand we can never be away from Him.  Know Him. Remember the 71 years of her life as we prepare to worship Him and recall her.

God.
Holy Ground.
Worship.

Whew. I feel good about the day ahead.