WIDOW’S MIGHT

Revelations gives us a vision of “Companions of Jesus,” unblemished persons with the Lamb of God. Which of us can say s/he is unblemished? Whose heart is clean?

In the l980s “styles of faith” were a popular theological study. In the scriptures today we hear of strong faith, “God will provide.” This person, Luke’s widow, gives “every penny she had to live on.” This woman’s closeness to God made it second nature for her to depend on God.

Thirty years ago, I was apart of a retreat team with the Movement for a Better World giving a series of retreats to a religious women’s community. I will always remember one older sister who told me she was opening a house of prayer. I asked her:
    “what are you charging per diem, sister?
    Nothing.
    How can you do that, sister? You will need to pay for food and utilities, etc.
    God provides, dear”

I have pondered that experience for years. I struggle with this depth of belief. Every once in a while I have an occasion to believe “God provides”.

Nine years ago I went to a hospital to have an ultrasound on my gall bladder because of my grouchy stomach. The radiologist found a golf-ball sized tumor in my kidney. I had a cancerous kidney removed and my body healed nicely. God provides!

March ’03 I drove into my driveway to be greeted by a policewoman and 2 women who lived in our 4-plex. All 4 apartments had our back doors smashed in and were robbed. Within 3 weeks I had found a new home in a lovely old part of town and 2l of my friends moved me in and helped me unpack. God provides!

I think there are many folks like me who struggle to believe “God provides.” We strugglers live another style of faith-ing. We want so much to believe and we look heartily for God each day in our lives and in our world. Every so often we see the shining light of God providing.

Whether we believe easily or struggle to find God providing, we are blessed to be Companions of the Lamb. The widow’s mite could be a grand metaphor of the “widow’s might.”