It is now..

As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen."
The prayers of my childhood always closed with this phrase. Well not that one exactly. I think the 1928 prayer book said 'and ever shall be, world without end. Amen' Which poetically has a better rhythm. Honestly, that is what the bulk of my focus has always been on -- ever shall be.It helps me get through the day, through the moment, through the idea, through the pain, through the loss, through the fear of the unknown, through the frustration of the known... someday it will be redeemed. Some day it shall be, world without end amen, as it was originally planned.
But this week I'm struck by 'is now'. It is now. The kingdom of heaven is among us. Contrast this with the great mystery of faith: He was, He is and He is to come. This great mystery I have enjoyed in the person of Christ in my present. I know and knew He was present and reliable.
This is the new thought that comes from this time of fasting and meditation and sacrifice and loss -- the way it is supposed to be, the way it was supposed to be, the way it will be according to the perfect will of the Father, is actually happening now. I'm big into systems and those systems being used well and appropriately. I love when we apply ourselves to a system and then it produces good fruit. I love when things work as they should. And for some reason, I've not considered that the system of God is now. I considered the person of God present in the broken system. And though I said this prayer every Sunday and wednesday of my elementary years, I did not consider that As it was it is now.
And for me today that means that the systems that I face that seem broken, that seem insurmountable, that seem inequitable that underneath them, all around them, below them, above them
IS the system of God.
The Word of God is living and active and that is because He IS a verb. And all that He has put in place is active. It is not dormant and waiting for us to get it right. He IS. It IS.
Life does not actually work by accomplishing the paperwork and getting it in on time and by compling perfectly with the rules. Though those are good things to do, the system in place is the only one working. And that system we only access by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.
I AM that I AM
He WAS, He IS, and He IS to COME.
As it WAS in the beginning, IS now, and ever SHALL be, world without end, amen.

Daily Grind meet Daily Office

Thanks to Mako Fujimara I'm using the online daily office and not surprisingly, it really helps.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord:

Night is drawing nigh. How long the road is. But, for all the time the journey has already taken, how you have needed every second of it.

Dag Hammerskjold.