James Weldon Johnson once wrote seven sermons in verse from an African-American perspective. He called them God's Trombones. The second of these sermons is called "The Creation" and is drawn from the book of Genesis.

And God stepped out on space,
And he looked around and said:
I'm lonely --
I'll make me a world.
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God stepped out into space, into the void and the nothingness, and God created. The creating gave order to what was chaos. The poetic truth of God's Trombones is a truth for our lives as well. On the journey of life, each of us steps out into chaos - at least from time to time. Our challenge is to be in that chaos creatively and to shape our lives.

Do you ever experience chaos in your life? I know that churches experience chaos. It can take the form of a beloved pastor leaving or a new one coming. An influx of new members, the loss of significant members, or a sudden financial crisis can bring about a sense of chaos. Even a theological challenge from the pastor or from some members can precipitate feelings of disorientation - a type of chaos.

As an individual, I find myself stepping into chaos quite often. This can take the form of a professional crisis such as missing out on a coveted promotion or receiving undue criticism in my work. Relational problems or physical illness also tend to propel me into feeling disoriented. Certainly, the loss of a loved one or of a cherished dream can throw us into chaos.

Nations can experience similar times of disorientation. These are times of increased anxiety often due to economic or political upheaval. Many people tell us that our nation is in such a time now.

The biblical model shows us that God's response to chaos is creativity. To be creative in the midst of chaos will certainly mean different things to different people, different churches, and different nations. To be creative in response to chaos, however, always means to generate new life, new hope, and new possibility.

How can we be creative in chaos? First of all, we have to remember that we are not God and we'll really need to give up attempts to play God. Having said that, we can trust that the creative work of life is what we, as human beings, are called and equipped to do. Being creative is what we do as human beings, except when we forget. It's easy to forget. Second, we need to try to keep our anxiety down so our creativity can be up. Anxiety is the enemy of creativity. Third is the need to practice Sabbath in our lives. Remember that, not only did God rest - practice Sabbath after 6 days of creating -- but Sabbath was actually the climax (maybe even the purpose) of creation.

Practicing Sabbath is to live as fully as possible in the presence of God. I am reminded of the words of the eminent Jewish philosopher Martin Buber: "Meet the world with the fullness of your being and you shall meet [God]." (from The Writing of Martin Buber)

Thanks for blessing me on the journey.

--Jack Price

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