February 15, 2010 - Tobit 3:1-3

Move over, Job,and make room for Tobit. A little background: Tobit is one of the books of the Apocrypha. The Apocryphal books were used by the early church and were included in the canon of the Bible by the Council of Trent in 1546.

Set in Nineveh, the book is named after a Jew who has been exiled, and has become blind. He sends his son Tobias to Media to bring back money he has deposited there. Tobit, naturally, is in distress over his condition. Hear part of Tobit's prayer:

'Then with much grief and anguish of heart I wept, and with groaning began to pray: 'You are righteous, O Lord, and all your deeds are just; all Your ways are mercy and truth; You judge the world. And now, O Lord, remember me and look favorably upon me. Do not punish me for my sins and for my unwitting offenses and those that my ancestors committed before you.'"

I was sitting in Meeting yesterday (I've gone back to the Quakers) and was pondering certain events in my life. I had been thinking about a personal issue and trying to decide just how much of it to share with people.

For those of you who are not familiar with Quaker meeting for worship, it goes like this. Quaker meeting for worship is silent; there is no minister or sermon. Each person is free to commune with God on his or her own. If anyone feels moved to speak, they stand up and share what is on their heart and then sit down. Quaker meeting is one of the few places in which "out of the silence of the heart, God speaks." Quakers are called "The Society of Friends," and are often referred to by themselves and others simply as "Friends."

So, getting back to it...a Friend behind me stood up toward the end of the Meeting and shared a story from his childhood, which included his violence against another child, thereby violating the Peace Testimony of Friends. When he spoke to his mother later, he cried, "But, Mom, what I said was TRUE!" And his wise mother replied, "Just because something is true doesn't mean it needs to be said." As is often the case, when God speaks in Meeting, it was exactly what I needed to hear.

I guess today's post is more journal than commentary, but as I look over Tobit's prayer, I read that God is mercy and truth. God's truth speaks to us in many ways, sometimes in the silence. His mercy is everlasting, and I think sometimes I need to be reminded that His mercy extends to others as well as myself. And if my truth is not merciful to others, then I need to keep it to myself.

Blessings...