{"id":21707,"date":"2021-01-05T16:15:36","date_gmt":"2021-01-06T00:15:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greaternw.org\/news\/?p=21707"},"modified":"2021-01-05T17:10:42","modified_gmt":"2021-01-06T01:10:42","slug":"its-2021-now-what","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greaternw.org\/news\/its-2021-now-what\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s 2021. Now What?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

PHOTO: For more than 60 years, the \u201cStar on the Mountain\u201d in Anchorage, Alaska rises annually on the Chugach range in the east, on the day after Thanksgiving and stays up until the sled dog team crosses the burly arches in Nome, Alaska signaling the end of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race sometime in March. There is no fanfare for its yearly lighting but this star serves as a beacon of hope that moves people forward through the darkest days of the year wherein some places in the state, the sun does not even break the horizon for months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I lay there in that hospital bed completely lost. I kept repeating these two words to no one in particular: Now what?<\/em>
I realize now that these two words were forming a prayer. Now what?<\/em>
In a visceral way, prayer is naming what matters to you.<\/em>
Now what? is what mattered to me.<\/em>
I had all this energy and passion and desire to give myself to something, and now I had nothing.<\/em>
It was a gut-wrenching question, that Now what?<\/em>
A full-bodied, desperate plea.<\/em>
It was angry and impotent and honest.<\/em>
I had no plan B.<\/em>
Now what? was all I could muster up. (Rob Bell \u201cEverything is Spiritual\u201d<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are words from Rob Bell\u2019s latest book, \u201cEverything is Spiritual,\u201d which he says is \u201cpart memoir, part confession, part extended riff on the endlessly evolving nature of reality.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the early part (the book has no chapters), Bell talks about the time when he contracted viral meningitis. The illness effectively put an end to the life he so passionately threw himself to \u2013 as leader-songwriter of his college band, Ton Bundle, which he was sure would be his ticket to a successful life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now imagine the conversation of the Magi at breakfast the day after seeing Jesus. \u201cI had this dream.\u201d \u201cI did too!\u201d \u201cMe too!\u201d \u201cAn angel warned me about going back to Herod, saying he is up to no good.\u201d \u201cSame!\u201d \u201cDitto!\u201d Now what?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It probably was not the first time these wise ones asked that question. When the star appeared for the first time back east, it capped years of waiting and affirmed years of research and calculations. Now what?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In multiple moments on the journey when they seemed lost or couldn\u2019t find a water supply or were caught in the middle of a sandstorm or feeling homesick did they ask themselves Now what?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When they encountered an oblivious Jerusalem public, clueless about the birth of a great one in their midst and hinting at the Magi\u2019s worst fear that their journey may have been for naught. Now what?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When their questioning led to a private meeting with Herod, erstwhile King of the Jews, who was suspiciously overly enthusiastic about wanting to be the first to know once they had found who and where the baby was. Now what?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the star reappeared after their audience with Herod and after not seeing it since its rising. What\u2019s more, it seemed to be moving, coaxing them to follow. Now what?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think about it. This journey was not the only time Now what?<\/em> was asked in the Christmas story. Mary, you are going to be with child. It will be the son of God. Now what?<\/em> Joseph, your betrothed is pregnant. Marry her anyway for the child is the son of God. Now what?<\/em> You need to travel to Bethlehem for the census \u2013 yes even if it is a long, treacherous trek \u2013  and Mary is almost due. Now what?<\/em> Sorry, I can see that your wife is in labor but there is no spare room anywhere. We do have a stable, though. Now what? <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout scripture, we find story after story of moments where people encounter extraordinary circumstances. In anger, fear, desperation and hopelessness, they cry out: Now what?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This led me to reflect on 2020 and the multiple times we found ourselves in angry, impatient, hopeless and helpless Now what?<\/em> situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n