On behalf of the 63d Readiness Division
Good morning my dear brothers and sisters,
Have you ever found yourself in the desert wandering around in the wilderness?
Perhaps you are there now, or perhaps you just came out of such a dry period, and are coming through it now. What does the desert represent to you?
Personally I can say that I have been in the desert wilderness wandering and it can be soul crushing. There is nothing more sobering than realizing that what I am doing, isn’t working in the current situation.
Or I am so tired, that it feels futile, and a bit pointless. But quitting isn’t an option, so I keep moving. In those instances, my body is moving, but the rest of me, well…let’s just say, I have been conditioned to drive on, in spite of how I am feeling.
For me, the desert usually means I am somewhere out there on my own. It can feel pretty isolating.
For the Israelites, they were stuck for 400 years in Egypt as slaves to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians before God provided a series of miracles, that set the captives free, but even then they still felt stuck.
God sent scouts ahead of them into the Promised Land to see the land they were promised, but they saw the obstacles, the giants in the land, and would not move forward.
Too overwhelmed, they had a crisis of faith, and a failure of nerve. So God let them stay stuck where they would wander in the desert another 40 years.
So what do we when we find ourselves stuck in the wilderness?
For starters, recognize where we are. We may be stuck, but we don’t have to make a go at it alone. In fact, we are not alone, Immanuel, God with us. God’s spirit resides in us, and we are promised that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. It may take awhile, but we will overcome.
And all around us, there is support for us in our brothers and sisters in arms, we may need to reach out and ask for support when we need it most.
And our office, the chaplain’s office is here to support you as well. Regardless of where you are in your journey spiritually (that can be defined or undefined) the chaplain’s office affords each of our service members 100% confidentiality.
We are here to support all our staff as a safe space and a safe place to come in those dark times. So none of us have to make the journey alone.
This prayer from St. Patrick reminds us of God’s continuous and powerful presence with us…
As I arise today, may the strength of God pilot me, the power of God uphold me, the wisdom of God guide me.
May the eye of God look before me, the ear of God hear me, the word of God speak for me.
May the hand of God protect me, the way of God lie before me, the shield of God defend me, the host of God save me.
May Christ shield me today…
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit, Christ when I stand, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.
-St. Patrick
Amen.
CH (MAJ) Morsan McSweeney
Here is the direct email and phone number for anyone requesting support from the 63d RD Chaplain office,
usarmy.usarc.63-rsc.list.chaplain-all-users@mail.mil
650-526-9668