An Uphill Battle
Sunday, October 14, 2012 at 9:52PM You are probably familiar with the Greek myth which tells the tale of the neverending misery of Sisyphus. Although he lives a debauched life full of cunning tricks, affairs, and even murder, the thing that gets him in the most trouble is the way he manipulates the gods. He plays the role of informer, telling on none other than Zeus. He confounds Hades, messing up the natural order of things by making death impossible for mortals. That situation is remedied, but it is many years before Sisyphus receives his penalty from the angry gods. He must push a massive boulder up a mountain, bearing its weight, straining against its immensity, driving the great rock up and up, until it slips from his grasp (wily in its escape just as he himself had been so many times) and barrels and crashes back down the mountainside, unforgiving and mocking in its cruel trip tracing the path that Sisyphus has just carved out as he had labored up the steep incline. Sisyphus has one task. He must follow the stone, set himself behind it once more, and begin the trek up again. And again. And again. And again forever.
This task of futility can seem all too familiar, can it not?
My rock must certainly be the laundry pile. While I cannot wholly relate to Sisyphus, for I am not nearly as clever or cunning as he was, I can relate to the idea of thinking that I finally have something just about under control, when I don't actually have it under control at all, and never will.
Now, certainly I am being a bit dramatic here. And there's good reason for that. Have you seen my laundry pile?! Truth be told, it's more than just the laundry. It's all of life put together.
The writer of Ecclesiastes speaks of it as well. He cries out that all is meaningless and then says,
What do people gain from all their labors
at which they toil under the sun?
All things are wearisome,
more than one can say.
(Ch. 1, Vs. 3, 8)
Where is the hope in such utter futility?
Ahhh. The hope lies in the future. For the writer of Ecclesiastes (we assume this was Solomon, the son of David), the future held the promise of a Messiah. For us, the future holds the promise of that very Messiah's return and reign forever.
I think it's as simple as that. Paul says in Colossians,"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." All of those wearisome tasks, the seemingly endless and meaningless jobs that we have...all of it is for his glory. This is a reminder for myself, that I have many tasks, but I have one blessed duty. I love God the Father, and I want to seek out this business of doing everything in Jesus' name, always giving thanks.
So, thanking God for all this laundry, all this mess? Well...yes. In the mess is the living. The living towards a future that is full of hope and promise. It might sometimes seem vague and impractical, but is there anything more practical, actually? Continually cleaning, sudsing, rinsing, washing away all the dirt and muck...always remembering that these things will pass, and soon there will be a day when all is clean. New. Renewed.
And now I'm off to switch the laundry. Hallelujah!
Reader Comments (3)
hallelulujah!!!!!!! you really should see my laundry. i think you would feel much better. too embarrassed to photo it, however
Missy, I've posted my laundry piles before...this one puts all the others to shame. Waahh!
I can soooo relate. Except my laundry is the only thing sort of under control. EVERYTHING else... :(