by khurst2@gmail.com | Apr 3, 2024 | Chaplain, News
“Why seek the living among the dead?”
Luke 24:5
About 1,991 years ago, a group of courageous women arrived at a tomb with a solemn purpose: to anoint the body of their crucified leader. But they were in for a huge surprise. When they arrived at the tomb, they saw that their leader’s tomb was open, and his body was missing. As the women are shocked, confused, and afraid, they notice men in dazzling clothing. These men ask the women a strange question: “Why do you look for the living amongst the dead?” What a peculiar question.
I have a recurring dream of being in my grandparents’ house. In this dream, I am alone. I don’t know how I got there, where my family is, or when they are returning. Also, I am afraid. Around this time last year, I visited my grandparents’ house. I had not set foot inside since my grandfather’s funeral 25 years prior. I walked through the house. The rooms that once held love and life now seemed smaller, memories etched in their walls. I wandered around the house, hoping to understand my recurring dream.
How often do we return to our own places of fear and pain? Like a recurring dream, we revisit the scenes of loss, betrayal, or heartache. Yet, we find that revisiting ground zero doesn’t always fulfill our longing. The past remains, but we are called to embrace the present.
Just as the women arrived at an empty tomb and felt fear, I found myself repeatedly drawn to an empty house, my heart echoing their trepidation. The parallel is uncanny. Like the empty tomb, the empty house symbolizes more than physical space. It holds memories, echoes of pain, and unanswered questions. We return to these places of pain, seeking hope, redemption, and closure. Yet, we often find ourselves staring at remnants—the linen, the walls—wondering where the answers lie.
Why do we return to these empty places?
“Why seek the living among the dead?”
The answer is not within the tomb or, in my case, the empty house. It is outside, among the living.
It’s time to walk out of those tombs. The sun is rising, casting light on a new horizon. Fear, sadness, anxiety, anger, jealousy—they no longer define us.
In the words of Nina Simone,
“It’s a new dawn.
It’s a new day.
It’s a new life for me.
And I’m feeling good.”
by khurst2@gmail.com | Feb 7, 2024 | Chaplain, News
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…”
Hosea 4:6
“Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”
2 Timothy 4:2
My upbringing in the metropolitan region of Atlanta was characterized by an omnipresent aura of “Black Excellence.” This was mainly because my family lineage is steeped in the tradition of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), with my parents and siblings being proud alumni of the Atlanta University Center. The political landscape I was accustomed to was predominantly African American, with both male and female mayors and congressional members. Consequently, the Obamas were not an exception but rather a reaffirmation of the Black excellence that was a constant in my life.
Throughout my educational journey, from kindergarten to college, I was under the leadership of African American principals and presidents, both male and female. Many of my educators were products of the Atlanta University Center, which greatly influenced my decision to attend Spelman College. The representation of Spelman alumnae was compelling; these women exuded a level of acuity that I aspired to emulate. As a student, the essence of Black History was not confined to a single month but was an integral part of our curriculum throughout the year. This comprehensive exposure to my history fostered a robust sense of identity within me.
However, it was not until I ventured beyond the confines of Atlanta to pursue graduate studies at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, that I realized the uniqueness of my cultural upbringing. It was in this new environment that I encountered institutional racism, microaggressions, and distortions of our history for the first time. Faced with these challenges, I found myself compelled to contest the inaccuracies propagated by my professors despite the potential academic repercussions. The prospect of my history being misrepresented was unacceptable, and I was prepared to bear the consequences of defending the truth.
I believe this is our collective responsibility. We must ensure that our narratives are accurately represented, and that the truth of our identities is not compromised. We must resist attempts to erase or trivialize our history. We are not merely entertainers and athletes; we are inventors, scholars, scientists, theologians, world leaders, and so much more. Our contributions are vast and significant, and they deserve to be recognized and celebrated.
Persist in the narration of our history beyond the confines of February. Articulate the truth with unwavering conviction. Black history is integral to global history, and its significance should not be diminished. Continue to disseminate our narrative until it is recognized as the norm rather than the exception. Our history is not an anomaly; it is a standard that contributes to the rich tapestry of world history. Let us strive to ensure that it is acknowledged as such.
by khurst2@gmail.com | Dec 10, 2023 | Chaplain, News
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
On my last night as a hospital chaplain in seminary, I received a call around 3:00 am. It had already been a hectic night. It seemed like the pager would not stop going off. The nurse told me that they had a baby in the pediatric intensive care unit on life support because of brain swelling from a car accident. His mother had been driving and had been hit by a drunk driver. Her mother was killed instantly, and now her son was on life-support.
I got myself together and walked over to the pediatric ICU to talk with the nurses and see the little man. I had never seen a baby’s head swollen and banged up like that in my life. While I was standing next to his bed, I noticed his name was Immanuel. The nurses informed me that Immanuel was going to die. I prayed with little Immanuel and then visited with his mother.
When I walked into the waiting room, I immediately observed that she had a lot of support with her. There were friends and family members all sitting with her and comforting her. At hospitals, people tend to get scared when a chaplain enters the room because they either know or assume the chaplain brings or precedes terrible news. Unfortunately, this was one of those times. I informed everyone who I was and let her know I was there to support her in any way I could.
I sat and listened as the mother explained what happened that night and how she was upset because she watched her mother die because of someone else’s fault. She then began talking about her fears for her son’s life and how she did not know what she would do if she lost him and her mother. And then she said something I will never forget. She said, “I named my son Immanuel, which means ‘God with us,’ so I know God is with me right now.” It was painful to hear her say that, knowing what I knew yet, I could not tell her. Her son was going to die. I remained with her for the rest of the morning until she fell asleep. I left my contact information with her friends in case she needed me later.
As I returned to my room, her words echoed, “I named my son Immanuel, which means ‘God with us,’ so I know God is with me right now.” I began to wonder what “God with us means.” Had God failed her in the death of her mother and son caused by the actions of an irresponsible individual? Where is God in all of this?
God was there long before I arrived. God was there when the accident took place. God was there in the nurses and doctors, tending to her and her son. God was there in the friends and family, comforting her. God was there even in me coming there to comfort her in her time of need. And God is still there with her even now. God is always there. We may not always understand how God works, but we can rest assured God is with us, Immanuel.
by khurst2@gmail.com | Nov 2, 2023 | Chaplain, News
“…in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”
Isaiah 30:15
Sometimes, the hardest thing to do is to be quiet when you feel you have been wronged. It is human nature to defend our honor, especially when our reputation and credibility have been attacked. We don’t want these false accusations going out into the atmosphere. Lies are like millions of feathers in the wind. We cannot control their direction or recollect them.
In truth, our desire to defend ourselves is wrapped up in ego. We’re worried about how others perceive us. We don’t want people to think we’re weak or they can walk all over us. So, we immediately go to war when someone defames us because this cannot stand! This is a sign of weakness, and it gets exhausting after a while. We can’t fight everybody. And the truth is, the higher you go in leadership, the more it will happen. You become an easier target. No leader in history has walked this earth with an impeccable reputation. People are going to think what they want.
New level, new devil. Accept it. It’s not going to change.
So, what can we do?
Remain silent.
The ability to remain silent in the face of persecution shows immense strength. I did not understand the power of silence until my final year of grad school, when I had worn myself out from trying to fight and defend everything and everybody. I realized I was fighting a war I could not win. If people don’t like you, then they are not going to believe you. Conversely, those who like you are going to support you regardless. So why bother trying to defend yourself? People are going to believe whatever they want to believe.
There is such power and freedom when we release our ego. When we stop caring one way or another about the opinions of others and walk in our truth, we have freed ourselves from a self-imposed prison. Most of the situations we stress about end up working out for our good when we are in a calm and rational state of mind. When we are reactive, then we tend to make matters worse. When we are proactive, the solution comes more quickly, and we save ourselves much energy.
Free yourself.
Remain silent in the face of difficulty and trust that the truth will come out and you will be vindicated.
by khurst2@gmail.com | Oct 2, 2023 | Chaplain, News
“What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:
“‘The parents eat sour grapes,
and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?
3 “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel.
Ezekiel 18:2-3
When the prophet Ezekiel uttered these words, he and his people were in Babylonian exile. The people believed they were suffering for the sins of the former generation. But what is interesting is that they were comfortable blaming their present predicament on their predecessors rather than taking responsibility for their current condition.
According to Ezekiel 18, God is just and punishes us according to our actions and does not hold us accountable for the actions of others. Therefore, the exiles cannot blame their circumstances on their predecessors. They must take responsibility for their actions. That is a bitter pill to swallow after wallowing in self-pity for years.
The phrase generational curse comes to mind. How often do we blame our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents for how our lives turned out? Ezekiel 18 teaches us that we are judged according to our works, not the failures of those who came before us. We can break the negative cycles of the past by renewing our hearts and minds.
As a counselor, I have noticed two types of people: those who want to change their circumstances and those who wish to complain and not do the hard work to change. It is easy to blame others rather than hold ourselves accountable. But this text teaches us we have a choice: continue to play the blame-game or pick up our mats and walk away from excuses.
The choice is yours. Will you continue eating sour grapes and blaming others, or renew your heart and mind and walk into a better future? I suggest you walk it out.
by khurst2@gmail.com | Aug 11, 2023 | Chaplain, News
“See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.”
Exodus 23:20
These past two weeks have been traveling hell for me. I will spare you the details and summarize it this way: delays, cancellations, and missed connections. It appears the traveling mercies I prayed for had been denied. It felt like with each new setback, it was apparent that God was not with me. I missed one connection because the plane decided to leave early. I saw them closing the door as I approached the gate. Just a mere 50 ft away and running, I missed the flight because my first flight left late, and my connection left early. The gate agent said there was nothing he could do about it.
This was all too much to be a coincidence. I wondered what great sin I had committed for this to happen. What karma was I reaping? It got to the point where I had become so disenchanted that I just stopped praying altogether. What was the point? If this was a test of my patience, I am sure I failed. I handled these setbacks far better than in my B.C. days (Before Chaplaincy). But I still abandoned hope. What lesson was I supposed to learn from this?
The obvious lesson is Semper Gumby, always flexible. Things will not always go according to plan. The second lesson is expectation management. That goes right along with Semper Gumby. Sometimes we need to readjust our thinking and adapt to the circumstances. But the real lesson I think I was supposed to learn is that I was never alone throughout each travel inconvenience. God’s traveling mercies were right there with me from the beginning. I was never promised an easy journey, but I was promised safe delivery to my destination, which was accomplished. I arrived safely and unharmed at every place.
We are not promised an easy journey. But we are promised protection along the way to the place that has been prepared.
