In the presence of my enemies
by Elouise
It’s January 2006. I got to my office early, and was preparing to drive to the airport and catch a flight to Houston, Texas, to be with my sister Diane who was dying of ALS. She had opted for comfort care at home. No food and no medication. Just fluids and whatever would comfort her. This might be my last visit with her.
As I was about to leave my office, the phone rang. It was D. His premonitions were correct. The president of the university had just requested D’s resignation. So here it was, after several years of difficult personnel and budget issues.
No, D didn’t want me to cancel my flight. Instead, I flew to Houston in a stupor of spousal pain and rage, and gave D a call that evening. I continued as dean at the seminary. D was now free to follow his heart and eventually accepted a position with an international organization he’d helped birth.
Now it’s August 2008. I’m on a platform in the university gym along with other dignitaries. We’re in full regalia, ready for the fall convocation, installation of new faculty, and installation of the new chancellor of the university. The man chosen as the next provost, one of D’s friends and faculty colleagues, would be installed as the new chancellor. My job was to offer the installation prayer.
Inside, I was a mess. When the time came, I stood at the lectern facing the university faculty along with our seminary faculty. A number of university faculty had been unhappy with D’s administration. Some bitterly so.
On the outside I was a professional. On the inside I was in melt-down, shaking in my spirit and fully aware I was facing some university faculty who felt like enemies, along with many others who still grieved D’s resignation.
The newly minted chancellor stood next to me, and I invited everyone to stand with me for the prayer. It was simple and direct. And yes, it was a prayer for me and for D, not just for the new chancellor.
The prayer made use of Psalm 23. I couldn’t find the original script. It went something like this:
Because the Lord is your shepherd and knows everything about you, you will never lack for anything you need.
When you’re weary, may you find rest in green pastures, and follow your shepherd to pools of quiet waters.
When your soul is troubled, may you find restoration, and be guided in paths of right relationships that bring honor to your shepherd.
When you go through times of deepest darkness and despair, may you fear no evil;
Your shepherd will be with you, to find and comfort you no matter what happens.
When your shepherd prepares a banquet for you, and your enemies are looking on or sitting at the table, know that you are an honored guest in the Lord’s house, worthy of the best wine in the world.
Finally, remember that this goodness and mercy will be with you all the days of your life, and you will dwell in the house of the Lord, your good shepherd, forever.
Amen
I don’t understand all the dynamics of this event. Nonetheless, when I sat down I was calm inside, ready for whatever came next.
©Elouise Renich Fraser, 28 June 2018
Telling the Truth 
Read this just this morning on FB.
Prayercast
24 mins ·
It is not the arithmetic of our prayers, how many they are;
nor the rhetoric of our prayers, how eloquent they are;
nor the geometry of our prayers, how long they may be;
nor the music of our prayers, how sweet our voice may be;
nor the logic of our prayers, how argumentative they may be;
nor the method of our prayers, how orderly they may be — which God cares for.
Fervency of spirit is that which availeth much.
– William Law
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What a beautifully true comment. Thank you so much, Lorraine! Even a groan is heard….
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how well i remember those very painful days….Elouise, i so appreciate you re-sharing the way you turned Psalm 23 into a blessing. I am going to keep it close. Loving blessings.
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You’re welcome, and a big thank you as well, Nancy. Those were the days….
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Did the new chancellor; D’s chum offer D his old job back?
If not why not, and what sort of chum would that make him?
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Well…Given academic politics, the short answer is no, he did not offer him his old job back. The longer answer gets into the strange world of American academic life.
Number one and only reality: There seem to be no clear guidelines about chancellors. Hence, at this university, the chancellor position was created just for this particular person. In older universities, the chancellor is often the immediate past president who has now become one of the institution’s key fundraisers and good-will officers traveling here and there to represent the institution. Nonetheless, offering top-level positions within the administration is still the president’s business. In this case, when D’s friend was appointed to the newly minted chancellor’s position, the president appointed another provost. D had no interest at all in going back to his old position. And I’m quite sure the president of the university had no intention of reversing his action.
I’m sure that’s all as clear as mud by now. Which is what it felt like back then, too! 🙂
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Then walking away was the best option.
What a way to run a University, seems everything in the US revolves around money.
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Staff politics in all the schools I taught at was something to accept. But not when the man at the top was a complete fool. I would still be teaching now if it was for one such man.
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It takes a wise person at the top to bring together and keep together the kinds of people needed to teach these days–and equally wise persons to replace them when they retire. Sadly, I’ve rarely seen this kind of transition. Instead, I’ve seen immensely gifted teachers leave in despair due to lack of wise leadership at the top. Thanks for your comment.
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Have you ever written about Psalm 24 “The Lord strong in our battles and The Lord our host” when we lift up the gate and permitt the Lord in? Your reflection reminded me of how well the 23rd and 24 th Psalms open our hearts to God’s love for us — always.
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Hmm…Maybe I’ll take the bait! Thanks for your comment, Dave! Maybe you should preach on that someday….or already have? 🙂
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