Malachi 3:1 – 4
See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?
For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
***********************
The purification that Malachi is prophesying has to do with the religious leaders. The tribe of Levi and all his descendants were set apart to carry the Ark of the Covenant; to stand before the Lord to minister; and to be priests to the people. Because they were the priests they didn’t get an inheritance like the other tribes. Their inheritance was God. They ate and drank the offerings that the people gave to God in sacrifice. At first they were vigilant but as time wore on many of them became corrupt. They demanded more of the people than God did. Because they weren’t allowed to have anything of their own they took the best of what everyone else had. The offerings that they presented to God, because of this, were not righteous. Malachi prophesies that God is sending a messenger to purify the priesthood so that the people will be free… so that the people can live in peace.
For some of us as Christians we understand this messenger as being Jesus, the one we call The Prince Of Peace. For others of us we see this messenger as being John the Baptist. In the Gospel of Luke we read,
***********************
Luke 3:1 – 6
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. John went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
"The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
'Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth;
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"
***********************
John the Baptist is a messenger. He is tough on the political and religious leaders of his day. John the Baptist points to Jesus. There are times in the gospels where Jesus points back to John. In some ways, there couldn’t have been one without the other.
Both brought distress to the leaders of their day. Both were called to bring wholeness to the people of God. Both died because of their unrelenting fervor and the audacity of their message. And both were bringers of types of peace. John, six months older than Jesus, was wild, insightful, and combative. Jesus was calm, thoughtful, and keen minded. John prepared the way for Jesus. He knew he was laying the foundation for the Messiah.
John brings peace by beginning the upset in the social and religious structures, a trend that Jesus continues in his ministry. This kind of peace-bringing isn’t calm and quiet. It is for a greater peace, something that everyone can share. Sometimes we think of peace as not upsetting the status quo or staying quiet so that nothing gets worse. God’s way of bringing peace was to expose the unrest, the conflict, and the powers so that there was a chance for true resolution. Too long the hypocrisy and corruption was covered over. Jesus was born to usher in a new covenant and to bring a new peace. In order for this to happen he needed John to lay the foundation.
This kind of calling is hard though. Peace isn’t passivity. It is getting in the way of corruption. Peace isn’t quiet. It is speaking out on behalf of those who have no voice. In Matthew and in Luke Jesus explains that they all think he has come to bring peace but no, he has come to bring unrest. Jesus is challenging their understanding of peace.
Along with this outward peace-bringing, the kind that stands in the way of violence and often is violently opposed, there is another kind of peace. Internal peace. Here again we think in terms of stillness and calm. But this peace also can require a getting in the way of violence. Here though it is internal violence. Internal peace, or what Paul writes the Philippians in chapter 4:7 “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” I like to call this the peace that doesn’t make any sense. It is this peace which will guard your hearts and minds.
A peace that guards your heart and mind. Whatever else kind of peace you are called to, the peace that guards your heart and mind seems like a real good idea to me. John the Baptist must have had this peace when he confronted Herod and ended up getting his head lopped off. After John’s execution, Jesus had to have relied on the peace that guarded his heart and mind. I think he knew his own fate as well. How else could he continue if not for peace guarding him? How else can you have strength to be a peace-bringer in the world?
Jesus’ ministry to “purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness” was for the sake of the people to be able to live in peace.
As we consider the babe in the manger, let us look deeply into his eyes. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, through peaceful means got in the way on behalf of others. He was born for it. It was his destiny. This is the Messiah, the Saviour, that we follow and that we celebrate.
The Levitical priesthood has been replaced by the priesthood of all believers. The writer of 1st Peter puts it this way, 2:
4“Come to Jesus, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God's sight, and 5 like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
Let us be purified for the work of following in the footsteps of Jesus, bringing peace through peaceful means, even when things get messy and scary. Even at those times, there is an inward peace that must be our foundation. The peace that surpasses our understanding – having peace at a time that doesn’t make any sense for us to have peace – will guard our hearts and minds.
Here are a few questions you can answer on your card for our tree. Or you can write what you want to about peace.
Peace
How is Jesus peace to you?
How does this community help you offer the peace of Christ to others?
How do you extend peace to others?
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Monday, December 03, 2012
Hope As A Foundation
Jeremiah 33:14 – 16
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”
*************
Jeremiah said a lot of harsh things before we come to the 33rd chapter. There was a lot to be concerned about, but in general folks didn’t agree with him. He called the people to repentance. He prophesied punishment. They ignored him. Eventually they were conquered and taken into exile.
In the book, “An Introduction To The Bible” by Christian Hauer and William Young we read, “When the doom of which Jeremiah had spoken arrived, a new side of the prophet emerged. … He turned from the time of judgment to envision hope for Israel. It was not the naïve hope he had condemned other prophets for voicing. It was a long-range hope grounded in a deep faith in the love and fidelity of the Lord.”
Long-range hope. This is what the people needed. Not a superficial hope or a naïve hope. This is also what we need. And so we turn to Jeremiah. We look forward while we look back and see that what Jeremiah prophesied relates not only to his time. These words, originally meant for their current situation, can also be seen as prophecy for the time of the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ. Additionally, the kind of hope that Jeremiah is offering can be a foundation for us to stand on while we live in the promises of God in the spirit, but still see the suffering of hunger, homelessness, bullies, and greed rampant in our society.
Placing our hope in Jesus, the incarnation of God, is a big deal. Sometimes we can see no hope in our circumstances or imagine hope for our lives. At these times can we summon up hope from the core of God’s own self based on God’s unrelenting love that led to the incarnation? This is the foundation of hope that I want us to stand on. God could have stayed as Spirit and yet desired us so greatly as to make this sacrifice to become embodied, subject to both the joys and pains of our life. And the pains were not averted for the sake of comfort, but Jesus willingly took all the pain that his life offered. He could have said no or made some convenient ways out, but he didn’t. I am willing to live my life based on this long-range hope.
Sometimes we want a more tangible hope. It feels more concrete when we can see or touch the process that leads to hope. Paul addresses this when he writes to the Galatians.
Galatians 5:2 – 6
Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. Once again I testify to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obliged to obey the entire law. You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love.
I think we can agree that circumcision is a visceral experience. I won’t tarry long on this uncomfortable subject, but let’s think for a moment about this. Paul is talking to the Galatians. Gentiles. These folks want to be real Christians and some people are telling them that in order for them to be real Christians they have to undergo the Jewish ritual of circumcision which marks a man as being a follower of Yahweh. While circumcision is what many baby boys continue to experience today, for the Jews it was a religious ritual. Because the Gentiles weren’t Jews, they weren’t circumcised.
Paul is telling the Galatians that they do not have to undergo this ritual. Through faith in Jesus the law is fulfilled. They are to cling to grace. They already are real Christians and need not prove anything by a physical act.
The ambiguity and mystery in all of this can make it challenging. How do we stand on a foundation that isn’t physical; that we can’t see or touch? For me, it is the physicality … the embodiment … of Jesus on which I stand. Jesus as a person, as the incarnation of our Divine Beloved offers me both the mystery and the visceral satisfaction that I need.
I believe that we have to be intentional about standing on this foundation. We have not seen Jesus in the flesh … or at least I haven’t. I am counting on the ancient witnesses to help me see him. I cannot walk up to Jesus but I can experience him through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. That is a faith experience, even when my body feels it, possibly in the form of goose bumps or a sense of something ethereal. It isn’t something that I can point to and say, “Look here. See?” But that doesn’t make it less real.
For the sake of intentional waiting during this advent season I’m going to ask you to consider a few questions each week. We are going to decorate this tree with our ideas about Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. It will be our Advent Tree. I invite you to write words or draw pictures or shapes.
This week, on the subject of hope, please think about these questions. If something comes to you today, please write it down on the card provided so that we can fill up our tree. If something comes to you later you can fill it out and bring it in during the week or next Sunday. For those of you listening on the radio, you are welcome to send us your own card or a note and we will fill out a card for you and add it to the tree.
Hope
What is the hope that keeps you centered when you have lots of questions?
What are the promises of God that give you hope?
When have you experienced your hope become your truth?
How do you extend hope to others?
********************
Now, may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”
*************
Jeremiah said a lot of harsh things before we come to the 33rd chapter. There was a lot to be concerned about, but in general folks didn’t agree with him. He called the people to repentance. He prophesied punishment. They ignored him. Eventually they were conquered and taken into exile.
In the book, “An Introduction To The Bible” by Christian Hauer and William Young we read, “When the doom of which Jeremiah had spoken arrived, a new side of the prophet emerged. … He turned from the time of judgment to envision hope for Israel. It was not the naïve hope he had condemned other prophets for voicing. It was a long-range hope grounded in a deep faith in the love and fidelity of the Lord.”
Long-range hope. This is what the people needed. Not a superficial hope or a naïve hope. This is also what we need. And so we turn to Jeremiah. We look forward while we look back and see that what Jeremiah prophesied relates not only to his time. These words, originally meant for their current situation, can also be seen as prophecy for the time of the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ. Additionally, the kind of hope that Jeremiah is offering can be a foundation for us to stand on while we live in the promises of God in the spirit, but still see the suffering of hunger, homelessness, bullies, and greed rampant in our society.
Placing our hope in Jesus, the incarnation of God, is a big deal. Sometimes we can see no hope in our circumstances or imagine hope for our lives. At these times can we summon up hope from the core of God’s own self based on God’s unrelenting love that led to the incarnation? This is the foundation of hope that I want us to stand on. God could have stayed as Spirit and yet desired us so greatly as to make this sacrifice to become embodied, subject to both the joys and pains of our life. And the pains were not averted for the sake of comfort, but Jesus willingly took all the pain that his life offered. He could have said no or made some convenient ways out, but he didn’t. I am willing to live my life based on this long-range hope.
Sometimes we want a more tangible hope. It feels more concrete when we can see or touch the process that leads to hope. Paul addresses this when he writes to the Galatians.
Galatians 5:2 – 6
Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. Once again I testify to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obliged to obey the entire law. You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love.
I think we can agree that circumcision is a visceral experience. I won’t tarry long on this uncomfortable subject, but let’s think for a moment about this. Paul is talking to the Galatians. Gentiles. These folks want to be real Christians and some people are telling them that in order for them to be real Christians they have to undergo the Jewish ritual of circumcision which marks a man as being a follower of Yahweh. While circumcision is what many baby boys continue to experience today, for the Jews it was a religious ritual. Because the Gentiles weren’t Jews, they weren’t circumcised.
Paul is telling the Galatians that they do not have to undergo this ritual. Through faith in Jesus the law is fulfilled. They are to cling to grace. They already are real Christians and need not prove anything by a physical act.
The ambiguity and mystery in all of this can make it challenging. How do we stand on a foundation that isn’t physical; that we can’t see or touch? For me, it is the physicality … the embodiment … of Jesus on which I stand. Jesus as a person, as the incarnation of our Divine Beloved offers me both the mystery and the visceral satisfaction that I need.
I believe that we have to be intentional about standing on this foundation. We have not seen Jesus in the flesh … or at least I haven’t. I am counting on the ancient witnesses to help me see him. I cannot walk up to Jesus but I can experience him through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. That is a faith experience, even when my body feels it, possibly in the form of goose bumps or a sense of something ethereal. It isn’t something that I can point to and say, “Look here. See?” But that doesn’t make it less real.
For the sake of intentional waiting during this advent season I’m going to ask you to consider a few questions each week. We are going to decorate this tree with our ideas about Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. It will be our Advent Tree. I invite you to write words or draw pictures or shapes.
This week, on the subject of hope, please think about these questions. If something comes to you today, please write it down on the card provided so that we can fill up our tree. If something comes to you later you can fill it out and bring it in during the week or next Sunday. For those of you listening on the radio, you are welcome to send us your own card or a note and we will fill out a card for you and add it to the tree.
Hope
What is the hope that keeps you centered when you have lots of questions?
What are the promises of God that give you hope?
When have you experienced your hope become your truth?
How do you extend hope to others?
********************
Now, may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Pouring Out Like Water
1 Samuel 1:4-18
On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; but to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it went on year by year; as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. Her husband Elkanah said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?"
After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented herself before the Lord. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord, and wept bitterly. She made this vow: "O Lord of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head." As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk. So Eli said to her, "How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine." But Hannah answered, "No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time." Then Eli answered, "Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him." And she said, "Let your servant find favor in your sight." Then the woman went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband, and her countenance was sad no longer.
Lamentations 2:18 – 19 Cry aloud to the Lord! O wall of daughter Zion! Let tears stream down like a torrent day and night! Give yourself no rest, your eyes no respite! Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches! Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord!
******************
At the time of this story, Hannah’s whole worth in society hinged on her ability to bear sons. Her husband’s love is touching and heart-warming, but it does not erase how society sees her. Elkanah’s other wife, Peninnah, is said to be Hannah’s rival. In true form she digs at Hannah’s self-esteem and social status every chance she gets. Hannah feels worthless. She isn’t measuring up to who she is told she is supposed to be. And there is nothing she can do about it.
In her desperation she goes to God. She pours herself out like the scripture in Lamentations encourages us to do. She is mistaken by the priest, Eli, to be a drunken women making a spectacle of herself in the temple. She was praying, but no sound was coming out of her moving lips. That alone doesn’t seem like much of a spectacle to me. Why would he mistake her for being drunk? Was she standing while rocking back and forth in her great anxiety and vexation? Was she sitting while passionately gesturing with her hands and arms? What would cause Eli to accuse her of making a drunken spectacle of herself?
In the second chapter of Acts the people accused the disciples of Christ of being drunk when they started speaking in other tongues and getting excited. But they were just letting their guard down and experiencing the presence of God.
Hannah too let her guard down. She sought after the presence of God. She presented herself before the Lord in no uncertain terms. She poured herself out in her distress and made a vow to God. The way she poured herself out like water was as if she were Niagara Falls. I believe this is why Eli thought she was drunk. It was the sheer force of her pouring.
Grief and desperation expressed fully make us a little out of control, like alcohol. They flood our body with their energies. They reshape our thinking. They make us a little off balance. And that can be scary. We don’t want to be off balance. We don’t want to be out of control.
There are many times and many places where being out of control and off balance isn’t good for us. But there are other times when it is exactly the right thing for us to do. Hannah presented herself before God. She got real with God. It might have unnerved the priest a little, but he got over it. She needed to not hold it all in anymore.
Sometimes we need to not hold it all in anymore. Antiseptic mourning and polite desperation may be how we have to maintain ourselves in public, but when we go before God we can real. You can let down your guard in the presence of God. And sometimes, you will even find a person or two who can sit with you if you end up pouring yourself out like Niagara Falls.
There are scenes in movies, iconic scenes, that express for us what we feel like we dare not speak for ourselves. In “It’s A Wonderful Life” George Bailey prays, “God. Oh God. Dear Father in heaven. I’m not a praying man but if you’re up there and you can hear me, show me the way. I’m at the end of my rope. Show me the way, God.” In the movie, “Keeping The Faith,” Father Brian Finn pours out his heart, not in prayer but in storytelling. Neither of these men seem to be able to access their expression of despair and grief unaided. They both turn to drink. Maybe that’s another reason why Eli thought Hannah was drunk. He was used to seeing people need an aid in order to open their hearts.
We watch these scenes and it is a way for us to tap into our own stuff at a safe distance. We may cry. We may examine some of our own inner workings. But pouring our own hearts out like water comes harder. And it should. It isn’t always the right time. It would be exhausting if we lived that way day in and day out. But sometimes it is the right time. Sometimes there is a right place.
I also want to acknowledge that each one of us is different. The way we pour ourselves out won’t be the same. While for some it may be like Niagara Falls, for others it may be more like the steady stream of a faucet. There isn’t one right way to pour out our hearts.
In those times when you feel worthless and you are tired of it, pour yourself out to God. When you are in great anxiety and vexation, pour yourself out to God. And when you are wrapped in joy and hope …. yes, even then …. pour yourself out to God.
After God answered Hannah she replied by pouring her heart out once again. This is the beginning part of her prayer in chapter 2,
“My heart exults in the LORD; my strength is exalted in my God. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in my victory. There is no Holy One like the LORD, no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.”
To which I say, Amen and Hallelujah.
On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; but to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it went on year by year; as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. Her husband Elkanah said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?"
After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented herself before the Lord. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord, and wept bitterly. She made this vow: "O Lord of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head." As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk. So Eli said to her, "How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine." But Hannah answered, "No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time." Then Eli answered, "Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him." And she said, "Let your servant find favor in your sight." Then the woman went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband, and her countenance was sad no longer.
Lamentations 2:18 – 19 Cry aloud to the Lord! O wall of daughter Zion! Let tears stream down like a torrent day and night! Give yourself no rest, your eyes no respite! Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches! Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord!
******************
At the time of this story, Hannah’s whole worth in society hinged on her ability to bear sons. Her husband’s love is touching and heart-warming, but it does not erase how society sees her. Elkanah’s other wife, Peninnah, is said to be Hannah’s rival. In true form she digs at Hannah’s self-esteem and social status every chance she gets. Hannah feels worthless. She isn’t measuring up to who she is told she is supposed to be. And there is nothing she can do about it.
In her desperation she goes to God. She pours herself out like the scripture in Lamentations encourages us to do. She is mistaken by the priest, Eli, to be a drunken women making a spectacle of herself in the temple. She was praying, but no sound was coming out of her moving lips. That alone doesn’t seem like much of a spectacle to me. Why would he mistake her for being drunk? Was she standing while rocking back and forth in her great anxiety and vexation? Was she sitting while passionately gesturing with her hands and arms? What would cause Eli to accuse her of making a drunken spectacle of herself?
In the second chapter of Acts the people accused the disciples of Christ of being drunk when they started speaking in other tongues and getting excited. But they were just letting their guard down and experiencing the presence of God.
Hannah too let her guard down. She sought after the presence of God. She presented herself before the Lord in no uncertain terms. She poured herself out in her distress and made a vow to God. The way she poured herself out like water was as if she were Niagara Falls. I believe this is why Eli thought she was drunk. It was the sheer force of her pouring.
Grief and desperation expressed fully make us a little out of control, like alcohol. They flood our body with their energies. They reshape our thinking. They make us a little off balance. And that can be scary. We don’t want to be off balance. We don’t want to be out of control.
There are many times and many places where being out of control and off balance isn’t good for us. But there are other times when it is exactly the right thing for us to do. Hannah presented herself before God. She got real with God. It might have unnerved the priest a little, but he got over it. She needed to not hold it all in anymore.
Sometimes we need to not hold it all in anymore. Antiseptic mourning and polite desperation may be how we have to maintain ourselves in public, but when we go before God we can real. You can let down your guard in the presence of God. And sometimes, you will even find a person or two who can sit with you if you end up pouring yourself out like Niagara Falls.
There are scenes in movies, iconic scenes, that express for us what we feel like we dare not speak for ourselves. In “It’s A Wonderful Life” George Bailey prays, “God. Oh God. Dear Father in heaven. I’m not a praying man but if you’re up there and you can hear me, show me the way. I’m at the end of my rope. Show me the way, God.” In the movie, “Keeping The Faith,” Father Brian Finn pours out his heart, not in prayer but in storytelling. Neither of these men seem to be able to access their expression of despair and grief unaided. They both turn to drink. Maybe that’s another reason why Eli thought Hannah was drunk. He was used to seeing people need an aid in order to open their hearts.
We watch these scenes and it is a way for us to tap into our own stuff at a safe distance. We may cry. We may examine some of our own inner workings. But pouring our own hearts out like water comes harder. And it should. It isn’t always the right time. It would be exhausting if we lived that way day in and day out. But sometimes it is the right time. Sometimes there is a right place.
I also want to acknowledge that each one of us is different. The way we pour ourselves out won’t be the same. While for some it may be like Niagara Falls, for others it may be more like the steady stream of a faucet. There isn’t one right way to pour out our hearts.
In those times when you feel worthless and you are tired of it, pour yourself out to God. When you are in great anxiety and vexation, pour yourself out to God. And when you are wrapped in joy and hope …. yes, even then …. pour yourself out to God.
After God answered Hannah she replied by pouring her heart out once again. This is the beginning part of her prayer in chapter 2,
“My heart exults in the LORD; my strength is exalted in my God. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in my victory. There is no Holy One like the LORD, no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.”
To which I say, Amen and Hallelujah.
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Monday, February 06, 2012
That Simple
Mark 1:29-39 (American Standard Version)
And straightway, when they were come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever; and straightway they tell him of her: and he came and took her by the hand, and raised her up; and the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were sick, and them that were possessed with demons. And all the city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many that were sick with divers diseases, and cast out many demons; and he suffered not the demons to speak, because they knew him. And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose up and went out, and departed into a desert place, and there prayed. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him; and they found him, and say unto him, “All are seeking thee.” And he saith unto them, “Let us go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also; for to this end came I forth.” And he went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.
**************
This little paragraph could be developed into the first half hour of a movie. There’s much here to talk about. First let’s look at Simon’s mother-in-law. It says she had a fever. Remember that medicine then and medicine now are very different. This woman’s fever is likely no mild thing. We don’t know how long she was sick or what her other symptoms were, but we see that they told Jesus about her “straightway.” There was an urgency to her healing and Jesus responded to their request.
Next notice that after Jesus healed her, she immediately began to minister to them. Many translations use the word, “serve.” This word can be translated as serve or as minister. Often what happens though is that when the word is used in reference to a man, the word gets translated as minister. When it is used in reference to a woman, it is translated as serve. This has a lot to do with assumptions about roles, and about what those two words mean to us. Also, did you notice that Simon’s mother-in-law’s name is not mentioned? She is anonymous like many women in the Bible. Anyway, back to this woman ministering … many consider Simon’s mother-in-law to be the first deacon. That’s high praise.
Then, in our story, evening comes. As the sun sets we see that the whole town begins to gather at the door of Simon’s house. Jesus works during the night, healing people and delivering them from demons. Eventually it looks like the crowd falls asleep. It appears that Jesus might have taken a nap too but that isn’t for sure. What we do know is that “a great while before day” Jesus takes off to get some alone time so that he can pray. In the morning the disciples wake up to find him gone so they go out to search for him. So much for his alone time. At least he had some time away. His disciples tell him that everyone is seeking him. It really looks to me like the whole town that gathered at Simon’s house is still there, they all just camped out for the night. They just fell asleep where they were and when they woke up they wanted more from him.
Jesus tells them no. He didn’t come to stay in one place. His destiny is to go from place to place preaching, healing, and casting out demons. And so that’s what he does. The story in Mark continues from there with Jesus going from one place to another. The whole of Mark’s gospel is filled with urgency and intensity. It is an action packed gospel.
In spite of all the action, we do see Jesus trying to get time to himself. He wants to pray and to recharge his soul. It is often interrupted, but in spite of the fact that he appears to be exhibiting poor self-care – working through the night, meeting the demands of those around him – still we see him craving time with his God. He would rather spend time with God than sleep. Jesus may not be the best model of self-care, but if nothing else he knows that he cannot continue his ministry if he does not recharge his soul. And let’s remember that Jesus is capable of things like going 40 days without food and water. Angels minister to him. So I want to make it clear that I am not advocating we pray all night instead of sleep. However, I am advocating that we carve out time to be with our God. There is no replacement for recharging our souls.
Let’s return to the moment of healing for the woman. All that I’ve said is a kind of set up for this moment. From the rest of the story we see the fast pace and the intensity. We see the crowd and their needs. Jesus is willing to go beyond his reasonable strength to do what needs to get done. However, that moment of healing for the woman … in that moment all his does is the simple act of taking her by the hand.
That’s it. He took her by the hand. Granted, the power of the Living God flowed through his hand … but think about it. He didn’t have an elaborate prayer. He didn’t have to quote scripture. He just took her by the hand.
All of his prayers. All of his study. All of his dedication and loyalty to God were made manifest in one simple moment of taking the hand of a sick woman.
Sometimes I think we believe we really have to do elaborate ministry. But we don’t. What we need is a depth of relationship with God and the willingness to do the simple things. Spend time with people. Listen to someone’s pain. Take the hand of a sick person. Comment on the facebook page of someone you know who is going through a hard time. Be with people and care about them. Jesus didn’t have a goal of growing his number of followers. People followed him because they believed in him.
People need to know that they can believe in us. Not that we are perfect. Not at all. We will all make many mistakes. But if we take time to listen and to care, if we simply reach out with our hands – our physical hands and our spiritual hands – people will know that they can believe in us. We don’t have to have answers and we don’t have to make miracles happen. We have to stay in direct communication with the Living God so that the power of the Holy Spirit flows through us.
Friends, with my whole heart I believe that it is just that simple.
And straightway, when they were come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever; and straightway they tell him of her: and he came and took her by the hand, and raised her up; and the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were sick, and them that were possessed with demons. And all the city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many that were sick with divers diseases, and cast out many demons; and he suffered not the demons to speak, because they knew him. And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose up and went out, and departed into a desert place, and there prayed. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him; and they found him, and say unto him, “All are seeking thee.” And he saith unto them, “Let us go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also; for to this end came I forth.” And he went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.
**************
This little paragraph could be developed into the first half hour of a movie. There’s much here to talk about. First let’s look at Simon’s mother-in-law. It says she had a fever. Remember that medicine then and medicine now are very different. This woman’s fever is likely no mild thing. We don’t know how long she was sick or what her other symptoms were, but we see that they told Jesus about her “straightway.” There was an urgency to her healing and Jesus responded to their request.
Next notice that after Jesus healed her, she immediately began to minister to them. Many translations use the word, “serve.” This word can be translated as serve or as minister. Often what happens though is that when the word is used in reference to a man, the word gets translated as minister. When it is used in reference to a woman, it is translated as serve. This has a lot to do with assumptions about roles, and about what those two words mean to us. Also, did you notice that Simon’s mother-in-law’s name is not mentioned? She is anonymous like many women in the Bible. Anyway, back to this woman ministering … many consider Simon’s mother-in-law to be the first deacon. That’s high praise.
Then, in our story, evening comes. As the sun sets we see that the whole town begins to gather at the door of Simon’s house. Jesus works during the night, healing people and delivering them from demons. Eventually it looks like the crowd falls asleep. It appears that Jesus might have taken a nap too but that isn’t for sure. What we do know is that “a great while before day” Jesus takes off to get some alone time so that he can pray. In the morning the disciples wake up to find him gone so they go out to search for him. So much for his alone time. At least he had some time away. His disciples tell him that everyone is seeking him. It really looks to me like the whole town that gathered at Simon’s house is still there, they all just camped out for the night. They just fell asleep where they were and when they woke up they wanted more from him.
Jesus tells them no. He didn’t come to stay in one place. His destiny is to go from place to place preaching, healing, and casting out demons. And so that’s what he does. The story in Mark continues from there with Jesus going from one place to another. The whole of Mark’s gospel is filled with urgency and intensity. It is an action packed gospel.
In spite of all the action, we do see Jesus trying to get time to himself. He wants to pray and to recharge his soul. It is often interrupted, but in spite of the fact that he appears to be exhibiting poor self-care – working through the night, meeting the demands of those around him – still we see him craving time with his God. He would rather spend time with God than sleep. Jesus may not be the best model of self-care, but if nothing else he knows that he cannot continue his ministry if he does not recharge his soul. And let’s remember that Jesus is capable of things like going 40 days without food and water. Angels minister to him. So I want to make it clear that I am not advocating we pray all night instead of sleep. However, I am advocating that we carve out time to be with our God. There is no replacement for recharging our souls.
Let’s return to the moment of healing for the woman. All that I’ve said is a kind of set up for this moment. From the rest of the story we see the fast pace and the intensity. We see the crowd and their needs. Jesus is willing to go beyond his reasonable strength to do what needs to get done. However, that moment of healing for the woman … in that moment all his does is the simple act of taking her by the hand.
That’s it. He took her by the hand. Granted, the power of the Living God flowed through his hand … but think about it. He didn’t have an elaborate prayer. He didn’t have to quote scripture. He just took her by the hand.
All of his prayers. All of his study. All of his dedication and loyalty to God were made manifest in one simple moment of taking the hand of a sick woman.
Sometimes I think we believe we really have to do elaborate ministry. But we don’t. What we need is a depth of relationship with God and the willingness to do the simple things. Spend time with people. Listen to someone’s pain. Take the hand of a sick person. Comment on the facebook page of someone you know who is going through a hard time. Be with people and care about them. Jesus didn’t have a goal of growing his number of followers. People followed him because they believed in him.
People need to know that they can believe in us. Not that we are perfect. Not at all. We will all make many mistakes. But if we take time to listen and to care, if we simply reach out with our hands – our physical hands and our spiritual hands – people will know that they can believe in us. We don’t have to have answers and we don’t have to make miracles happen. We have to stay in direct communication with the Living God so that the power of the Holy Spirit flows through us.
Friends, with my whole heart I believe that it is just that simple.
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