Learning to Recognize God

Isaiah 48:12-22

Mark 6:1-13

There is an interesting contrast at work in these two readings. In Isaiah we find God identified in a number of ways. “I am He; I am the first, and I am the last…” says God, “your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord your God…” (Isaiah 48:12b, 17a). We know these names, and variations of them turn up throughout scripture. “I am He” sounds very like the name God uses in speaking to Moses from the burning bush; “the first and…the last” could be right out of the book of Revelation; and the others are even more common. We know God by name in Isaiah. But Mark tells us a story about Jesus’ return home and the lack of faith he encountered there. “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters with us?” say the townsfolk (Mark 6:3). “This can’t be a prophet, he’s one of us,” they seem to say.

So what do we say about God and about God’s work in Jesus Christ? Do we recognize God’s presence? Are we aware of the Spirit? Do we know what to make of it all? Our do we get caught up in parochial labels and ideas, putting our own limits on what God should be doing? Sadly, we are often as lost and confused as the people of Jesus’ hometown. Why do we get so crosswise about it all? Why are we so slow to accept what God is doing?

I think it is mostly a matter of focus, of clearing our eyes of everything except who God is and what God is doing. As we begin to concentrate on God’s word and God’s work we are better able to appreciate God’s presence. Then the names, the descriptions of God begin to make more sense. We see how blessed we are to be God’s people and we strive to live out that blessing. The people of Jesus’ hometown tried to trap Jesus in his life as a carpenter, but God set him free to minister to all. Are we willing to have Jesus set free in our midst? I hope so. It will do us a world of good.

Prayer: “Lord, open our eyes that we may see,” and help us to live out the relationship you have created with us in the person of Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.