Back to the Beginning…Almost

Jeremiah 4:9-10, 19-28
The prophet Jeremiah offers a horrifying vision of what God might do in response to the ongoing faithlessness of the people. “I looked on the earth, and lo, it was waste and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light. I looked on the mountains, and lo, they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro. I looked, and lo, there was no one at all, and all the birds of the air had fled. I looked, and lo, the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins before the Lord, before his fierce anger. For thus says the Lord: The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end” (Jeremiah 4:23-27). Notice the various elements of creation that are mentioned. The earth is “void” and the heavens have “no light.” There is no human presence and even the birds have vanished. There are no plants for “the fruitful land was a desert.” In so many ways this is a mirror image of the creation story of Genesis 1, for here is a virtual undoing of the acts of God at the beginning of time. All that is left is a barren, empty, deserted wasteland, very like the void over which the spirit of God passed before saying, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3).

Yet even in the midst of this vision, this threat of total destruction, there is hope, for God has not forgotten the various covenants, the promises made to Noah, and Abraham, and through Moses: “I will not make a full end,” says the Lord to Jeremiah. Indeed, there is a reminder of God’s grace even in the face of human stubbornness and disregard for the divine will. The utter bleakness of Jeremiah’s vision does not overcome the hope that God holds out, that within a restored creation the kingdom will come in its fullness. In the story of Pandora’s box, the girl, Pandora, releases all that is dreadful and evil into the world. But along with the woe there is also the last thing out of the box which is hope. Here, in Jeremiah, we find a veriation of that story rooted in God’s relationship with God’s people, a story that contains both the judgment of a just God, and the grace of a merciful Redeemer.

God’s anger burns hot, but God will not bring an end to creation, says Jeremiah. Indeed, with the arrival of Jesus Christ and his ministry some centuries later, God reaffirmed the divine commitment to humanity. In the end as in the beginning, we are blessed by the care of a loving God.

Prayer: God of all creation, look beyond the darkness of the world and lift up your light on the goodness that you have established here, that all may know your love and repent of their sins. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Busy Work On The Mountain Top

Mark 9:2-13
The story of the Transfiguration of Jesus as recounted in Mark’s gospel gives us quit a bit to ponder. There is the lofty yet lonely location in which the events take place and the isolation of the characters involved who are eventually even shrouded by clouds. The setting of this event seems very intentional and important. There are also the various voices that speak in the passage, actually or by inference. Jesus, God, Peter, Moses, and Elijah are each quoted to the reader or are seen by others to be speaking. Words obviously play a major role in this story which is appropriate as Jesus Christ is the Word of God made flesh. But today I’m struck by this section of the text: “And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ He did not know what to say, for they were terrified” (Mark 9:4-6). All that Peter could think about at the appearance of Moses and Elijah was a building project of sorts, essentially busy work.

Peter’s fear is understandable, but there was really no reason for the three disciples to build tents or booths for Jesus and the other. In fact, Peter’s offer reminds me of the old cliché of sending someone to boil water just as a women goes into labor. It’s the sort of thing you send someone to do so that they will be out of the way. But Peter’s offer also raises an interesting question for us to consider. Are there times when our involvement in the life and work of the church amounts to no more than “busy work,” meaningless actions carried out for no real purpose? How often do we offer to build booths when we should pay attention to what is going on, to events we’ve been blessed to witness, opportunities we’ve been given to see the word of God unfolding in our midst? Are there times when we would rather tend to the day to day stuff of organization or institution when what we should be doing is touching lives by sharing ourselves? I know how easy it is to let myself get lost behind a pile of work. I also know how easy it is to miss out on real opportunities to minister.

Peter was frightened, and there is much to frighten us today as well. Peter wanted to do something – anything – rather than absorb what he was seeing. Finally the voice of God called him and the others back to the need to listen and to be involved in what Jesus was saying and doing. Day to day the voice of God calls us as well. Our response must be to stop with the busy work, and to get busy doing the real work of the coming reign.

Prayer: Lord God, guide us in our living that we may set aside that which would distract us from your will. Help us instead to serve you and to respond to your call in all we do. In Jesus’ name that we pray. Amen.

Playing Hide and Seek With Sin

Numbers 32:1-6, 16-27
It is interesting when certain phrases or expressions -- ones we use in our daily lives -- pop up in scripture reminding us how the Bible has permeated our language and our culture. We have a somewhat minor example today from the book of Numbers. Moses is speaking to the tribes who have sworn to help subdue the promised land even though they do not intend to occupy it. "But if you do not do this," Moses tells them, "you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23). Your sin will find you out. This is an expression I have heard over the years, but I don't think I ever knew where it might have originated.

Note, by the way, that Moses does not say, "you have sinned against the Lord and the Lord will find you out." God would know of the transgression, but Moses indicates that the sin itself that carry its own punishment. There are consequences to our actions, Moses is saying, and in this case the failure to meet a commitment will not go without repercussions; the tribes in question will not be able to hide from what they have done because the deed itself will remain a part of who they are.

Frankly I'm not sure we ever know the full ramifications of our actions, the "what ifs" and "what could have beens" of what we have done or left undone. Sin catches up to us--finds us out--in a number of ways, some large and some small, even if only in the fact that we know we have fallen short of God's will. Ultimately, of course, it is God who stands as judge of our wrongdoing, but sin cannot be ignored, cannot be cast aside lightly. Our sins will find us out and when they do the will be consequences.

Prayer: Lord God, guide us in our living that we may not fail you, but when we sin, O God, grant us forgiveness, for it is in Jesus' name that we pray. Amen.

Still Work To Be Done

Matthew 8:18-27

The story it a familiar one. Jesus is asleep in the boat as a storm rages all around. The disciples, fearful of drowning, waken him and point out the danger. “Then (Jesus) got up,” Matthew tells us, “and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm” (Matthew 8:26c). The disciples were amazed, Matthew continues, and wondered what sort of man Jesus was.

And then they started rowing. They had to. Jesus’ actions has brought the sea to a “dead calm.” That would mean no wind, which would also mean no sailing. So if the disciples were to get anywhere at that point they were going to have to put their backs into it.

God’s actions in human history often require more than a little follow-up work on the part of God’s people. Moses understand this. In the Exodus the people were led out of Egypt by God’s power but years of effort followed. Pentecost is another good example. The Spirit arrived with the sound of a mighty wind and as divided tongues of flame and the disciples went tumbling into the street. But there was work to be done if the faith was to spread: witnessing to others, building a community, withstanding persecution. To feel blessed by God, to see miracles abound, to find ourselves nurtured and sustained by divine grace is never the end of the story. God calms the storms of our lives. Then it is up to us to put our backs into it.

Prayer: Lord, you bless us in so many ways. Help us to respond with all our strength to the opportunities you give us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Small Victories

Leviticus 16:20-34

It may seem less than noteworthy–“And Moses did as the Lord had commanded him” (Leviticus 16:34b)–but it was significant enough for the writer of Leviticus to comment on it. Yes, it pertains to one particular event; yes, in this case Moses was told to pass along instructions and little more; yes, this is not the only time Moses did as he is told. And yet…

With sin being what it is, and with the world offering the many temptations that it does, I think it is important to pause and to rejoice at times like these in the history of God’s people. Moses did as the Lord had commanded him which means that Moses had a choice to do otherwise, that he might have disregarded God’s instructions, but didn’t. Moses did as the Lord had commanded him which means that Moses was in communication with God, hearing and responding to God’s word, allowing God’s voice to guide his steps. Moses did as the Lord had commanded him which means that the will of God was as yet given expression among the people, that faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was still witnessed to.

As I think back over the thousands of faithful people I have known–the members of churches I have served or been a part of, my relatives and in-laws, my friends at school or work or in the neighborhood–I realize just how many of them have done as the Lord commanded them. They weren’t perfect people, none of them, but from time to time, and to the extent that they were able, they found ways to do what they were told. They might have done otherwise, but they heard what God was saying and responded to that call offering witness to the faith through their actions. Take a moment, if you will, and think about some of the people you have known who did what God commanded them to do and what that obedience looked like and what it accomplished. Those are small victories, but they are certainly worth celebrating.

Prayer: Lord, help us to live today as an opportunity to do as you command us. And may your hand rest upon us in the endeavor. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Face to Face…Or Not

Exodus 33:1-23

What a fascinating account we find in our reading from Exodus for today. “Moses said, ‘Show me your glory, I pray.’ And [the Lord] said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you the name, 'The LORD'…But,’ he said, ‘you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.’ And the LORD continued, ‘See, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock; and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen’” (Exodus 33:18-23).

Add this encounter to the list that includes Abraham’s meeting with God by the Oaks of Mamre (Genesis 18), Isaiah’s experience in the temple (Isaiah 6:1-8), Ezekiel on the bank of the River Chebar (Ezekiel 1), and the stories from Eden when God walked in the garden in the cool of the evening and sought out Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8f). Only in this case God’s glory is too great for Moses to bear, so God will place the divine hand over Moses’s face until God has passed at which point Moses may see God’s back. God’s hand…God’s back…God’s face! Let that sink in for a second.

What great comfort is to be found in the thought of God’s presence in the midst of humanity calling, leading, teaching, correcting, judging, nurturing and so forth. Time after time God is willing to be encountered and comprehended by men and women. In the fullness of time, of course, God took the form of Jesus Christ and became fully immersed in human life. In Jesus we continue to see God at work calling, leading, teaching, correcting, judging, nurturing and so forth. Only in this case we need not divert our eyes, even from the light of Easter morning.

May each of us have the opportunity to know the presence of God today. May each of us be guided by God’s will as though by the divine hand. May each of us follow in God’s footsteps and know God’s love as a present reality. Does God really have a hand, a back, a face? That’s not really the point. The point is that God is real, and close, and able to be known. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord, may we see you today as you would be seen. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Yeah, Right

Exodus 32:21-34 1

Thessalonians 1:1-10

Aaron got caught red-handed. He had aided the people in their revolt against God but then he made excuses to his brother, Moses. “And Aaron said, ‘Do not let the anger of my lord burn hot; you know the people, that they are bent on evil. They said to me, 'Make us gods, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him. 'So I said to them, 'Whoever has gold, take it off'; so they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!’" (Exodus 32:22-24). Blame it on the people, he says, and the fire. They put in the gold and out came the calf, honest! Aaron comes off sounding like a child who broke a widow: “Don’t blame me. The ball did it.” But the truth is at the fist hint of trouble Aaron joined with those who rejected God in favor of something of their own creation.

The epistle lesson for today offers an interesting contrast to the Exodus passage. “For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God…” (1 Thessalonians 1:9). Here we find the gospel taking root among those who had previously worshiped false deities. The members of the Thessalonian church could have held onto their previous habits, could have hedged their bets by keeping an idol or two stashed nearby for emergencies. But they chose to serve a “living and true God.” Where we see Aaron all too quickly turning away from the Lord, these men and women have turned toward God – even in the face of persecution.

There is a challenge here for us. Do we remain faithful to the God by whose grace we live? Or do we turn away at the first opportunity, creating false realities for ourselves? Are we willing to face the hardships that come with steadfast faith? Or are we determined to follow Aaron down the path of idolatry? The choice is ours.

Prayer: Lord, help us to be faithful in all we do. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Vindication or Salvation?

Jennifer Henderson

Psalm 43

Exodus 2:23-3:15

In Psalm 43, David’s plea expresses his inner feelings to the Lord, “Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; rescue me from deceitful and wicked men . . .(Psalm 43:1).

It’s a common scenario that exists in real life for anyone whose circle of interaction goes beyond the borders for their closest and best friends. There is that one person who is intent, for whatever reason, on destroying your happiness, your contentment, your joy in recent success. Perhaps they are merely driven by a subconscious jealously of your positive life events, when their own situation is less than what they wish it to be. One doesn’t have to be innately wicked to spoil the joy of other people. It happens in churches.

It happens in schools. It happens through social media. It even happens among strangers. And it makes us feel like even God has rejected us.

“You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell” (v. 2-3).

At such times we may feel utterly helpless and alone. We crave the physical presence of God and reassurance that He is still with us and caring for us. We beg. We plead. We attempt to wait patiently for some sign that we are okay and that it is others who are in the wrong. We long for proof to be shown to others that we are, indeed, special to our Heavenly Father and that they are the ones in error.

But often, the fault lies not so much within the actions and reactions that we have towards one another. Sometime we merely fail to remember that not everything that we think and feel is reflective of Truth. And we do not even know where these thoughts and feelings originate which lead to our sense of low self-worth or self-deprecation.

“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?“ (v. 5a).

Exodus 2 tells of a very low point in the history of the Israelites. Enslaved, persecuted, the children of God felt anything but special. Beaten down, oppressed and seemingly forgotten, the truth of the matter was this: “The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them” (Exodus 2:23-25). In fact, He was so concerned about them that he chose to raise up a leader and rescuer, Moses, for the people. And over and over again God showed them how much He loved them and cared for them.

Perhaps, like David, we exist in a place where we feel that vindication is in order. Old fashioned “come to Jesus” vindication. Perhaps we feel that God is not aware, or not listening to us. But He is. And He stands ready to help in ways we cannot even imagine. Ways that will hopefully, not only benefit us, but benefit and bring about salvation to our enemies.

I want to be proved right. I want to be cleared of all negative suspicions. But perhaps God has a loftier goal for my suffering. Perhaps he wants me to learn to live gracefully through the difficult times in such a way that others will ultimately seek to know the One that holds me in His hand. Perhaps he intends to build character in me through my suffering and help me to develop a sense of self-worth and confidence that is a truer reflection of the way God values me. “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 43:5b).

Prayer: Lord, help us to focus on your love for us and be open to the events which will unfurl during Holy Week. Help us to be patient in our sufferings and only desire the salvation of others for your sake, rather than vindication for our own sakes.

Jennifer Henderson, an active member of the Church of Christ, is choir director at First Presbyterian Church, Searcy, Arkansas. She is married to Allen Henderson.

Who Indeed?

Exodus 2:1-22

According to our Exodus account Moses once confronted two of the Hebrew people who were involved in a heated exchange. When Moses sought to pacify the situation one of the men asked him, “Who made you a ruler and judge over us?” (Exodus 2:14). In hindsight it is an interesting question. At that time Moses might have had little reason to assume a place of authority. But before long he would become, if not a ruler, then certainly a judge among the Hebrew people as they made their way toward the promised land. What events does the future hold for us? What seeds has God planted in our midst? How might today’s questions find true relevance tomorrow? “Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?” No one just yet, but very soon God would set Moses aside for a holy purpose.

I recently began leafing though journal entries I wrote a decade or so ago. Many of the questions I was asking then have since been answered—but seldom in ways I might have expected. Neither the Hebrew who questioned Moses’ authority, nor Moses himself could have known what lay ahead for each of them, but God was already at work, and God’s efforts would become more apparent in the near future. The season of Lent is filled with many questions: What is the true purpose of Jesus’ ministry? Where is he leading his followers? What does he mean when he speaks of his death? Other questions abound as well: What meaning does life have for me? Where am I going and what should I be doing? Is there any relief to the pain I feel? In due time—and by the grace of God––we will find answers. In the mean time we have hope.

Prayer: Lord, help us to live in the present as we look ahead to the future. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Hope That Means Something

Isaiah 54:1-13

One key aspect to God’s relationship with humanity has been the series of covenants God has established. God bound the divine self to Noah soon after the waters of the flood receded (Genesis 9:8-13). God did the same with Abraham (15:18-21). The blessing that Jacob received at the ford of the River Jabbok is covenantal in nature (32:22-29). And of course at Mt. Sinai God made a covenant with the Hebrew people (Exodus 19:1-9). In our readings for today the prophet Isaiah reminds us of the nature of God’s connection with God’s people. “This is like the days of Noah to me: Just as I swore that the waters of Noah would never again go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you and will not rebuke you. For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you” (Isaiah 54:9-10).

Here, then, is hope that truly means something for humanity. Not only has God entered into a binding relationship with creation, but God has renewed that pledge over and over again. For Christians the most grace-filled sign of the promise came in the birth of Jesus, for in this way God entered into our lives standing with and for us even unto death. In Jesus our faith finds a focus that allows us to live more fully just as God has become more fully known to us. The mountains and hills may fall away, but God’s “steadfast love” will never end and God’s “covenant of peace” will not expire.

Prayer: Lord, give us eyes with which to see your love and hearts to share it with those around us that we, too, may live in a covenant of peace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Expect the Unexpected

Amos 7:10-17

The book of Amos offers only a brief description of the prophet’s call from God. “Then Amos answered Amaziah, ‘I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel”'” (Amos 7:14-15). This is not a unique story in scripture. Moses was herding the flocks of his father-in-law when God called him (Exodus 3). Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-8) and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1) were minding their own business when the presence of the Lord burst upon them with work to be done. In the New Testament Mary was surprised to learn that she would bear God’s Son (Luke 1:26-38); Simon, Andrew, James and John were interrupted in their daily activities when Jesus called them to follow (Matthew 4:18-22); and Paul was stunned by Jesus’ appearance to him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-9). These are just a few of the examples that scripture gives us.

Advent is a time for listening to God’s voice in our lives, for following where God leads us, for doing the unexpected. Few of us herd livestock, prune sycamore trees, or fish for a living. Even fewer—I suspect—are in the habit of persecuting Christians. That’s not the point of these stories. What we need to understand it that God sees in us gifts and skills that we may not readily see in ourselves, and God seeks to use those skills to serve God’s will. The tasks we find ourselves doing may be small or large, may cause us little discomfort or force us to completely change our way of life. Whatever the case, God’s people must always “expect the unexpected.” That may seem difficult during Advent when we think we know pretty well what is going on, but if we are really listening, really paying attention, then we will learn all sorts of things about God, about ourselves, and about the world around us.

Advent is a time for expectations, some of which are very unexpected. Be ready.

Prayer: Lord, keep us focused on what you are doing in our world, and give us the strength to respond when you call. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

How Did He Know? Why Does It Matter?

Matthew 17:1-13

Matthew’s account of the transfiguration leaves us with an interesting question. “Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’” (Matthew 17:1-4). So, how exactly did Peter know who Jesus was talking to? How did he know it was Moses and Elijah? A couple of humorous answers have occurred to me over the years. One is that Moses and Elijah wore nametags: “Hello, My Name is Moses.” Another is that Peter has seen pictures of these men on their collectors’ cards. (Just imagine what Moses’s “rookie card” would have been worth!)

What I used to think was that Peter recognized the two prophets because he knew the history, the scriptures, the stories of Israel’s past. But I’ve changed my mind somewhat. Now I believe that it’s not so important how Peter recognized Jesus’ conversation partners, it is more important that he did recognize them, but that in the end he still didn’t get what was going on. In telling this story Matthew gives a clear signal to us as readers about Jesus’ identity, but Peter and the others are left in a fog, literally and figuratively.

The question then becomes more about what we do with the knowledge that we’ve been given. Do we “get it,” that Jesus is the Son of God to whom we are to listen? Or do we continue to wander in a haze of misunderstanding, failing to grasp the big picture? If Jesus is the Son of God, if Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:7a), then why are we living the way we live, doing the things we do, causing the sorts of problems that we seem determined to cause? Jesus is the Son of God; even Moses and Elijah know it. Now it’s time to live as though Jesus’ identity means something to us as well.

Prayer: Lord, help us to grasp the glory and the grace that is all around us and to live as redeemed people, not as those stuck in the past. In Jesus’ name. Amen.