On the Way to Wonder

³⁵ Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. ³⁶ Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. ³⁷ They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented— ³⁸ of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

  Hebrews 11:35-38

         The writer of Hebrews ends chapter 11 with a list of scenarios that most Western Christians might only see in the movies.  We are tempted to relegate such atrocities to the past and thank God for our blessings.  Let us not forget that in fact many in our world today live in war conditions, are innocent victims of disease or human trafficking, and are powerless to even provide for their families the basic necessities of life.  Let us guard against making a hierarchy of blessed to unblessed and patting ourselves on the back that we are better than many below us.  Having drama in our life does not mean God is angry with us and being blessed does not mean God is on our side, showering us with material gifts.

         The writer says, “of whom the world was not worthy.”  Our worth does not come from this world but from God, who made the world, knows our hearts and who is making us an eternity to be with him.  May our trials drive us to a deeper faith in a God who walks unseen faithfully with us daily in all kinds of trials, carrying us to a future he has designed.  And may our blessings drive us to our knees in gratitude.  Guard us against being smug and fill our hearts with compassion for those suffering.  Strengthen them in their distress.  “Thy kingdom come.”

¹⁵ The eyes of all look to you,
    and you give them their food in due season.

Psalm 145:15

     The Bible begins with creation, “In the beginning…” We debate the details of the story but a “creation” has a “creator” who is much like a “farmer.”   In fact, verse 8 of chapter 2 of Genesis says, “⁸ And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed.”  A farmer has an idea of what he is going to grow, watches the seasons for the right time, and the result is food, food for the body and food for the soul. 

     I find the patience of watching a seed become a plant, become a flower, become beauty is an appropriate image for how God works in our lives.  So often we are impatient and want instant life and instant growth.  That only happens in the movies.  Real life takes time, fertilizer and work.  Today let’s ponder a project that is close to our heart.  Perhaps it is a child, a painting, a carving, a relationship or a dream.  Let’s consider what kind of food is needed to make our dream grow.  How does God figure into the process?  Perhaps he is the inspiration.  Perhaps he is the eraser to clear out our mistakes.  Perhaps he is the protector or the provider.  Unfortunately, sometimes he is the weeder dealing with that which would destroy us.  Pray through your dream and commit it to the master gardener!  Blessings.

         Paul ends Chapter 11 of Romans with a doxology, a hymn of praise to God.  He himself admits that the spiritual concepts and wisdom he is trying to explain are truly beyond our human wisdom.  God’s ways are not our ways and yet, the end product will be the blessing of all nations and all peoples.  Paul closes the doctrinal part of his letter with praise.

^“33 O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways!

³⁴ ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord?
    Or who has been his counsellor?’
³⁵ ‘Or who has given a gift to him,
    to receive a gift in return?’

³⁶ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory for ever. Amen.”

         Let’s read this doxology again and see if we can put it in modern English.  The Message, a modern version of the Bible, says it this way:

^33-36 Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It’s way over our heads. We’ll never figure it out.

Is there anyone around who can explain God?
Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do?
Anyone who has done him such a huge favor
    that God has to ask his advice?

Everything comes from him;
Everything happens through him;
Everything ends up in him.
Always glory! Always praise!
    Yes. Yes. Yes.

Pick just one of the superlatives Paul uses to speak about God and sit and ponder it and own it.  I might paraphrase the doxology:  “I can’t explain God.  I’m not smart enough.  I cannot help him do anything better.  He makes my life possible.  May God be praised forever.”  Thank you, Lord.

Acts 18: 1-11

         “Do not be afraid.” I love those words.  Fear seems so real and is so crippling!  I sometimes think “fear” is my middle name.  My confirmation verse was Isaiah 41:10 that opens, “So do not fear, for I am with you.”

Paul has now traveled from Athens to Corinth in today’s reading and Paul is reunited with Timothy and Silas.  Again we see a pattern in Paul’s life.  He starts sharing in the synagogue.  Some Jews and Gentiles believe and others object.  Paul moves his place of sharing to the home of Titius Crispus, a worshipper of God, who lived next door.  Paul himself must have recognized the pattern and feared that mobs, beatings and prison were about to unfold.  We sometimes think Paul was a super believer and never doubted but this little scene shows us a human fearing the future and a God who reaches out to him to comfort and assure him.  It is a tender moment looking at the process of spiritual growth.

         “One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision; ‘Do not be afraid; keep         on speaking, do not b silent.  For I am with you and no one is going to     attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.’”

         I do not know what fears plague you today.  Perhaps the mistakes of the past will side swipe you in the future.  Maybe the secrets of the past will become known.  Someone who out performs you in an area you are proud of may come on the scene.  Then there are the fears from the outside forces of disease or politics.  Some of us grieve loss and fear we will not be strong to carry on.  God comes to us and comforts us that he knows, he sees and he is walking with us into and through our future.  “Do not fear, I am with you,” says the Lord.  Thank you.  Blessings as you face your fears with the Lord.

Acts 15: 12-28

Paul and Barnabas arrive in Jerusalem to report to the elders.  How is the dynamic of Gentiles coming to faith be combined with the existing Jewish believers?  Should the Gentile believers be required to become Jews and accept the Mosaic law or is something new becoming evident?  Sometimes we only see through a glass dimly as the future approaches.  The elders  in Jerusalem listen silently and recognize the bottom line.  God initiated life in the Gentiles.  The Gentiles demonstrated the same dynamics as the early believers showing the presence of the Holy Spirit.  They referred to Scripture and saw that what was happening was fulfilling prophecy.  Therefore…  

         The bottom line was that God was working with the Gentiles.  But what was the bottom line of how to proceed.  Four criteria were agreed to be basic.  Do not eat food polluted by idols.  Do not be involved with sexual immorality.  Do not eat meat of strangled animals.  And do not eat blood.  These four things would be stumbling blocks to forming community.  How many times do we make rules that divide and do not enhance unity?

         If we were asked today what the bottom line is for us in worship, what would we say?  Perhaps reflect on what you truly appreciate about your worship experience.  Is it “tradition” for is it core to your faith beliefs?  Lord, give us wisdom to discern what the real issues are when we disagree.  Help us to see your hand working to bring people to you.  Thank you for the forgiveness you have given me for my mistakes and for those who have been patient with me as I have grown in faith.  Blessings!

Luke 24: 9-11

Disinformation can be defined as “false information deliberately and often covertly spread (as by the planting of rumors) in order to influence public opinion or obscure the truth.”

The women go to the tomb early Easter morning to anoint the body of Jesus whom they saw brutally crucified right before them.  They are grieving.  At the tomb, they find the stone rolled away, the body gone, and two “angels” who said that Jesus had risen. They were in shock.  The women returned to the others and reported.  “Nonsense” or disinformation from hysterical  women?

⁹ When they came back from the tomb,

they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 

¹⁰ It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. ¹

¹ But they did not believe the women,

because their words seemed to them like nonsense.

We have here several women returning from the tomb, reporting that the body is missing or risen.  The others of their group though, did not believe them for they were women, unreliable witnesses!  It sounded like nonsense.    

         The word “disinformation” makes us think  of Jan. 6 and our present cultural battle over what happened at the event and who is to blame.  Both explanations of the happenings are accusing the other versions or explanation of the event as disinformation.  Why?  Is it because they do not believe they are reliable witnesses?  I am not taking sides here but I am pointing out that the dynamic of the Biblical story is not unique.  Matthew 28 goes further to say that at the same time as the women return to the apostles and are not believed, the guards sent to guard the tomb are returning to Jerusalem and reporting to the chief priests what happened.  Matthew says they were paid “a large sum of money” to spread the story that the disciples had come in the night and stolen the body.  Oh my, stories are flying and who is telling the truth?

     It feels awfully similar to “disinformation” claims being thrown around today.  The women, the guards, and the apostles are deliberate in their stories and are trying to convince others of their version of reality.  There is a public explanation of a public event that is being fought over.  I see two elements in the Jan 6 and the resurrection story: the credibility of the event and the credibility of the reporters.  Peter and John immediately leave to check out a story that sounds like nonsense.

     Perhaps you are a “believer” in the resurrection for you have 2000 years of religious history to confirm your belief.  Perhaps you are a “believer” because you too have had an encounter with the divine.  Who you believe and what you believe is crucial to the values that guide your life.  May we pray today to be a believable witness to our faith and not sound like nonsense to others!  Blessings as you share.