Reflection 22nd August 2010

Year C Proper 16 22 August 2010
Jeremiah 1: 4-10 Psalm 71: 1-6 Hebrews 12: 18-29 Luke 13: 10-17
There was an old woman bent out of Joint – Jesus healed her, and the Pharisees got their nose out of joint! There may be a number of people with their noses out of joint at the moment - it tends to happen over things that we care and feel passionately about, or when we feel an injustice has been done to use.

We find in our Gospel this week, that the Pharisees had their nose out of joint because Jesus healed on the Sabbath. Ironically, while the Pharisees had their noses put out of joint, the lady who was physically “bent out of joint” was healed.

The keeping of the Sabbath was important to the Pharisees as it was one of the God given commandments and so it was their responsibility to uphold it. We need to very carefully understand this, as there can be very fine lines between upholding the “Law” and carrying out God’s will. While we can see clearly in retrospect the error of the Pharisees, can we see this in our own lives? Let the Holy Spirit shine his search light, because as humans, we will miss it.

We live in supposedly enlightened times. We understand the inner workings of many complex things. Our “law” has come to reflect this and many areas that may have once been black and white have become complicated shades of grey. But when it all boils down everything ultimately settles into a new form of binary – yes, no – black, white – on, off. Where once we said it was wrong for couples to live together we now change the computer wiring of our brain. It isn’t really that we are accepting the complexities of shades of grey. We have in fact, reprogrammed and what was once, in the binary, a black button is now a white button. Possibly there are a few more “if/then” buttons before the ultimate black and white, but it is still basically a binary system.

I am just using this as an example, not making a moral judgement at all – at this point – but using this to show you how we are not really acting in the mercy and will of God but changing our programming. The same goes for our Sunday trading – we understand that there are some services that need to continue on a Sunday and so, as time progresses, we change our programming such that we now have a white button for all trading to occur.

So, now that we see how our programming has changed, can we see how we might not recognise the will of God? Our programming has changed and in our programming the white buttons are (at least in our minds) the will of God, just as the Pharisees were so sure that their “white” buttons were the will of God.

There are so many issues that our modern society presents as “white” buttons. Which of these have we accepted, that might not actually be God’s will?

Jeremiah 1: 4 – 5 “4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

Our first reading tells us that God knew us before we were formed in the womb, which tells us so many things; especially that life is sacred and ordained.

Since Joe has died, I have found myself wondering what I’m doing and where my life is headed and pretty much feeling that it is aimless and pointless. I spoke to a good friend about this and she gave some words of wisdom which tie in perfectly with this reading. She had been on a conference where the question was asked “who does God say you are?” We often spend time studying and declaring who God is, but how would it change your life, if you were to ask God, “Who do you say I am?”

Let’s look at Jeremiah. When we read his response to God we understand that Jeremiah was not very confident. He felt that he was merely a child. We have children, and as they grow we ask them what they want to be when they grow up. From an early age we have them developing a vision of their future and oftentimes that future is actually a mixture of their desires and the vision that we also have for them. Certainly, my vision for my future was the one that was passed on from my parents.... get married, have kids and live happily ever after. I can imagine that Jeremiah had his own vision for his future, and then suddenly God redirected him.

How different would your life be if God interrupted your life and said, “hey, I have appointed you to be a ......” Maybe a nurse, doctor, politician, missionary, lawyer, etc... Most likely, something that is in keeping with your strengths and gifts – maybe what you are doing now. But how would this have changed your life and the way that you do things if God had confirmed His call on your life?

Jeremiah is told that he has been appointed as a prophet to the nations. He was ordained for this purpose before he was born. No doubt, there were those who rejected and disbelieved his call. As I write these words I feel I need to point you back to your personal programming and ask, are you rejecting and thwarting someone’s God ordained call because you feel it is a “black” button?

Our reading from Hebrews 12 warns us to listen to God, but reassures us that we have comfort in our relationship with Jesus and that we need not fear. “25See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." 27The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.”

God’s computer programming is far more complex than our own. We need to rely on his Holy Spirit more than anything else as we discern what should be “black” and what should be “white”. As we rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment, perhaps we can also ask of God, “Who do you say I am?” It is possible that we might be surprised and find ourselves directed in a different path or given the confidence to continue on the path from which we felt discouraged. Remember it is God’s voice that we must listen to and not the circumstances around us.

Jeremiah knew that his task would not be easy and he would not always be well received. Jeremiah knew that his life might often look like a failure to others. Those in ministry often experience a definite call, only to feel that they have failed when the task proves to be difficult and the followers are few.

We are called to be a witness and proclaim God’s word. We cannot control the response of others, and we don’t know what it is that God is doing in the invisible spiritual realm. Let’s not judge ourselves or God’s people by what might appear to be failure or success, but instead uphold in prayer, and pray that we each find strength and encouragement to be true to His calling. For each of us God fore knew and has been called to a divine purpose.
Jeremiah 1:4 “4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;”