Reflection for 29th July 2018 HALLELUJAH !

Year B July 29, 2018  PROPER 12 (17) Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

2 Samuel 11:1-15 and Psalm 14  •  Ephesians 3:14-21  • John 6:1-21

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPPH-rDQtVg 

I think the words go, "you saw her bathing on the roof her beauty in the Moonlight overthrew you.".  These are words from the song Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen). The song goes on with many other biblical references although it is song about love and it isn't a gospel song.  However this little section refers to the story of David and Bathsheba.

The story of David and Bathsheba appear in the Scripture reading for this weekend. I find it interesting that we refer to it this way, and not as the story of David and Uriah (Bathsheba's husband).  For the uninitiated, this story is about David taking another man's wife, she falls pregnant, and then he tries to cover it up by bringing Uriah back from the fighting so that Uriah would think that the child is his.

Traditionally I think we've all thought about this story as being a story of adultery and that was the great sin that David committed.  But it's worse than that, David actually committed murder.

When David's cover up plan didn't work he organised for Uriah to be put at the front line of the fighting, therefore Uriah was killed.

A Couple of things that have suddenly struck me. Firstly the fact that we have traditionally read this as a story of adultery, rather than murder (and really it should be the other way around), tells me a lot about our society.... And secondly, there is a whole lot we need to learn by looking more at what happens between David and Uriah.

Here is a reflection question for you; When we do the wrong thing, do we aim to manipulate someone innocent into the web of our actions so that they become entangled and as they struggle, like a fly in a spiders web, they take the focus away from us? 

Uriah did not cover up David's action. Because Uriah was resolute in his convictions and could not be caught in David's web , David had to manipulate the situation for Uriah to be killed.  When we come across someone who won't "play our game", do we discredit them in the eyes of others... Do we gosip about them... Do we hate them?  

I remember two of my friends from long ago ...one strongly disliked the other because the goodness of one showed up the other. 

The story of David's interaction with Uriah goes on all the time yet because we've focused on the story of David and Bathsheba we've not learnt this lesson.  We need to learn this lesson because people are dying on the inside because of our actions and they are innocent.

There's a line in the story that says the thing that David did displeased the Lord .  Every one immediately thinks of Bathsheba and David, forgetting Uriah, not even remembering his name.

Great blessing came from David and Bathsheba as Bathsheba was eventually to give birth to the great King Solomon, however Uriah's story ends. Might I suggest that this was really the thing that displeased the Lord.

The most incredible thing about this story really is that David was a favourite of God's. He did this really, really horrible thing and God still loved him and forgave him. True he was confronted by God and made to face the error of his ways but God continued to be with him.

The writer of Amazing Grace understood this incredible forgiveness. He had been involved in the slave trade and understood well the manipulation, the deception, the disregard for human life, and the murder. This was the reality of John Newton and when God confronted him opening his eyes to what was really going on, he also repented.
To repent comes from a word which means to turn around and go back the other way, and it's to do with changing our mind. These people realized the errors of their ways and they repented, and in that repentance they understood the Amazing Grace of God who can forgive even someone who commits these horrible, horrible things.

And so the message for us is to open our eyes and see what we are really doing.  Question ourselves and ask if we are manipulating and hating someone else to cover up our own inadequacies and iniquities.  And secondly, our message from this, is to understand that our iniquities or sin, our failings, are all forgivable.

God continued to be with David and bless him.  God chose him as the ancestor of a line of kings that followed through to Jesus Christ.  King David’s line lasted forever and yet King Saul’s did not.  The difference perhaps being that David humbly sought God most earnestly, and honestly repented.

Ephesians 3:16 – 19 “ I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.  I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

God is extravagantly generous with his love, forgiveness and provision.  Why are we not exuberantly delighting in this?  I suspect that when we do understand, we can then truly begin to live the life that God intended.   Let go of your failings… they are forgiven!!!  Dealt with on the cross once and for all.  Hallelujah !

Who will be king?

PROPER 5 (10) - Third Sunday after Pentecost - Year B - June 10, 2018

1 SAMUEL 8:4-11, (12-15), 16-20, (11:14-15) AND PSALM 138  •

 GENESIS 3:8-15 AND PSALM 130  • 2 CORINTHIANS 4:13-5:1  • MARK 3:20-35

Every now and then the set Lectionary readings seem to jump out with a very relevant and contemporary theme.

This week this is the case for me.

Our first reading from 1 Samuel 8, tells the story of those Israelites coming to see Samuel and telling him that they want a king.

Two questions firstly need to be answered; who is Samuel and who is ruling the nation if there is no king.

Samuel’s story began when his barren mother prayed for a child.  She promised that if God gave her a child, she would dedicate him to God.  This is what happened and Samuel lived with the high priest from the time he was a small boy.  Samuel was immersed in the ways of God and the stories of God’s interactions with His people from that early age, but most importantly, Samuel was called by God.

God actually woke Samuel from his sleep.  Samuel heard his voice from this young age.  For many religion is just that – a set of beliefs handed down that seem like a good idea and so you follow. 

People today trust in God though they haven’t heard his voice, but some have.

Samuel didn’t merely believe, he KNEW that there was a God and he knew that God had called him and was concerned for His people. 

The Israelites had been miraculously delivered out of the slavery of Egypt and Moses had been leading them.  After they had finally settled in the Promised Land they kind of did their own thing, but God had raised up prophets and judges along the way.  Really, God was in charge and the Israelites were free, but for that bit of guidance somehow God would raise up a leader who always kind of filled the need that they had – sometimes it was for wisdom, sometimes for deliverance from an enemy, but one thing is for sure, the Israelites knew that they were God’s people.

Now, the Israelites wanted a king to lead them.

Samuel felt rejected.  God explained to him that it wasn’t Samuel that they had rejected but in fact, they were rejecting the leadership of God.

The Israelites were free.

God had freed them from slavery.  They were free from the tyranny that might come from a king or dictatorial leadership, and in fact they were so free that God respected their free will and told Samuel to give them what they wanted.

A facebook friend recently posted “Being SAVED is Easy..STAYING SAVED is a Full Time Job..Just ask the 2 Million+ (Minus 2!) that DIDN'T ENTER the PROMISED LAND!”  You can argue with me if you like, but those who left Egypt were saved from Slavery and that was a fact and they stayed saved from the slavery of Egypt.   Mistakes they made, yes…. As humans do.  Let’s not hold it against them, but learn from them and especially learn from God.

God respected the free will of the people he saved because that is what freedom is; the freedom to make choices.  It doesn’t mean that God leaves your life or becomes disinterested.  The kings that followed were anointed by God and chosen as the ancestry of Christ.

Samuel was told that before he anointed the king he needed to warn the people about what this would mean for them.

Australian society is quickly changing.  The ignorance of those uneducated in the reality of our Christian heritage, means that they want to deny any good influence of the Church in the history of our nation.  Honestly, there have been so many bad incidences, that it is sometimes very hard to blame them.  But I feel like there are two things to be considered. 

1.     God has given them and us, the free will to make our own choices and we know He even respects our bad choices – so we need to respect this in others too – NOT that we have to adopt these for ourselves – but that we shouldn’t lose respect for, or sight of, the dignity that each person has, just because of their choices.

2.    I sense that someone needs to warn Australian society where their choices will take them.

Our Gospel reading for this weekend shows the rejection of God’s Kingship yet again.  The people were flocking to Jesus to the extent that his family couldn’t get to him and he couldn’t freely eat…. but yet he was rejected. 

Some of our churches are full and some are nearly empty.   A full church is no indication that people are following Jesus.  Some are curious about this religion stuff and some go because it is a habit that keeps family members happy.

Some go to church because it is a place where they have found acceptance and friendship, good values to teach the kids, kids clubs so they can go out, or their friends are there.

Some go to church, and due to their charisma and talent they find a place of importance and purpose.  We all want these things.  We can use Christian jargon and lead Bible studies, but it still doesn’t necessarily mean that God is our king.

When there is a wedding or a funeral the church is full again.  It’s a momentary glimpse at eternity, but no indication that Jesus is accepted as King.

The readings this week challenge us to this one thing; What will we do with our God given free will.  Will we serve Jesus as the King of our lives?

We have been freed from the eternal consequence of sin by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.  Have we accepted that gift?  And now that we are truly free, our free will is still respected and God loves us.  But…. Who will you serve as King?

Yes…., in my book, there is really only one correct answer yet I understand and respect that you might not make this choice and I won’t judge you for that….. But I do challenge you to consider the benefits and consequences, and to ask yourself if you can make Jesus the Lord of your life, God, your king?

Bob Dylan SERVE SOMEBODY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtIEYjNZgiU

Reflection for Pentecost 20th May 2018 Bring it on!

DAY OF PENTECOST Year B May 20, 2018

Acts 2:1-21 or Ezekiel 37:1-14  •  Psalm 104:24-34, 35b  •  Romans 8:22-27 or Acts 2:1-21  •  John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15

I’m inspired by the readings of Pentecost.  Into the humdrum of life emerges an explosive event.

Romans 8:22-23 “We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.”

Ah… there it is right there… You see, life is HARD.  Here on planet Earth there is a struggle – and it is not just a struggle for some random person, but also for those who have the first fruits of the Spirit.  The struggle is real!  Things on this planet are not the way the creator intended, and all of creation groans as if in labour pains as we long for a life that we sub-consciously, deep in our souls, know is meant to be something different and better.

There may be some Christians who will tell you that life is a breeze since they become a Christian.  Well God bless them and their little cotton socks, but for most of us who live in the real world, even though we’ve been given a vision and promise, we still struggle because things really are not how they could and should be…. Why do we think that Jesus gave us the “Our Father” as our prayer which states, “your kingdom come on Earth, as it is in Heaven” ?  Obviously, because how things are meant to be, as yet, are not.

On this day of Pentecost that prayer was answered in part. 

The followers of Christ were a frightened but hopeful bunch, gathered together and united in prayer and purpose.  Surprisingly, their meeting took an interesting and dramatic turn.  Partly, Heaven did come on Earth. 

There was the sound of a rushing wind and what appeared as tongues of fire settled above them and they began speaking in other languages…. It must have been quite a commotion because the visitors to the area heard them proclaiming and praising God in their native languages. 

Now there have been many a person to explain this event with varied and disagreeing views, however it is clear that something totally miraculous happened.  A scared group of people became courageous and somehow, not only did the listeners hear these people in their own language, but about 3000 of them were converted and joined them, confirming their conversion by baptism.

Truly this is a fulfilment of the prophecy of Ezekiel 37:4 - 5 “Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.””

The followers of Christ must have been worn out.  They had hope in Christ, but they had seen what the authorities do to those sent from God….. they crucified them.  The hope of Heaven on Earth was a very dry hope…  but on that day those dry bones truly lived, and hope was not just renewed, it was realized.

Much more I could say about all this, but here, I think, is the most important one for me today – the Kingdom of Heaven came and God’s will was done on Earth!  NOW, that Kingdom is still here.  It was brought about on that day by the Holy Spirit which was given to the believers.

The Holy Spirit is still given to believers.  Therefore the Kingdom of God is with the believers.  It is our job to nourish and not quench that Kingdom.  We pray that His Kingdom come, but more often than not, and our own will be done….  We control and neaten everything up.  We decide who is able to be “in” and who is “out”.  We make judgements and we hurt each other.

The Holy Spirit came on that day of Pentecost and didn’t hold a course or have  interviews.  3000 people were converted and joined!  It must have been chaos, and we need to remember that the Holy Spirit/ God is in charge.  Can we step back from our need to get all our theology correct and the same as each other, and just rejoice in the differences and colourful people that God calls into His family?  Because that is what Pentecost is about.

Acts 2:17-18 “'In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.  Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.”

Let go and let God take over.

People get ready 10th December 2017

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT Year B  December 10, 2017

Isaiah 40:1-11  •  Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13  •  2 Peter 3:8-15a   •  Mark 1:1-8

To set the scene for where we are at today I feel the need to sing…People Get READY

People get ready, there’s a train a comin’

You don’t need no baggage, you just get on board

All you need is faith, to hear the diesels hummin’

Don’t need no ticket, you just thank the Lord

I wonder how many people have heard these words and sung them without knowing the extent of Gospel meaning it contains.  IN the same way many enter this season of Advent getting prepared for all the physical demands of Christmas and with little or no thought about why we celebrate each year.   And THAT reason is ……  there’s a train a comin’…

I want you to imagine yourself, as a child, playing outside in the hot sun… getting grubby, hot and bothered… and fun times turn into squabbles as you get tired.  Then mum calls you in for dinner and you grumble and complain about what was going on in the playground, expecting mum to intervene, but instead she says, “There, there – It’s all over now… go wash up and get ready for dinner”.

Same scenario happens as adults.  We get involved in our lives and we play in the dirt of the world… it can be hard and rewarding, but sometimes just hard.  As we get tired we get into more squabbles as we try to make sense of it and of course – no one wins.  We long for words of comfort and for someone with a bigger view of things to tell us that it is time to rest from our troubles… “go wash up and get ready for dinner”.

THANK you for being here…. In this space in this sacred place.

The first piece of Good News for us all today is that it is time for that rest from our work and for us to be comforted.  We are the people of God, and our readings begin with a request to comfort God’s people….  Not once but twice …. “Comfort, O comfort my people”.

God wishes you to be comforted and to know that he has seen your hard times.  He also declares that the penalty for sin has been paid.  Time to rest.  Let go of the hurt and the struggle.

Have you rested, or are you still trying to justify yourself or working hard at being good enough? 

I stop and ask this because sometimes we find the Good News that we are forgiven and accepted by God unconditionally, hard to really believe.  We hear the message that Jesus paid for our sins, but do we really know this deep in our soul?   This is the first part of the message in our readings and you can only really be truly comforted if you understand this.  The Song tells us, “you don’t need no baggage…..”  You can put all those ifs and buts aside because God declares that your sins have been doubly paid.   So drop that baggage… the other baggage that we often carry is the things we do to try and be good enough for God…. You don’t need that baggage either….  All you need is faith, and to get on board.

There is NOTHING keeping us from the love of God – It is time to come in from the “Play ground”, listen to the words of comfort and get washed up for dinner.

The key phrase in both our Old Testament reading and in the New Testament is; PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD  - Just as we prepare for dinner by washing up, we find something similar in our Gospel reading.

John was a man in Jesus time, who hung out in the wilderness, wore strange clothes and ate strange food, and proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  You’d think people would avoid him….. but no, people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

Baptism was not foreign to these people, it was a ritual that was commonly used to signify a new path in life.  Baptism came from the practical practise of dipping fabrics in dye, permanently changing their colour, so the symbolic emersion in water for life changes made sense.  It makes sense for us too, if we recall the need to wash up in preparation for dinner.

John specifies that his baptism was one of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  It is vital, that in our preparing the way of the Lord, we need to let go of the things that come between us and God.  We can’t say we have faith in the life and work of Jesus Christ, but then be thinking that we are sinners who need to earn God’s acceptance.  Acceptance and love has been gifted to us… it would be like being given a priceless gift and then insisting on paying for it, but there is no way that we can ever afford it.  We need to, as the song says, have faith in Jesus and thank him for the gift and then “Get on board”… that is all. 

Each advent, the church remembers the fulfilment of prophecy in the coming of the messiah, Jesus, but we also recall that Jesus said he would come back again.  The prophetic request, to prepare the way of the Lord was a message for the people in the time of Isaiah, but it was also informing the people about the messenger who would prepare the way for the Messiah. 

 The New Testament Christians thought Jesus was a long time in returning, how much more so our current society?  Our second reading explains His delay by stating that, with God, one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. Today, the prophetic request, to Prepare the Way of the Lord, is in no way diminished, but requested of us as we wait for the second coming of Christ.

As the people of God’s church there is also a challenge and warning in these readings.  We should ponder why it was that lone figure in the wilderness that declared, “Prepare the way of the Lord”, and not the “Church” of John and Jesus time?  And this should cause us to pause and ponder, “Are we, as the church, in danger of failing to proclaim the message “prepare the way of the Lord” for Jesus second coming”? 

It isn’t that the Jews were not reading the scriptures that declared the coming of a promised Messiah, they did do this.  So what was different about John and why was his ministry so effective in comparison?    Those in the church of that time, didn’t really know if John was harmless or a heretic, but certainly while many Pharisees were hearers and proclaimers of the word of God, John the Baptist was also a “doer”   - He answered God’s specific call for his life…. His actions followed through, and it is our actions that tell people what we really do believe.

You may or may not know that I’m involved in Street Chaplaincy.  With this ministry we have very specific boundaries.  We do not ever proselytize.  Some churches think that we are not doing what God calls us to do because of this, but I love the quote and always tell people that we Preach the Gospel at all times…. And if we have to we use words. 

People come up to us on Chaplaincy and say, “I know why you do this… you do it because you are a Christian.” 

People hear the message of God in our actions, and while we are out there being the face of God on the streets, I ask you to pray that we never misrepresent God. 

If we keep our Christianity for Sunday and for our church friends, we are burying the talent that God has given us.  It is a safe thing to do, because stepping out can be scary, but remember the parable of the talents….  The one who buried his talent was certainly not rewarded for his caution.

St. John baptised in water.  The people understood that baptism was a conversion of heart and mind.  In the year 2017, I believe we need reminding of who and what we are.  

We are called to be the voice in the wilderness of society’s confusion, declaring “Here is your God”, but we are also those who need to PREPARE the way of the Lord by comforting by making known the Good News of salvation.  BUT we need to know it by heart ourselves. 

Just like the mother who embraces and comforts the child all grubby and cranky from the dealings in the playground, God comforts us with redemption.  Jesus has paid completely for us.  It is time to let go and wash up in preparation for that heavenly banquet.   We are washed clean by the shed blood of Jesus.

Water reminds us to prepare – it reminds us that we are clean. 

Water is all around us, but next time you pour yourself a refreshing cup of H2O, or wash your hands, I challenge you to remember your own baptism and that you are already completely washed clean and are the precious chosen child of God, called and gifted with eternal life.

People, it is time to get ready, there’s a train a comin’ – in fact it is here already, but a bigger one is coming.  You don’t need no baggage,  - get rid of the guilt and doubt – the stuff that weighs you down…. Christ set you free….you just get on board – enjoy the ride.

All you need is faith, to hear the diesels hummin’ - Don’t need no ticket, you just thank the Lord!

Care for a little stroll on the water ?

PROPER 14 (19) - Tenth Sunday after Pentecost - Year A - August 13, 2017

Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 and Psalm 105: 1-6, 16-22, 45b  • Romans 10:5-15  • Matthew 14:22-33


Last week our Old Testament readings were about the story of Jacob wrestling for a blessing.  This week we have the story of Joseph, the favourite son, being sold by his brothers into slavery.  

After last week’s reflection, someone asked me, “Do you feel blessed? – Are you wrestling God for a blessing?”  A couple of things about this; Jacob didn’t know he was wrestling God, but the result of his wrestling was the realization that the blessing of God was what he valued most.  Also, Jacob was already blessed and chosen.  This did not mean that all would be easy and life would be “charmed”.

Anytime there is a recorded interaction between God and humans, there was a great significance involved, but I think we’d all be quiet surprised to find how often the purpose of the interaction was to comfort a person who was about to, or who had endured times of great stress.  Jacob had many interactions with God in his journey and this prepared him for all that was to come, assuring him of God’s favour, yet did that mean that his favourite son would always be by his side?

I’m guessing that no matter how sure Jacob was of God’s blessing, if someone had asked him, “Do you feel blessed?” He would probably have punched them out.

Life is a sometimes cruel interaction between the blessing of God, the consequence of living in a fallen world and the free will of evil people. At least this is how I make sense of the bad things that happen when we know that God loves us.

Jacob’s first born, Reuben, had in mind to rescue Joseph.  Reuben was the first born, yet obviously scared of his brothers, and so her sort to convince them of a better way rather than stand up to them.  These were the brothers who destroyed a whole town because its king slept with their sister – they were not men to be trifled with and they needed to learn a thing or two about being broken before God.  And that would happen later on – God had it under control, but it sure didn’t look like it.

These were the favoured and promised people of God who were incredibly fallible.  In our New Testament reading we have the story that follows from last week’s feeding of the multitude.  The disciples leave in a boat but Jesus needs some alone time and stays behind.  Then he comes out to them walking on the water.

Matthew 14: 26-31 “But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid."
Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."
He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"”

I don’t believe anything that Jesus did was just because he could.  He had something to pass on to his disciples and to us.  The disciples declared him as the Son of God…. Just in case there was any doubt from the feeding of the multitude (insert sarcasm).

There is an important message from Jesus and it isn’t so much the “you of little faith,” part, But the “Do not be afraid,” part.
In all of this interaction there was good reason to be afraid and in the time to come there would be even more for the disciples to be afraid.

I can well imagine Jacob, on hearing of his son’s supposed death, calling out, “Lord, save me!”  I can imagine that he felt that God had deserted him and the blessing run dry.  I can imagine that Jacob felt he was sinking in sorrow and doubt.

But the good news about God is that His promise is greater than our failure and our doubt.

The reality of Peter’s situation suddenly presents itself with great force and he begins to sink.  He cries out to Jesus.  Jesus saves him.

We may be called to step out in faith, and walk on the waters of all kinds of trouble with our head held high and with unswerving faith in God – but even Saint Peter couldn’t keep that up for too long.  We might be brave for a while and then sink.  It is actually a reality of our humanity to be like this and to be overwhelmed by the actual reality of our situations.  We don’t necessarily feel the blessing of God that we know we should.  Will you condemn another Christian because they are honest about how they feel?

“Why do you doubt?”  - I don’t believe this was a scold, but more a question to reflect on.

When Jesus took Peter’s hand what he really did was that he physically and tangibly gave assistance.  That touch was the reminder that Peter had a friend in Jesus.  That physical touch brought him into a reality of comfort and assurance that was greater than the threat of the wind and waves around him.

When we see others in times of trouble, please don’t tell them that they need to have more faith.  That would be turning to focus on to judgment and failure…. In fact that would be to make those waves even bigger….

The author of the letter to the Romans was well acquainted with those who were judgemental and dealt with them by explaining the difference between the righteousness that comes from the law and from faith;

Romans 10:5-9 “Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that "the person who does these things will live by them."
But the righteousness that comes from faith says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) "or 'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).  But what does it say? "The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

You can have all the faith you want in a broken, brittle chair and it will still break when you sit on it.  But faith in God is not like a brittle chair and His blessing is a product of His grace.

Many people have criticized Peter, but he was the only one who even got out of the boat.  He had enough faith in Jesus to take a few steps…  He was extraordinary!

We need to be honest and reflect on what it is that makes us doubt.  We can learn much about ourselves this way and even possibly defeat some monsters.

Now…. Peter could have had all of the laws of God all in place and lived his life perfectly, but this would never be enough to stop the wind and waves.  In fact, the wind and waves didn’t stop – but that cry to Jesus to save him was all that Peter needed.

Free will is that thing that God respects.  In many ways, all of us are sinking.  The Good News is that Jesus has declared the way to God and salvation is open.  We can walk above the waves, (spiritually speaking) and all it takes is the recognition of who Jesus is and to cry out for him to save us.

What would you do to obtain a blessing?

Proper 13A/Ordinary 18A/Pentecost +9
August 6, 2017 

Life is a struggle.

Not only is life a struggle, but it seems that we can do our very best for years without seeing a great deal of success.  Then, sometimes there is an element of success but not in the ways that matter most to us. 

Our scripture readings for this week follow the highs and lows of this struggle.

Genesis 32:22 “The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.  He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had.  Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.”

There is an important background information that isn’t read, but which we need to understand about the readings.  Jacob was travelling after finally breaking free from his deceitful father-in-law who had kept him emotionally manipulated into working for him for 14 years, and now he was about to encounter Esau.  Esau was Jacob’s twin brother who he had deceived, to the extent that Esau had wanted to kill Jacob.  Jacob was indeed having a major emotional and spiritual struggle.

Years of striving, knowing that he was the recipient of God’s promise to Abraham.  Years of injustice regardless of the promise.  Was he mistaken about the promise, or at least was he to be punished forever for his sins?  Was the promise of God to pass him by and go to his sons… or somehow by pass his lineage altogether???  These would surely have been some of his wrestling thoughts.

What happens next is a mysterious physical wrestle with an even more mysterious man.  This wrestle goes all through the night.  Jacob does not give in and the mysterious man “touches” Jacob’s hip so that it is hurt.  Still Jacob refuses to let the man go until the man blesses Jacob.  This is when Jacob realizes that he was wrestling God.

Jacob, in his early years, had been thinking that he had a plan to scheme and manipulate his life so that everything worked out according to his plans.  We all do this.  But I have to admit that nothing makes me more cranky than someone telling me about how I should have a 5 year plan, etc..  plan, organize, work and achieve.  Well guess what?  God seems often to “touch our hips”, and interrupt those plans.

Jacob was a man who was a master at manipulating life to make it work for himself.  Even with the knowledge that God had chosen him, he continued to aim at manipulating for his advantage, but in the meantime he was taught some hard lessons by being the recipient of deception and manipulation.  He needed to know that ultimately God was in control, and so his hip was hurt.  The place where Jacob found himself alone was the ford of Jabbok.  He had sent over all his family, servants and possessions. The mean of “Jabbok” is “to empty itself”.  Jacob had used all that he had, all his security in life and had emptied himself of it – sent it ahead where all was at the mercy of his brother.  At this point all that was left was himself.  He knew he was in the presence of God in that land as he had previous encounters with the spiritual realm in that land, and he came before God, no longer trusting in his wealth or even his health to save him.  He was broken, yet he persisted.  Perhaps most importantly he asked for a blessing.

When we read our Gospel we find that Jesus has gone to be alone.   His desire is not fulfilled, as his alone time is invaded by 5000 men and these are accompanied by an unnumbered amount of women and children.   Talk about extremes!  Can you imagine this for yourself?  Maybe if you are a celebrity being followed by the Media and crowds, but for most of us this is incomprehensible.  I can only imagine how overwhelming this would be.

Jesus has compassion on the crowd and spends time with them.  As the day draws on the disciples realize these people need to be fed, and all they have is a few fish and loaves.  Jesus blesses these and the crowds are miraculously fed.  This is the extent to which a blessing from God can effect a situation.

It seems to me that we humans are naturally inclined to think a bit like a computer… “if this - then that”.   In this thinking, we ultimately plan to manipulate life such that we get our desired outcome.  This is all good and logical it but can be a major stumbling block and we see this referred to in our 2^nd reading from Romans 9:4-5 “They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.”

In this reading the author laments that so many of God’s chosen people reject him.  Jesus was often in trouble with the “church” people because he seemed to break God’s laws.  These people were zealous to earn God’s favour and they disciplined their lives such that they followed God’s laws, because in our “if this, then that” mentality, it would have to follow that they had God’s favour.  But so often we find ourselves like Jacob, faced with the consequences of our mistakes and lost.

The law of God actually became a stumbling block to the “church” people of Jesus time.  They put their faith in the system of earning God’s acceptance, and therefore they needed to empty themselves of all these “bargaining chips” before they would be able to accept the amazing blessing of God’s grace.

There is one thing that Jacob desired for all of his life, and that is the blessing of God.  In his early life he manipulated to obtain it, and if we are like the Pharisees of Jesus time, we will manipulate to obtain it also.  We will reason that if we do certain things we will earn God’s blessing.  While the desire for God’s blessing is admirable, the manipulation is not and it will be a stumbling block to receiving the blessing.  However, in every situation, those who came before God empty of every justification, these were blessed.

I believe that if we are open with God about how we feel, whether happy or sad, hurt or angry, then we become Israel also… we struggle with God and with God we receive blessings.  It is possible that the greatest moment of honesty in Jacob’s life was this one that we read in his wrestling.  He had fully understood the gravity of his situation in angering his brother, and the full extent and consequence of his manipulation.  In this moment of honesty with God is when the blessing is truly given.

For those in the time of Jesus, the people desiring a relationship with God, followed Jesus out to a remote place.  They made their comfort and food a secondary need compared to the richness of his blessing. 

What does it mean to us to have God’s blessing?  Do we have enough comfort that we don’t really care?  Are we like the Pharisees who say, “I keep the Sabbath holy, and all the commandments, therefore I earn God’s blessing”? 

To truly receive the blessing of God we need to come before him with nothing.  None of our past good, none of our peer accolades, none of our wealth and good deeds – but come before him in desperate knowledge that all else is amounts to nothing. In the very least it means we need to be honest and realize our need for him.

If nothing else, these readings should show us that the blessing of God is not a mere kind sentiment after a sneeze, but an exorbitant, extreme overflow of the goodness that God delights to bestow on his people.

In this moment of blessing, Jacob is called “Israel”.  He is given, not only the assurance of his life being spared from his brother, but he is given an amazing promise of destiny and marked as a great nation.  From a couple of fish and a few loaves, multitudes are fed with baskets full left over.  The blessing of God is an exorbitant and extreme. 

How much regard do we have for the blessing of God?

Through flood and fire and other tough times.

REFLECTION:  July 30, 2017 - Proper 12 / Ordinary 17 / Pentecost +8

Romans 8:36-37 “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered””.

So many that I know, have gone through and are going through, hardship and distress, some element of persecution and peril.  It is enormously testing to their faith and ours when we can seem to do nothing but watch helplessly.

I can’t speak for anyone else, but I myself have had many an argument with God about the situations.  I don’t understand it and I don’t like it and I don’t want it.

The early followers of Jesus decided that the truth that was found in Jesus Christ and the message of salvation, was of such value that they suffered these things and kept firm to the faith even to death.  In many cases the suffering was a direct consequence of accepting the salvation of Christ and the early Christians realized this.  We, on the other hand, have become somewhat removed from the fact that there are powers and principalities that rage against the people of God and so we find it a rude shock.

When we understand, and have a clear vision of where we are going and what is happening around us, we can push through hardships.

The first reading tells us of the story of Jacob who worked for Laban for seven years so that he could earn the right to marry Laban’s daughter Rachel.  And further on in the story we discover that Laban was not an easy man to work.  Laban was so deceptive that he even swapped the girl that Jacob was working for and gave Jacob the older sister Leah instead.

When we read the story, we are only getting the short version.  Jacob was obviously upset that the girl he loved was not his after the agreed 7 years.   And I’m guessing, that distress that we read, is by far an understatement.  We read “7 years” and think nothing of it, but a lot can happen in 7 years and then Jacob finds he has to work another 7 years to earn the girl he loves!  In the meantime he is looking after two women, who become jealous of each other, and he is kept continually frustrated in keeping peace with his underhanded, snake in the grass of a father-in-law, as well as trying to make a life for himself and family.

Jacob only wanted Rachel for his wife.  What he got was a whole lot of trouble, 2 wives, 2 hand maids and his wages changed over and over again.  Then later in life, that wife that he loved was taken from him, as she died in childbirth.  Then the firstborn son of that loved one was sold into Egypt (although he thought he’d been killed by a beast).  So much sorrow and hardship for one man.

Jacob persisted because he had a vision and a promise.  He worked hard and willingly, and suffered the injustices because he loved Rachel.  He also had previously had a divine dream of the ladder connecting heaven and earth with God at the top who spoke of promises for him and his family:

Genesis 28:13-15 “… “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.  Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

The hardship and those things that Jacob may have seen as problems to his own plan were actually used to bless Jacob.  Through having not one wife, but two, Jacob had an empire – the sons who would become the famous 12 tribes of Israel.

So here is the message for us; When hardships come, are we aware that there is more at play than what we can see?  Romans 8: 28 tells us “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”   And it goes on in Romans 8: 30 to say that those who God foreknew, he predestined, those predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Romans 8:31 “What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”

The problem for us is that we need to have the vision of God and the promises declared to us and we need to believe them.

We read in Matthew 13:44-46  “ “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.  “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.  When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”

Both of these parables tell of giving ALL for the treasure that is hidden to most, but revealed to the person.  How can we know that there is a promise personally for us, so that we can hold unswerving to the faith?

I have two suggestions to leave you with;

The Gospel reading ends by saying that Jesus was like a prophet in his home town, rejected and we read in Matthew 13:58 “And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.”   I’d like to suggest that it isn’t that somehow Jesus' ability was linked to their faith, but that they didn’t have the faith to ask him and therefore, not to impose his will on theirs, he was limited.

The message for us is to have the faith to ask and to seek.

The last suggestion is connected to the first.  We need to put ourselves in places where we can hear from God.  God does visit us on our journey, without our promptings, but when we are in times of distress and hardship we need to be connected to those who can remind us of his promises and enable our vision.

Connect with people who encourage and comfort by declaring the promises of God, such as these (some of my personal favourites) found in Romans 8: 38, 39 “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,

nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

And this bring to mind one of my very favourite original songs  - which seems like a good way to punctuate this reflection, Please have a listen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myf24t8cnsQ