Musings for Lent 2

Midweek Musings
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Second Sunday in Lent
Reflection by Pastor Macholz

INTRODUCTION
Though we sometimes doubt and often resist God's desire to protect and save us, our God persists. In holy baptism, God's people have been called and gathered into a God-initiated relationship that will endure. Lent provides the church with a time and a tradition in which to seek the face of the Lord again. Lent provides another occasion to behold the God of our salvation in the face of the Blessed One who "comes in the name of the Lord."

Prayer of the Day
God of the covenant, in the mystery of the cross you promise everlasting life to the world.
Gather all peoples into your arms, and shelter us with your mercy, that we may rejoice in the life we share in your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

First Reading Genesis 15:1–12, 17–18
God promises a childless and doubting Abram that he will have a son, that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars, and that the land of Canaan will be their inheritance. Abram's trust in God is sealed with a covenant-making ceremony, a sign of God's promise.

After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great." 2But Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3And Abram said, "You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir." 4But the word of the LORD came to him, "This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir." 5He brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your descendants be." 6And he believed the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness. 7Then he said to him, "I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess." 8But he said, "O Lord GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess it?" 9He said to him, "Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon." 10He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. 11And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. 12As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him. 17When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. 18On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates.

Psalm Psalm 27
In the day of trouble, God will give me shelter. (Ps. 27:5)
1The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom then | shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I | be afraid?
2When evildoers close in against me to de- | vour my flesh,
they, my foes and my enemies, will stum- | ble and fall.
3Though an army encamp against me, my heart | will not fear.
Though war rise up against me, my trust will | not be shaken.
4One thing I ask of the LORD; one | thing I seek;
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life; to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek God | in the temple.
5For in the day of trouble God will | give me shelter,
hide me in the hidden places of the sanctuary, and raise me high up- | on a rock.
6Even now my head is lifted up above my enemies | who surround me.
Therefore I will offer sacrifice in the sanctuary, sacrifices of rejoicing; I will sing and make music | to the LORD.
7Hear my voice, O LORD, | when I call;
have mercy on me and | answer me.
8My heart speaks your message— | "Seek my face."
Your face, O LORD, | I will seek.
9Hide not your face from me, turn not away from your ser- | vant in anger.
Cast me not away—you have been my helper; forsake me not, O God of | my salvation.
10Though my father and my moth- | er forsake me,
the LORD will | take me in.
11Teach me your | way, O LORD;
lead me on a level path, because of | my oppressors.
12Subject me not to the will | of my foes,
for they rise up against me, false witnesses | breathing violence.
13This I believe—that I will see the goodness | of the LORD
in the land | of the living!
14Wait for the LORD | and be strong.
Take heart and wait | for the LORD!


Second Reading Philippians 3:17—4:1
Although Paul's devotion to Christ has caused him to be persecuted, he does not regret the course he has taken. Writing from prison, he expresses confidence in a glorious future and encourages other Christians to follow in his footsteps.
Chapter 3
17Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. 18For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. 19Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. 20But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.
Chapter 4
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

Gospel Luke 13:31–35
Neither Herod's plotting nor Jerusalem's resistance to maternal love will deter Jesus from his sacrificial mission.

31At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you." 32He said to them, "Go and tell that fox for me, 'Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. 33Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.' 34Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

REFLECTION
When I encounter Abram in scripture I often tend to be too hard on him. After all, here’s a giant of the faith, a patriarch of Israel and one whose name quickly became know and remains know to this day by the three major faiths. He seems from time to time to whine a bit and maybe I’m too hard on him because he reminds me of me.

Yet, as I read again the section of Genesis assigned for this Sunday I gained a new respect for him all over again. Not once but twice in what appears to be fearless fashion, he confronts God on the reality in which he finds himself after God has made promises that Abram does not see fully realized. I admire someone who is able to stand up for what they believe is right and due them and I’m not sure I could have stood up to God as Abram did.

Why, when I was growing up I had such a fear of God I was afraid at times that God was going to strike me down for what I said or did or thought; not a healthy way to grow in the faith. Abram reminds me again that God is open to and in fact invites us into conversation, even if it is of a confrontational nature.

Lent seems to me to be such a time; to confront God in honesty and openness and engage in the conversations about our understanding of faith and life and God’s work in the world. I know that from time to time we all ask God what the heck God is doing and why and what for and while we don’t get answers we perhaps begin to see within ourselves the discernment we seek.

I encourage people to be honest and open and direct with me, do we think God asks for anything less? Abram is a good model, I want to grow up and be just like him (in some ways).

LET US PRAY
• For those seeking healing and hope
• For a way to find bipartisan support in Congress for those issues that affect the populace of this country
• For the leaders of this congregation, that they might be bold and visionary in their leading.
• For visitors to worship with us and for ourselves, that we might welcome them with open arms, hearts and minds
• That we might be open to growth and change in our ministry and lives

QUOTE
Faith is better understood as a verb than as a noun, as a process than as a possession. It is no-again-off-again rather than once-and-for-all. Faith is not being sure where you’re going but going anyway. A journey without maps. Tillich said that doubt isn’t the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith.