Musings for Pentecost 7

Sunday, July 15, 2012
Lectionary 15
Proper 10
Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

Midweek Musings

Reflection by Joshua Brown

INTRODUCTION
When Amos told what he saw when God held up the plumb line of justice next to Israel—that the poor were being trampled—he was a threat to the power of priests and king. John the Baptist also spoke truth to power, and Herod had him beheaded. In Herod's fear that Jesus is John returned from the dead, we may hear hope for the oppressed: that all the prophets killed through the ages are alive in Jesus. We are called to witness to justice in company with them.

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

O God, from you come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works. Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey your commandments; and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies,
may live in peace and quietness, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

First Reading

Amos 7:7–15

Amos was not the kind of prophet attached to temples or royal courts. Rather, he was an ordinary farmer from Judah (the southern kingdom) called by God to speak to Israel (the northern kingdom). God’s word of judgment through Amos conflicted with the king’s court prophet Amaziah, whom Amos encountered at Bethel.

⁷This is what he showed me: the LORD was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. ⁸And the LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the LORD said,
"See, I am setting a plumb line
in the midst of my people Israel;
I will never again pass them by;
⁹the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate,
and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste,
and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword."
¹⁰Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the very center of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. ¹¹For thus Amos has said,
'Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
and Israel must go into exile
away from his land.'"
¹²And Amaziah said to Amos, "O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there; ¹³but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom."
¹⁴Then Amos answered Amaziah, "I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, ¹⁵and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'

Psalm (ELW)

Psalm 85:8–13

I will listen to what the LORD God is saying. (Ps. 85:8)

⁸I will listen to what the LORD ^| God is saying;

for you speak peace to your faithful people

and to those who turn their ^| hearts to you.

⁹Truly, your salvation is very near to ^| those who fear you,

that your glory may dwell ^| in our land. R

¹⁰Steadfast love and faithfulness have ^| met together;

righteousness and peace have ^| kissed each other.

¹¹Faithfulness shall spring up ^| from the earth,

and righteousness shall look ^| down from heaven.

¹²The LORD will indeed ^| grant prosperity,

and our land will ^| yield its increase.

¹³Righteousness shall go be- ^| fore the LORD

and shall prepare for ^| God a pathway. R

Second Reading

Ephesians 1:3–14

In Jesus, all of God’s plans and purposes have been made known as heaven and earth are united in Christ. Through Jesus, we have been chosen as God’s children and have been promised eternal salvation.

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, ⁴just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. ⁵He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. ⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ⁸that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight ⁹he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, ¹⁰as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. ¹¹In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, ¹²so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. ¹³In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; ¹⁴this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.

Gospel

Mark 6:14–29

As Jesus and his disciples begin to attract attention, Mark recalls the story of John the Baptist’s martyrdom. Like John, Jesus and his disciples will also suffer at the hands of those opposed to the gospel of salvation.

¹⁴King Herod heard of it, for Jesus' name had become known. Some were saying, "John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him." ¹⁵But others said, "It is Elijah." And others said, "It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old." ¹⁶But when Herod heard of it, he said, "John, whom I beheaded, has been raised."
¹⁷For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because Herod had married her. ¹⁸For John had been telling Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." ¹⁹And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, ²⁰for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. ²¹But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. ²²When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it." ²³And he solemnly swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom." ²⁴She went out and said to her mother, "What should I ask for?" She replied, "The head of John the baptizer." ²⁵Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter." ²⁶The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. ²⁷Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, ²⁸brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

Reflection

For summer reading I’ve picked up George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, an epic fantasy series on which HBO has based the series Game of Thrones. The saga, set in a medieval land of kings, knights, queens and lords, unfolds like a tragic soap opera as brides are bought and sold to gain land or power, brother battles brother and infidelity abounds. Coincidently, as I read this week’s gospel, I experienced a parallel passage in Martin’s book. Like Mark’s accounting of the death of John the Baptist, a central character in Martin’s book suffers death by beheading because he chooses to speak the truth. He exposes the incestuous relationship between the powerful queen and her brother and the illegitimate claim their resulting offspring have on the throne. The concurrent reading of these passages caused me to reflect on the cost of speaking truth to power. Whether one seeks to maintain honor or demands repentance from immoral behavior, speaking the truth often extracts a very high price.

I empathized with the protagonist in Martin’s story because he sought to act honorably. I also desire to have the strength of John’s conviction to speak God’s truth regardless of the consequences. However, I know that I often choose the path taken by Herod or Martin’s evil queen. I hide God’s holy way in the corners of my life comforted by all I have made myself. I carry on perplexed and fearful of how taking God’s call seriously challenges me to change.

How many people really want to change? More often than not the easier path clings to status quo and ignores or perhaps beheads any challenge along the way. Yet even as people of God fight against God’s call and fear the price of speaking truth to power, God never gives up. Saint Paul reminds us that as God’s people we “were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.”

O God, open my mouth to speak your truth, open my ears to hear your call, open my mind to understand your way and open my heart to accept the love you have for all your people through your son Jesus Christ, Amen.

Quote:

“God loves you just the way you are. And God loves you too much to let you stay that way.” - Ellenita Zimmerman missionary, organist, choir director and church worker

If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair. – C.S. Lewis

Musings for Easter 3

Sunday, May 8, 2011
Third Sunday of Easter

Midweek Musings

Reflection by Joshua Brown

INTRODUCTION
Today's gospel begins with two disciples walking to Emmaus, overcome with sadness, loss, and disappointment. They had hoped Jesus, who was crucified, would be the one to redeem Israel! Yet the risen Christ walks with them, and then opens their eyes in the breaking of the bread. Each Sunday our hearts burn within us as the scriptures are proclaimed and Christ appears to us as bread is broken and wine is poured. The story of Emmaus becomes the pattern of our worship each Lord's day.

Julian of Norwich, renewer of the church, died around 1416
When she was about thirty years old, Julian (or Juliana) reported visions that she later compiled into a book, Sixteen Revelations of Divine Love, now a classic of medieval mysticism. The visions declared that love was the meaning of religious experience, provided by Christ who is love, for the purpose of love.

Victor the Moor, martyr, died 303 (TFF)
Also known as Victor Maurus, this native of the northwest African nation of Mauritania was a soldier in the Roman Praetorian Guard. Under the persecution of Maximian, Victor died for his faith at Milan.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

O God, your Son makes himself known to all his disciples in the breaking of bread. Open the eyes of our faith, that we may see him in his redeeming work, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

FIRST READING

Acts 2:14a, 36–41

Today's reading is the conclusion of Peter's sermon preached following the giving of the Holy Spirit to the apostles on the day of Pentecost. The center of his preaching is the bold declaration that God has made the crucified Jesus both Lord and Christ.

^14aBut Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, ³⁶Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified."
³⁷Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" ³⁸Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him." ⁴⁰And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." ⁴¹So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.

PSALM (ELW)

Psalm 116:1–4, 12–19

I will call on the name of the LORD. (Ps. 116:13)

¹I love the LORD, who has ^| heard my voice,

and listened to my ^| supplication,

²for the LORD has given ^| ear to me

whenev- ^| er I called.

³The cords of death entangled me; the anguish of the grave

^| came upon me;

I came to ^| grief and sorrow.

⁴Then I called upon the name ^| of the LORD:

"O LORD, I pray you, ^| save my life."

¹²How shall I re- ^| pay the LORD

for all the good things God has ^| done for me?

¹³I will lift the cup ^| of salvation

and call on the name ^| of the LORD.

¹⁴I will fulfill my vows ^| to the LORD

in the presence of ^| all God's people.

¹⁵Precious in your ^| sight, O LORD,

is the death ^| of your servants.

¹⁶O LORD, truly I ^| am your servant;

I am your servant, the child of your handmaid;

you have freed me ^| from my bonds.

¹⁷I will offer you the sacrifice ^| of thanksgiving

and call upon the name ^| of the LORD.

¹⁸I will fulfill my vows ^| to the LORD

in the presence of ^| all God's people,

¹⁹in the courts of ^| the LORD's house,

in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. ^| Hallelujah!

SECOND READING

1 Peter 1:17–23

The imagery of exile is used to help the readers of this letter understand that they are strangers in a strange land. Christians no longer belong to this age. Through the death of Christ we belong to God, so that our focus, faith, and hope are no longer on such things as silver or gold.

¹⁷If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. ¹⁸You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, ¹⁹but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. ²⁰He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. ²¹Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.
²²Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. ²³You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.

GOSPEL

Luke 24:13–35

The colorful story of Jesus’ appearance to two disciples on the road to Emmaus answers the question of how Jesus is to be recognized among us. Here, he is revealed through the scriptures and in the breaking of bread.

¹³Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁴and talking with each other about all these things that had happened.¹⁵While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, ¹⁶but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷And he said to them, "What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?" They stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?" ¹⁹He asked them, "What things?" They replied, "The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. ²¹But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. ²²Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, ²³and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. ²⁴Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him." ²⁵Then he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! ²⁶Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?" ²⁷Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.
²⁸As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. ²⁹But they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over." So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. ³¹Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. ³²They said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?" ³³That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. ³⁴They were saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!" ³⁵Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Reflection

And with this our good Lord said full blissfully: Lo, how that I loved thee, as if He had said: My darling, behold and see thy Lord, thy God that is thy Maker and thine endless joy, see what satisfying and bliss I have in thy salvation; and for my love rejoice with me. – Julian of Norwich, English mystic, ca. 1342 - ca. 1416

Parenting has revealed to me new understandings of God’s love for God’s people. Experiencing the satisfying bliss that comes with seeing my daughters accomplishments large and small has given me the slightest of glimpses into the joy filled relationship God desires with us. Though the act of parenting I more fully comprehend God’s deep desire for his children to rejoice with God for the gift of God’s love. My deep and unconditional love for my daughter reflects a small measure of God’s love for me.

God’s unfathomable love claimed us in baptism, forgave our sins and filled us with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Obedience to this truth alone frees us from the burden of sin in this world. Then we may live fully, rejoicing with God who purified our souls so that we may have genuine mutual love and love one another deeply from the heart.

With this deep felt love we go out to spread the Good News! Rejoice with God for the world’s salvation. For as Peter proclaimed, “the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.”

And I saw full surely that ere God made us He loved us;
which love was never slacked nor ever shall be.
And in this love He hath done all His works,
and in this love He hath made all things profitable to us,
and in this love our life is everlasting."
– Julian of Norwich

Loving tenderness abounds for all
from the darkest
to the most eminent one beyond the stars,

Exquisitely loving all
she bequeaths the kiss of peace
upon the ultimate King.

- Hildegard von Bingen, 1098 – 1179

Prayer Concerns

For all Mothers
That God may grant them a blissful satisfaction in the nurture of their children

For all Women
That God would protect them from domestic violence, sexual assault, exploitation and human trafficking

For your Church, O Lord
That it may continue to raise up women to lead the church and proclaim of God’s word

For our Mother Earth
That we may care for it as we would care for our own mothers

For victims of natural disasters
As a mother hen gather’s her chick, wrap them in wings of your love and compassion, O Lord

For an end to violence in our world
Help your people resist the path of hatred and destruction and feel the peace of Christ this Easter Season and at all times

QUOTE

O what a miracle is the presence of the divine heart
which foretold all creation.

With God's gaze upon the face of man,
whom He formed,
He saw His entire works,
reflected in that same human form.

O what a miracle is this inspiration
by which humanity was awakened

- Hildegard von Bingen

Musings for Second Sunday after Epiphany

Sunday, January 16, 2011
Second Sunday after Epiphany / Lectionary 2

Midweek Musings

Reflection by Joshua Brown

INTRODUCTION
Today's gospel opens with further reflection on Jesus' baptism. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and the one anointed by the Spirit. In the liturgy we come and see Christ revealed among us in word and meal. We go forth to invite others to come and worship the Holy One, and to receive the gifts of grace and peace made known among us.

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

Holy God, our strength and our redeemer, by your Spirit hold us forever, that through your grace we may worship you and faithfully serve you, follow you and joyfully find you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

First Reading

Isaiah 49:1–7

Here the servant Israel speaks for herself and acknowledges herself as God's secret weapon. Called before her birth like Jeremiah and John the Baptist, the servant is not only to restore Israel itself. The servant's ultimate assignment is to bring news of God's victory to the ends of the earth. God in faithfulness has chosen Israel for this task.

Listen to me, O coastlands,
pay attention, you peoples from far away!
The LORD called me before I was born,
while I was in my mother's womb he named me.
²He made my mouth like a sharp sword,
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow,
in his quiver he hid me away.
³And he said to me, "You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified."
⁴But I said, "I have labored in vain,
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my cause is with the LORD,
and my reward with my God."
⁵And now the LORD says,
who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honored in the sight of the LORD,
and my God has become my strength —
⁶he says,
"It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."
⁷Thus says the LORD,
the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations,
the slave of rulers,
"Kings shall see and stand up,
princes, and they shall prostrate themselves,
because of the LORD, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."

Psalm (ELW)

Psalm 40:1–11

I love to do your will, O my God. (Ps. 40:8)

¹I waited patiently up- ^| on the LORD,

who stooped to me and ^| heard my cry.

²The LORD lifted me out of the desolate pit, out of the ^| miry clay,

and set my feet upon a high cliff, making my ^| footing sure.

³The LORD put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise ^| to our God;

many shall see, and stand in awe, and put their trust ^| in the LORD.

⁴Happy are they who trust ^| in the LORD!

They do not turn to enemies or to those who ^| follow lies.

⁵Great are the wonders you have done, O LORD my God! In your plans for us, none can be com- ^| pared with you!

Oh, that I could make them known and tell them! But they are more than ^| I can count.

⁶Sacrifice and offering you do ^| not desire;

you have opened my ears: burnt-offering and sin-offering you have ^| not required.

⁷And so I said, "Here I ^| am; I come.

In the scroll of the book it is writ- ^| ten of me:

⁸'I love to do your will, ^| O my God;

your law is ^| deep within me.'"

⁹I proclaimed righteousness in the ^| great assembly;

I have not restrained my lips, O ^| LORD, you know.

¹⁰I have not hidden your righteousness in my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and ^| your deliverance;

I have not concealed your steadfast love and truth from the ^| great assembly.

¹¹You are the LORD; do not withhold your compas- ^| sion from me;

may your steadfast love and your truth continually ^| keep me safe.

Second Reading

1 Corinthians 1:1–9

Though God's church in Corinth is a fractious congregation beset with many conflicts, Paul opens this letter by spotlighting the multiple ways God has enriched and sustained its life as part of the divine call into the fellowship of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
²To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
⁴I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, ⁵for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind — ⁶just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you — ⁷so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁸He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Gospel

John 1:29–42

John the Baptist's witness to Jesus initiates a chain of testimony as his disciples begin to share with others what they have found.

²⁹The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.' ³¹I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel." ³²And John testified, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. ³³I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' ³⁴And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God."
³⁵The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, ³⁶and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" ³⁷The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. ³⁸When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?" ³⁹He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. ⁴⁰One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. ⁴¹He first found his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed). ⁴²He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter).

Reflection

“Turn on your listening ears.” That sentence get a large quantity of air time at our house along with its kin , “Look at what you’re doing,” “See what you’ve been missing,” and “Pay attention to where you’re going.” I use these phrases as early warning signals when I want my nearly 3 year old daughter to make full use of the senses God gave her and focus on the matter before her.

Through out Advent the prophet Isaiah provided a number of early warning signals reminding us to “Keep Watch,” “Stay Awake” and “Be Ready” for the arrival of new king. But now this king has come and we have put away the lights and wreaths and manger scenes have our senses already dulled as we slip back into a day to day rhythm?

Though Christ has come, Isaiah remains, shouting to all who would listen “Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away!” And we need Isaiah urgent fervor breaking through the complacency that make us deaf to God’s word and blind to the needs of Gods people. The narrowness of our individual world views so blinds us to seeing Christ that we need John the Baptist to plainly point Christ out and say “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

My daughter need reminders to pay attention to all here senses because the world holds a plethora of distractions for a three year old. I need reminders from prophets like Isaiah and John to help break through the deafening and blinding distractions of this world so that I can see and hear a gracious God manifest in flesh through Jesus Christ. O Lord, thank you for the prophets who remind us to live with eyes and ears open in order to fully behold your goodness and grace.

Prayers

· For the healing of bodies, minds and souls of those affected by violence

· For the openness of eyes to see Christ’s work and ears to hear his message

· For the healing of divisions within the church

· For the continued struggle to end discrimination and oppression both at home and abroad

Quote

“A blind man knows he cannot see, and is glad to be led, though it be by a dog; but he that is blind in his understanding, which is the worst blindness of all, believes he sees as the best, and scorns a guide” – Samuel Butler

“My words are a whisper, your deafness a shout” – Jethro Tull

Musings for Pentecost 18

September 26, 2010

Midweek Musings

Reflection by Joshua Brown

Facing the Truth

Why is it so hard to live simply and make life easier than it is? We face daily a complex world of our own making. We feel pushed and pulled by forces beyond our control. And when things feel

like they are out of our control, we often feel afraid. We become like the disciples in

the boat with Jesus. We are afraid that we are perishing, tossed about by the “wind and

the waves” in our lives.

Prayer of the Day

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son. Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred that infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and, through our struggle and confusion, work to accomplish your purposes on earth; so that, in your good time, every people and nation may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Lessons

Micah 6:6-8

⁶"With what shall I come before the LORD,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
⁷Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"
⁸He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?

Psalm 51:10-12

¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
¹¹Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.

1 Timothy 6:6-10

⁶Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; ⁷for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; ⁸but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. ⁹But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

Mark 4:37-41

³⁷A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. ³⁸But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" ³⁹He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. ⁴⁰He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" ⁴¹And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

Reflection

From the prophet Micah’s text two passages have become well known and beloved. Chapter four’s promise of peace and security as God’s arbitration causes nations to “beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks” and this passage from the sixth chapter that challenges the nation of Israel to meet God’s requirements.

In chapter 6 Micah has brought a lawsuit against the people of Israel on behalf of God. He calls on the no less than the mountains and foundations of the earth to serve as witnesses as he presents the case. The people of Israel have turned from God and God demands to know why they no longer remember the promises God has fulfilled.

This sets the scene for this passage beginning at verse 6. As many good lawyers and debaters do, Micah turns to hyperbolic rhetorical questions to make his point. Will it please the Lord if you offer a deluge of earthly riches? Would this God accept the sacrifice of that which you most value, say your children, as an atoning offering for your sins?

Of course we know that the answer to either question is no. Additionally, we know God radically changed the equation through Christ’s life, death and resurrection. God gave God’s first born son for our transgressions, the fruit of God’s body for the sins of our souls.

We cannot gain salvation through the sacrifice of earthly things to God. God has already sacrificed his beloved son Jesus Christ for our sins, a price beyond repayment. Yet we have no burden of indebtedness to God only an invitation to walk with the Lord. Because the humbling knowledge of God’s promise fulfilled overflows in our hearts we choose kindness and seek justice. We offer our earthly lives and worldly possessions not to win our own salvation but to reflect God’s abundant love for us with as much fullness and brightness as we can muster.

Prayer Concerns

• For our people and our world – Help us to release the burdening chains of consumption that threaten our physical and spiritual environments.
• For new Mothers and Fathers – As they welcome a new child may they experience a glimmer of the love God has for us
• For those who work for peace – Guide the hearts and minds of those working for a lasting peace in the Middle East
• For those who seek justice – Illumine the path to true justice for all those who serve in this nations courts

Quote

“We must bear in mind, that as soon as God condescends to enter into trial with men, the cause is decided; for it is no doubtful contention.” – John Calvin