The
Lectionary selections for March 7, 2014 have two themes, threats and God’s
help. Psalm 35 is a scary account of
ways in which a man was subjected to bullying and hatred. Interspersed with his
anguish are his recurrent pleas to God for relief.
Ezekiel
cites a parable about adults having eaten sour grapes, thus setting their
children’s teeth on edge. Its meaning is unclear, but it is obliquely threatening.
Maybe that is why God admonished them to say it no more.
Christian
Philippians lived in a hostile milieu, surrounded by people opposed to the
church and to them. Paul tells the Philippians to stand firm, to rejoice in
God, that God is near, and God will protect them; not to worry.
John
quotes Jesus asking God the Father to protect his disciples, now that he (Jesus)
is no longer in the world. This passage evokes the divinity of Jesus, and
raises the expectation that God will protect the disciples and us.
The
psalms and Ezekiel were written circa 2700 years ago; the letters of Paul and
the Gospel of John over 2000 years ago. Yet the threats, anguish and imminence
of evil are with us right now.
Now,
as then, the remedy lies with faith in God. Not just any faith, but really
strong faith. In Psalm 37 and Ezekiel I perceived the presence of the Lord, but
wasn’t so sure that the Lord could do what was being asked. Paul and John
seemed to be sure; they had faith that Jesus/God would protect the Philippians
and the disciples.
The modern world is every bit as scary as the
worlds of 600 BC and 100 AD. Despite the reassurance of Paul and John, I remain
uneasy. But we have no choice. Faith is
faith, not science. Have faith in God, because there is no other way!
— Dudley Rochester
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