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This won’t be my most popular blog:  we’re too rich!  Worse, we want even more!  The Greeks had a word for it:  PLEONEXIA.  (The desire for more, especially if it’s YOURS.)  Sounds like a medicine advertized on late TV, the ones with terrible disclaimers of sudden blindness, diarroeha or death.  Pleonexia could lead to all these things, and will, if given the chance.  So if you’re into the American Dream, don’t go to church this weekend…  These scriptures probably won’t comfort the afflicted, but they sure will afflict the comfortable!

There’s lots of imagery in Hosea 11:1-11–unresponsive children, raging swords, exiles to Assyria & Egypt, a roaring lion and trembling birds–all held in the hands of a loving Parent who can’t bear the thought of abandoning Israel.  Even though “My people are bent on turning away from me”.  The prophet is cajoling the NATION, not just the individuals therein.  Smart nations could hear this as a warning and turn from their devotion to the Baal of Materialism.   Even though YHWH is depicted as an old softy, history tells us that Israel was overrun and “lost” in 721 BC.

The Letter to the Colossian Church includes this weekend’s reading, 3:1-11.  And there v. 5 jumps out at me:  “Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry)”.  Most translations agree that these ALL are idolatry, i.e., they deflect worship from Christ to the gods of Today.  These things are un-Godly because they yearn for things which belong to others:  money, prestige, spouses, fancy cars & yachts–surface distractions and empty, ultimately boring, accumulations.

Jesus cautioned against materialism in Luke 12:13-21:  “Take care!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”  Then he told a parable about the farmer who exulted over his abundance:  “You fool!  This very night your life is being demanded of you.  And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?”  Yet we persist in hoarding stuff, small potatoes when seen against the resources of holiness.

O my country!  When will you wake up?  Or is it impossible for the Nations of This World to approximate the Kingdom of God?

God Bless Us, Every One.                     Horace Brown King

My wrestles with scripture lessons for the upcoming weekend can be found every Tuesday at this spot on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com

Many years ago, in the black ‘n’ white era, I saw a movie called “491” about a group-home for socially maladjusted teens.  Whatever pranks they pulled on their adult counselor, he forgave them.  Again and again.  Their big goal that bonded them was to come up with an affront he couldn’t forgive, and their mischief grew more and more malicious.  The final straw was when they set fire to his library, an act he just couldn’t overlook– “seventy times seven plus one”.  It all ended badly.  Lectionary passages for this weekend address the idea of forgiveness–and BEING forgiven.  Am I ever too naughty for God’s mercy?

The Old Testament, Hosea 1:2-10, tells how God directed the prophet to marry a prostitute.  She continued in The Life, evidently, and bore three children, probably none of which were biologically  Hosea’s.  It’s a timeless  allegory, of course, picturing how God feels when Israel runs off to other lovers.  The covenant has been broken by the nation’s unfaithfulness, and God has been dishonored. Israel’s lovers are other gods, as are our own:  material gain, intimidation of world powers, injustice against the poor…  God, as a cuckold husband, is both angry yet longing for reconciliation.

Colossians 2:6-19 deals with God’s deliverance of humanity through the intercession of Christ, especially as seen in the crucifixion.  I especially am drawn to v. 13: “And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh [rejection of their role as Chosen People], God made you alive together with [Jesus], when he forgave us all our trespasses…”   Here Christ is presented not as a governor of our temptations and failures, but as redeemer of our slips.  Nevertheless, some will cling onto their old sins and categorize them:  Yosemite Sam arrives in Hell and the Devil gleefully says, “My!  You HAVE been a bad boy, haven’t you?!”

The Gospel, Luke 11:1-13, is certainly about prayer:  our boldness and assurance in our asking, plus the model prayer which Jesus gave us.  Verses 11 to 13 add to our understanding that it’s OK to approach God with our hungers:  like a good parent, God will give even the Holy Spirit to those who ask.  Douglas John Hall writes in FEASTING on the WORD, “The object of prayer…is not so much to LOSE oneself in the contemplation of the Divine as to FIND oneself  [there]. (C 3:290)  Forgiveness is a matter of moving on, not wallowing in the shadows of yesterday, but dancing in the sunlight of today!

A good bit of the contemporary malaise is because so few recognize that God is in the restoration business.  Many, even good churchgoers, feel that their sin is so enormous that God can’t possibly take them back.  My dream is that these people– all people–will ascribe the unreasonable to God, will accept God’s mercy.

God Bless Us, Every One                                    Horace Brown King

My encounter with lessons to be read on the upcoming weekend can be found every Tuesday at this space on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com

I hate to make choices.  Large menus throw me into states of despair.  I remember that Mom would say, “Take what they give you–and be glad you got it!”  Shopping is out, for me:  compare prices?  Check ingredients? Nah!!  So this weekend’s scriptures are a reminder to fellow settlers that there IS a Better Part for all, not just the rich and privileged.  Listen up, Mom.

Amos, enigmatic non-prophet from the South, says some harsh stuff to the complacency of the North (8:1-12).  He’s addressing crooked merchants and all who profit from ripping off their customers–and others of us who collect our toys and polish our trophies while the world around us cries out for help.  “I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation…”  The ensuing famine of divine instruction will wilt down the nation into a mob of seekers, willing to follow any old direction.  The “pride of Jacob” refers to the national arrogance which says, “We can do as we please, God’ll never know!”   Amos is a man for all seasons:  can America still choose?  More directly, can I?

The text from the Colossian Letter (1:15-28) has a year’s worth of spiritual commentary, beginning with a Christology which will curl the hair of our non-Creedal friends.  For today, I especially like vv.21-22, “And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his fleshly body…”  The choice is still open?  Wm. Barclay opines, “So Jesus Christ is the guiding spirit of the Church; it is at his bidding that the Church must live and move.  Without him, the Church cannot think the truth, cannot act correctly, cannot decide its direction.”   (THE NEW DAILY STUDY BIBLE, p.140)  Evidently there’s still opportunity to choose between the prevalent evil and becoming “saints in the light”.

What can we glean from the familiar Mary-Martha story, Luke 10:38-42?  Martha’s hospitality obsession is to be commended; yet Mary seized the present virtue, which Jesus described as “the better part”.  Some will project this dichotomy onto those  “worried and distracted” congregations whose perpetual motion leaves very little space for actually listening to Jesus.  Today’s choice is to give Jesus our undivided attention, which is very difficult in our 24/7 world.

Maybe this thing about choosing means that I’ve gotta THINK, always painful at this advanced state of life.   Life was easier when Somebody said, “Here it is, take it or leave it”.  Alas, now that I’ve reached the boundary of the Land of Discernment, I can never return again.  With God’s help, I can choose the Better Part.  Only with God’s help.

God Bless Us Every One                             Horace Brown King

My encounter with scripture passages assigned to the upcoming weekend can be found every Tuesday at this spot on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com

I was lucky as a little boy to have two fine next-door neighbors.  Sterle Drake was a man of the soil:  never employed, yet had a huge garden and puttered about the property.  The Drake’s owned a Jersey cow named Dorothy, and raised a succession of goats, calves & pigs–and ducks & chickens, too.  Mr. Drake smoked a green-yellow stemmed pipe, which matched his teeth; he rarely shaved and sometimes he wasn’t available for my visits as he was “sleeping it off”.  George Davidson lived on the other side, and would let me “help” him roof his porch or extend his garage.  Both these men seemed to encourage my company, and listened well to my dreams and plans.  They also reprimanded me, when necessary, and gave me life-orientation for my journey.  I often look back on their care with thanks!   Those who sit in church pews this weekend will celebrate neighborly care from unexpected sources, and will be encouraged to see holy things in their neighbors.

Amos didn’t consider himself a prophet, but was a shepherd from Tekoa, a village of Judah (Southern Kingdom).  God called him to go to Bethel, the “King’s Chapel”, the holiest place in Israel (Northern Kingdom), and to announce that unless the people straightened up their injustices and crooked immorality, all sorts of calamity would fall on them.  “See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel…” (Amos 7:8) Built on visions, Amos’ prophecy referred at least four times to “What God showed me”, or “what God has caused me to see”.  The message of this”alien” was not well received–yet it was the observation of God sent through the guy next door.

When Paul wrote to the Colossians (1:1-14), he also was a foreigner tapped by God to bring a holy message.  “… we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may live lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.”  These Children of God also needed neighborly affirmations and corrections on their path.

The Gospel tells the famous story of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37.  Modern usage has glorified the word “Samaritan”, but in Jesus’ time it indicated a thoroughly repugnant and vilified society.  Teaching in hyperbole, Jesus contrasted the non-action of the Good Guys to the immediate care given by this (ugh!) Samaritan.  Once again the fella from the other side of the fence came through, much to the grudging astonishment of the Establishment.  “Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”  The scribe replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”  Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”  On his way to Death, Jesus brought a message of Life…

These three readings help us to see more clearly that God often comes to us in the guise of a stranger.  Are there those nearby who surprise us from time to time with their insight and compassion?  Even warnings of impending crises can be seen as Grace; perhaps we can yet adjust our course away from the rocks.  God evidently provides Gents Next Door so that we’re not left to our own devices…

God Bless Us, Every One                                 Horace Brown King

My encounter with scripture assigned to the upcoming  weekend can be found every Tuesday at this spot on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com

I gotta admit that I feel very overwhelmed by the weight of the world.  There are so many BIG problems that bring my despair:  climate change; materialism; might-makes-right; me-first at any cost…  I mean, what can I do?–I’m little and powerless.  Scripture readings for the upcoming weekend celebrate the unknown folks who were in a position to speak up–and they DID!  We know only a few of them by name, and they appeared but once and moved on…BUT they were integral to the God-story.  This service is dedicated to those others who may feel inconsequential.

The story of  Naaman the Aramean general (II Kings 5:1-14) is loaded with good stuff: the expectations of Naaman, the paranoia of the king of Israel, the ultimate obedience of washing in the Jordan.  And, of course, God’s rich providence for even those “beyond the boundary”.  But who is this unnamed slave-girl who set the whole process into motion?  Who was the Prophet’s messenger?  and who were Naaman’s assistants who finally convinced him to give it a try?  God uses everyday people, even “aliens”, to introduce holy activity.

Paul urges the Christians of Galatia (6:1-16) to take care of the wounded with gentleness.  “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”  Annie Vallotin, the Swiss artist who illustrated the American Bible Society’s TEV, has a remarkable drawing of a line of unnamed people–kids, seniors, men & women–all reaching forward to help hold the baggage of the one preceding.  These folks are all carrying heavy stuff, but they’re all going in the same direction.  How many generations of unknown saints are in this line?

Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, but on his way he would be stopping at many villages.  In Luke 10 we read of how he sent 70 or 72 anonymous disciples ahead of him to announce that the kingdom of God has come near.  There was a bit of urgency: the “harvest is plentiful”, so don’t get bogged down with possessions or idle chit-chat.  As with Naaman, God will provide for all their needs or afflictions.  Risky as the assignment was, Jesus was optimistic about its outcome:  the Lord of the Harvest would attend to the attending demons and the power of Evil.  We don’t know their names, but Eternity does.  Isn’t that better than a plaque or a memorial window?

Kenyatta R. Gilbert writes, “Through scripture’s unnamed actors, communal restoration comes in the form  of healing leprosy, soul rescue from formidable foes, gentleness and burden-bearing after transgression, and victory of
Satan and other principalities that block God’s mission to save not only Israel but the entire world.”  (SOJOURNERS, July 2019, p.49)  God bless the anonymous!

God Bless US, Every One                 Horace Brown King

My reactions to being struck by lectionary readings for the upcoming weekend can be found every Tuesday at this spot on Facebook;’ or at horacebrownking.com