Looking Forward in Faith?

It will be quite a feat for the Chief of Cynics to write a blog about Faith! Perhaps God is speaking more to me than to you with these readings to be heard on Sunday. For the last several weeks, we’ve been exploring how the abundance of possessions can and often does separate the would-be disciple from the depths of God: wrapped up as we are with getting, we can put holiness on the back burner–“Even if there IS a God, he’ll never know what I’m doing.” So, fellow materialists, join with me in shuffling our feet when confronted by these prophetic words…

The beginning of ISAIAH of Jerusalem’s oracles (1:1, 10-20) is directed against the hometown crowd, as he identifies them as Sodom & Gomorrah. He speaks for God (“prophet: one who speaks for God”) and decries the offerings and incense, the cultic festivals and the fancy talk. “Trample my courts no more; bringing offerings is futile.” Then begins an ongoing list of the faithless evils God perceives: the lack of justice, the persecution of the oppressed, the exploitation of widows & orphans…doesn’t say anything yet about rockets & racism–or does he? The “attack is on the bizarre disconnect of people praising God while desecrating God’s commandment to love.” (Paul Simpson Duke, in FEASTING on the WORD, C 3:319) BUT no matter how badly you’ve screwed up, no matter how bloody your hands, “if you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.”

Moving on a bit to the Letter to the HEBREWS, 11:1-3, 8-16, we read what has come to be the working definition of Faith: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The disciple is willing to go forward believing in a holy promise of a homeland SOMEwhere. We hear again about Abraham and others who staked their lives that such a promise is true, even though they never saw it. Rainbows & bluebirds? What’s beyond our daily lives, if anything? Or is our homeland a state of Godly activity and daring to believe that God will fix a scarred Creation?

LUKE’s account (12:32-40) is another interruption of Jesus’ final trip to Jerusalem. Here is an opportunity to say again that God delights to give us the kingdom! But our treasures are to be ethical and spirit-filled, not measurable or accumulated. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” I need to confess that my spirit-life was much stronger when I had less junque to stand between me and God. The task, then, is to live as though a loving and generous God isn’t keeping score of our wrongs (heaven help us) but is providing all the treasure necessary for a wonderful life.

John Wesley is reported to have told his newer pastors, “preach faith until you have it”. Good advice–yet the further I go in ministry, the more elusive faith appears. In seminary we learned that “Faith is a response to Grace”: I believe what I can experience, just like Thomas. In the meantime, while waiting for signs, I’ll TRY to upold the downtrodden, to welcome the marginalized and to vote against those who’d desecrate Creation and its God. Perhaps a merciful God will overlook my questions and let me live anyway…

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

Every Tuesday I wrestle with what I believe are God’s words for Today and the upcoming weekend; come join me at horacebrownking.com