Something Greater Out There

“…thou art no thy lane, in proving foresight may be vain; The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men Gang aft a-gley…”–Robbie Burns. “Murphy was an optimist”–my Mother. Ain’t it the truth? Just when we think we’ve got things figured out, a Greater Power comes along to change our minds and to tell us what’s REALLY going on. Scripture lessons for the upcoming weekend acknowledge this Greater Power, and remind us that the Spirit of God is always present…

We begin this Trinity Sunday with a reading from GENESIS 1:1-4, “…while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters…” Even in the earliest campfire tales, humans needed to speak of a Creative Force which organized chaos into creation. “Genesis looks into the heart of darkness and sees something beautiful and hopeful: a creative force, a hovering spirit, and a penetrating light that cannot be overcome.” (Carole A. Crumley, FEASTING on the WORD, A 3:28) This all-encompassing Wind blows over ALL, and existed ab origine.

We turn past Psalm 8–a most important piece of wisdom–to the very end of II CORINTHIANS, vv.13:11-13. The Church in Corinth floundered a bit from its diversity, and Paul’s team was trying to reclaim its centrality in Christ. The letter reminds the Corinthians that God perseveres in holiness, and that the Spirit (ONLY the Spirit?) is the author of communion/community. It’s almost as if the writer(s) said, “I’m outa here: but God is always present.”

The final words in MATTHEW, 28:16-20, are often called the Great Commission. Jesus is sending his troops into all the world–all nations now and yet to be–to show the markings of Grace which he has imparted. Importantly, he groups the Trinity into the Godhead, signifying that the Whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This commission seems an impossibility, of course, without full reliance on God and an admission that by ourselves we are nothing. There’s Something Greater out there.

Robert Louis Stevenson observes, “Who has seen the wind? Neither you nor I–but when the trees bow down their heads the wind is passing by.” I’m not gonna try to explain the mystery of the Trinity; I can’t, it’s a mystery! But I will try to allow the Wind of God to blow through my words in order that others may glimpse Divine Power.

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

PS–I have an excess of three Rose of Sharon bushes, if anyone is interested. The mother bush flowers in a sort of pink-lavender. Please ask!

You are invited to join us in exploring the Scriptures to be read on the upcoming weekend; every Tuesday, at horacebrownking.com