Too Close for Comfort

Everyone wants to see God, right? But not today. And not too close, lest we be called on to do something. Lessons to be read from Scripture on the upcoming weekend tell the stories of how God DOES appear, and what God DOES expect us to do… Are you ready? This may involve you…

We find JEREMIAH as a “boy”–whether young in years or young in faith–being instructed by God to be a prophet to the nations (1:4-10). Gulp! Who, me? But I don’t know what to say… God tells Jeremiah and us, “Don’t be afraid! I am with you to deliver you.” (Read the whole book to see how this works out.) Even the most idealistic of us find a new role, a new place, which can be scary. But we don’t choose God, God chooses US–and prepares us to live out the Holy Conviction within us. The reading concludes on a positive note: the prophet is to build and plant, as well as be disruptive to the power system.

The CORINTHIAN Church was a diverse and eclectic group, contending with one another as to whom the Spiritual Gifts were best seen. And so Paul wrote an insert to his letter (13:1-13) about loving and caring for each other. This love, this respect, is the best gift of all; and their actions need to show this acceptance. Love is patient and kind, bearing all things, and believing, hoping, and enduring. Sometimes being correct is a lesser virtue. Although very nice, the passage is not about romance, so don’t use it for your wedding!

LUKE’s gospel continues the story about Jesus in his hometown synagogue: in last week’s narrative, Jesus amazed them all by announcing his messiahship–and in 4:21-30, we read how his fellow citizens rose up against him and were going to throw him off the cliff! This God thing is very nice in a book someplace, but Not In My Backyard! No, keep God confined to a scroll, in antiquity, but don’t ask me to welcome him today! Besides, we know this guy: he helped build our house. Can it be that the Good News has come so close? And what does that mean for me??

Gerhard Tersteegen, in the early 1700’s, wrote “God calling yet! Shall I not hear? Earth’s pleasures shall I still hold dear? Shall life’s swift passing years all fly, and still my soul in slumber lie?” Well??

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

Come with us every Tuesday to wrestle with scripture passages to be shared on the upcoming weekend; at horacebrownking.com