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A bumper sticker told me, “Jesus is coming soon–and boy, is he mad!”  Do I really want to address Final Things this morning?  Perhaps we turn to the apocalypse as a hope for ultimate goodness (God) to prevail over the evil system/government/culture; these lessons MAY help articulate our angst.  Be careful:  we can easily blaspheme by ascribing human emotions and jealousies to God.  In back of all the wrath is an over-riding grace.

Zephaniah prophesied at the time of King Josiah (640-609 BC).  Unlike Amos of last week’s reading, this prophet doesn’t mention the poor and downtrodden, but rails against palace corruption and impure worship (1:12-18).  He saw the nation’s citizens as a Whole, condemning all who rest “on their dregs” (?) and who say in their hearts that God can’t hurt ME.  Soon will be the Dies irae, dies magna calamitatus et miserie.  Those who like to preach on social sins can expand this warning to today especially.  Lest you think that Zephaniah eliminates grace, read Chapter 3.  The entire oracle is only 3 chapters:  to prepare, why not read it all at one sitting, to get the flow?

Paul reminds the Thessalonians that “the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (I, 5:2).   The text is an admonition to stay on your toes, keeping awake and sober.  It implies that the Christian congregation should involve itself in acts of charity and compassion which demonstrate that God has all of daily history–even its final throes–well in hand.  The busy Thessalonians are also urged to keep an eye open as the Kingdom unfolds, in order not to be preoccupied by their worthy labors.  “For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. ”

Matthew’s story about the Distribution of the Talents/Treasure (25:14-30) could be a presentation about developing the gifts God has given.  I’ve done it.  But with these other two readings, it may be good to spin out what happens when the master returns and asks how things have developed.  There’s plenty of wrath when he finds out that Slave Number Three was so afraid that he hid his share without risk!    It flies against Divine Generosity and heavenly trust, and is rightly an offense.  Even though the master isn’t looking over our shoulder–don’t allegorize!–we’re still entrusted to nurture and possibly increase the gifts with which we’ve been blessed.

Lord knows that Hollywood has capitalized greatly on the idea of the destruction of the world!  Alas, too many other Christian groups have preached on the humanized wrath and vengeance of a jealous God.  My own first impulse is to shove all of this under the rug in order to celebrate only the seasonal harvests of farm ‘n’ field.  BUT these expressions of worry and fear are part of our Holy Writ, and should be addressed.  Be it known that the Day of the Lord is but one more Day of Creation, and should be seen as that which makes Perfect that which has already been called Good…

God Bless Us, Every One                           Horace Brown King

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

Here in New York state, in the mid-1800’s, there was a great interest in the Second Coming of Christ.  Various leaders created imaginative charts, using numerology and astrological tables, to pinpoint the exact hour of this Second Advent.   Some believers gave away their property and quit their jobs.  Advent Societies sprang up across the state, and some remain to this day!  “Inquiring minds want to know” all about the Future and consult charts, oracles and (too often) the Bible for proof of their own safety when the earth implodes.  This weekend’s scriptures concern  themselves  with OUR concern about the Ultimate Advent.

Amos, the “non-prophet” from Tekoa  (the south), tries to speak daily reality to those awful northerners (5:18-24).  “Alas for you who desire the day of the Lord!  Why do you want the day of the Lord?”  This would be the “Day of Terror, Day of Wrath” still part of the Mass.  This would be filled with evil powers chasing down the devout:  a lion from one direction, a bear from another–and even for those who pant against the doorframe of sanctuary,  a viper in the dark to offer the coup d’gras…  All these festivals, burnt offerings and anthems won’t help a bit, unless justice and righteousness prevail in abundance.  Our religiosity is so much fluff if our daily ethics are shallow.

Poor Paul unknowingly has added fuel to the Adventists worries (I Thessalonians 4:13-18).  He’s not trying to outline the mechanics of the Ultimate Coming (meeting the Lord in the air troubles my acrophobia) as he is to reassure those who’ve lost a loved one to death.  “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died.”  Bottom line:  there IS Life beyond our physical death–and Jesus has our backs.

Matthew’s Gospel (the Wise & Foolish Maidens, 25:1-13) brings some sticky questions:  do we allegorize this to mean the ultimate coming?  and why didn’t the prepared maidens share some of their oil?  and what are the cell-phone numbers of the foolish girls??  This is another of those Stay Alert stories of which Jesus was fond:  we don’t know when God is going to begin a new phase of history–so be ready.  The foolish maidens are chided because they either didn’t think that the Bridegroom could be “detained” or else they didn’t believe that he’d show at all.

And so, dear Church, put away all the reluctant show of devotion and walk the walk of justice & righteousness.  Death is a reality, but Jesus has even this under control.  And keep watching for God at work:  come quickly, Lord Jesus!  While we wait, life goes on…

God Bless Us, Every One                             Horace Brown King

My thoughts about scripture readings for the upcoming weekend can be found every Tuesday at this space on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com

By nature, I’m a peaceful guy.  Except for an adrenalin-laden  period in junior high, when I’d pop anything in sight, I’ve always walked away from a fight.  Sometimes, I run!  I’ve found it easier to live with the delusion of Peace than the reality of confrontation.  The scripture lessons we’ll soon address make me a bit uncomfortable:  not just in their proclamation, but in the realization that my tendency is to chicken-out when it’s my duty to speak out.  It’s important for the Church to hear these things.

The prophet Micah probably lived in the 7th century BC, and his oracle(s) seem directed to the Inner Circle of Judah.  He condemned the “prosperity prophets” who claimed a rosy outlook, while all the time the Assyrians were massing troops at the border (3:5-12).  Not only would the seers “be disgraced, and the diviners put to shame”,  but the prophet himself is now filled with power “to declare to Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin”.  His audience was the rulers and chiefs “who abhor justice and pervert all equity.”  Because of them will occur the ruination of Jerusalem.

Paul (for once) cuts to the chase in I Thessalonians 2:9-13:  “…when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers.”  The image here is not so much of empowered individuals speaking Truth, but an empowered CHURCH offering a spoken presence of God yet at work within a tarnished society.

The Gospel (Matthew 23:1-12) is once again describing Jesus’ confrontation of those folks who preached, but didn’t practice, holiness.  Although these teachings stand very nicely by themselves, when we see them in the context of a persistent challenge to Jerusalem between the Triumphal Entrance and the Crucifixion, they accumulate a great deal of weight.  Since the Pharisees and their scribes represent The Law, Jesus tells the people to follow what they SAY.   But their own style is to lay heavy burdens on others and to expect public honors for who they are.  As one who likes to make my fringes long and sit at the head table,  I confess my sense of entitlement.

One of the reasons that I have difficulty Speaking Truth to Power is the awareness that I AM power.  In some circles, my clerical collar gets me special treatment.  My bank-account embarrasses me by listing the paucity of my charitable giving while I live prosperously.  By accident of birth, I’m a white educated American now trying to establish other world-citizens on an equal footing.  I really need to hear this Godly Presence speaking through Micah, Paul, Jesus and the Church.  God’s prodding is still at work!

God Bless Us, Every One!                         Horace Brown King

My anticipations of readings for the upcoming weekend can be found every Tuesday at this spot on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com

It’s a word which often makes us uncomfortable.  Earthly understandings of  “holiness” come often in derogatory terms about prissy behavior and putting on airs.  This week’s scriptures explore Holiness as an attribute of God–and, by association, God’s People.  Main-line traditions include Holiness in their descriptions of God’s Presence:  John Wesley often spoke about “going on to perfection (holiness)”;  St. Bonaventure–and later Richard Rohr–have much to say about Benedictine spirituality which includes a sense of a Godly Presence within.  As opaque as the term seems,  worship aims to develop such a sense within each participant.

I’m always averse to the Book of Leviticus, with its dietary restrictions about pork and ostrich, and its instructions to stone your sassy children.  But this week’s reading (19:1-2, 15-18) leads us to a co-behavior with God:  “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy…”  Created in Divine Image, human beings are expected to reflect Godly interactions with all Creation!  Incorrect conduct is injurious to society, therefore the Creator is wounded.  Other ancient law codes emanated from the king, a human; Leviticus claims Divine authority.  “Loving your neighbor” is unique in that it is a Godly expectation.

We continue to explore St. Paul’s Letter to the Thessalonians, in a passage where he lifts himself as an example of Godly living even through tribulation (2:1-8).  “Even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts.”  As we wait to see what the Emerging Church looks like,  human watchers are constrained to keep an allegiance to the Glory of God Alone while various inquisitors hold their feet to the fire to extract confessions of loyalty to the several gods of materialism…

So which of the Rules should we concentrate on before the others?  There’re only TWO, says Jesus (Matthew 22:34-46):  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself”.  All goodness is covered by these, whatever the footnotes may indicate.  ‘Course, we’ve been debating for centuries what “love” implies; and we’re not gonna solve that now!  But how can we imagine Holiness?  What will our congregation, our whole town, look like if everyone who hears this makes a sincere effort to love God AND our neighbors?

This question arose (again) in our adult Sunday School discussion–and a fella wiser than I said that this can be done only with prayer and example.  He’s right:  our attempts at ethics & morality can bear fruit only by an infilling by God.  Please pray with me that God’s Love may yet help me re-value the unsavory around me and include Holiness within my imagination…

God Bless Us, Every One                         Horace Brown King

My angst about scripture readings for the upcoming weekend can be found every Tuesday at this spot on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com

I was about 9 years old when I learned that it’s dangerous to stand with one foot in the rowboat and the other on the dock.  The water at that point wasn’t deep, and I waded out–but there was much merriment in my family, and the occasion was recalled often with gales of laughter.  Talk about making a splash!  Scriptures to be heard this weekend may well resonate among those who’re trying to balance their Christian life & ethic with daily life in an ever-shrinking world.

Isaiah of Babylon begins us with a tribute to CYRUS of Persia (of all people!), considered to be more enlightened and progressive than other despots.  (45:1-7)  Isaiah says that the Lord and Cyrus are partners, and that Yahweh will show Cyrus “riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name….I am the Lord, and there is no other….I the Lord do all these things.”  So to whom do we pledge our allegiance?  Can’t carp about pagan Cyrus, ’cause he’s the guy that Yahweh has called to free the People.  Awkward, to be sure.

Paul conveys a similar idea to the new Christians in Thessalonia (1:1-10).  God has chosen them, the first outpost of Christianity in Europe, to be an example in Macedonia (to the north) and Achaia (to the south-west).  Evidently they’re learning to stand with one foot in the rowboat:  an awkward position, but one which the Church of that time is beginning to adopt.  As un-empowered as they are,  the Thessalonians are commended for their hospitality, charity and faithfulness in a pagan world.

“Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?”, ask the Pharisees and Herodians of  Jesus on our behalf  (Matthew 22:15-22).  We’ve struggled with this down the ages, and it certainly plays well in our immediate American scene.  The amazing answer is to “return to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s”!  Implied here is the concept that we have nothing except what the emperor has loaned us (schools, roads) and what God has loaned us (meaning, beauty & life itself).  Taxes, even when we disagree with the government?  How much shall we bend our morality to pledge allegiance to the flag?  Will we take a knee to God when the national anthem is played?

Ulrich Zwingli, a contemporary of Luther, felt so strongly that Scripture weighed more than secular patriotism in our behavioral stance that he created a theocracy in the city government of Zurich.  It didn’t work well:  citizens grew intolerant of any other thoughts or factions, and it eventually withered (a holy lesson, here).  Perhaps it’s good that we DO have an ongoing conflict about allegiance!  These readings should provoke serious conversation.

God Bless Us, Every One                      Horace Brown King

My meandering thoughts about Scripture for the upcoming weekend can be found every Tuesday at this spot on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com

Getting together for dinner is a tradition old as dirt!  No surprise, then, that Heaven/ the Kingdom of God is imaged often as a Great Banquet to which the spiritually-led are invited.  Teachers and preachers need to be extremely careful to avoid excluding  those still struggling with the God-life:  texts for this weekend could well be unfortunately divisive, especially in those traditions which gleefully proclaim that God loves them better than the rest of us imperfect sinners.

We begin with Isaiah’s psalm of God’s Justice (25:1-9).  As Jerusalem is being assailed by alien forces, the prophet dares speak of the feast which the Lord of Hosts prepares for all peoples, the finest food and wine.  As Yahweh has been in the past– a refuge to the poor and needy, a shelter from the storm and shade from burning heat –so shall the Lord destroy the shroud of the peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations, and will swallow up death forever.  “It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for [God], so that [God] might save us.”  Looks as though JOY is on the menu!

Paul’s final words to the Philippians (4:1-9) elaborate upon this Joy:  “do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”  This from a guy in prison, probably under a sentence of death, to a congregation where at least two of the women are sniping at each other…  So what side dishes can we pick from this menu?  Things that are true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing to God; “whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise…”  Nathan Eddy opines that “Joy is a discipline of perception, not an emotion dependent on circumstances….By per-ceiving and rejoicing in a living, unexpected presence in the world even in difficult situations, one let go of being one’s own savior.” (FEEDING on the WORD, A 4:161)

Matthew’s Gospel remembers Jesus’ parable of the Wedding Banquet, yet another of his final warnings to the Temple officers and rulers (22:1-14).  Walk gently here:  I think it’s about God’s invitation to the lowly-born as substitutes for those who shoulda known better but still diluted the faith.  Yet some will lift up a capricious king who willingly destroys those who won’t fit in; still others will crow that “I’m OK, bad as I am–and you’re not!”  The bottom line is that the banquet hall was filled with guests of a prodigiously generous king.  Is Joy on the menu?

One thread that runs through all these readings is that they all stemmed from crisis mode of the authors:  Isaiah of Jerusalem wrote of hopeful joy even as the enemy was at the gates; St. Paul wrote from imprisonment; and Jesus spoke realizing that he’d be dead within a few days.  I pray that in your own daily troubles that you also will have a Banquet to look forward to!  “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice!”

God Bless Us, Every One               Horace Brown King

My thoughts about Scriptures assigned to the upcoming weekend can be found every Tuesday at this spot on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com.

OK, now that we’re all back from our trip to the dictionary to look up the word “vintage”, we’ve found there a couple of definitions.  One involves classic Old Things, such as clothing and photos, restored cars and me.  But this week we’ll turn to the meaning of vintage as grapes, and their byproduct wine.  Vineyards and wine production were important parts of the ancient economy, especially in what’s now Israel.  Prophets made an analogy of vineyards representing the whole of Yahweh’s benevolence.  But does God expect results of God’s good planting?

Isaiah 5:1-7 is the famous Song of the Vineyard:  the “beloved” made a vineyard by clearing rubble and planting vines in the best growing conditions.  He fenced it against marauders and dug a wine vat.  BUT when harvest came, it yielded “wild” grapes:  “These grapes are good for nothing.  They are a grotesque mimicry of the fruit that the beloved expected: this crop mocks the efforts of God to bring forth fruit.”  (Carolyn J. Sharp, in FEASTING on the WORD,  A 4:125)  This is an internal problem: the hedge represents divine protection from the “rest of the World”.  Early proponents of Judaism’s “purity”  were said to build a fence around the Torah, in order to keep it from becoming infiltrated by rabbinic interpretations in the mishna and talmud.  God here swears to rip down the whole enterprise–“he expected justice, but saw bloodshed; righteousness, but heard a cry.”

Paul’s introspective letter to the Philippians continues his musings (3:4b-14).  He considers himself to have done everything right, from a Hebrew standpoint; but these virtues all become as rubbish contaminating and standing in the way of God’s expected harvest.  Paul regarded his life–and all Creation–as illuminated through Christ, and not because of his former correctness.  Here is a widening, a refinement of his understandings of God’s expectations.  He’s not arrived, yet, but he and Wesley are going on to Perfection, “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead”.   We won’t even allude to that bad joke that Paul’s “pressing on” has something to do with wine making!

Matthew reports (21:22-46) that Jesus recalled the Isaiah story of the Vineyard, but added in the human caretakers who became greedy:  they abused some servants and killed others, finally killing the Owner’s Son.  Not only did this speak of his own approaching crucifixion, it warned the Temple powers that they would be replaced for their carelessness and bad stewardship of the Torah/Vineyard.  Jesus is drawing his line within Judaism and not against the outsiders…and he similarly draws his line within the Church.  This brings it right home to my 2 a.m. insomnia–What does God expect of me?   of the Church of which I have some leadership??

For many years, Marie has wanted to grow grapes–but her vines have all met with some calamity.  But our current house now has places more hospitable to grapes, a warm corner of the high fence and the neighbor’s garage wall.  This year her three-year-old vine produced!  Smallish clusters, to be sure; but next year has the promise of even bigger, even more!  After long expectations, fruit at last!  Pray that these learning vintners may acquire knowledge and patience to treat them right…

God Bless Us, Every One                                   Horace Brown King

My thoughts about assigned Scripture for the upcoming weekend can be found every
Tuesday at this spot on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com

Each week I try to find a thread connecting the assigned lessons; this week was tough.  Perhaps the underlying message is the observation that humanity has an ongoing obsession with pushing the ethical & moral envelope.  As often happens, the last two or three verses in each reading contain the thrust of God’s direction–but don’t ignore the rest, there’s good advice in there!

Ezekiel’s bottom line is that those who have “committed iniquity” still have opportunity to turn away:  “Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die.” (18:28)  Is this about judgement or grace?  Yes.  No “sinners in the hands of an angry God” here:  Ezekiel continues to speak for the Lord, “I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God.  Turn, then, and live.” (v.32)

We’re not privy to the problems happening at Philippi which Paul addressed (2:1-13). He urges his readers to be “in full accord and of one mind.  Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.”  So there was evidently uncomfortable dissension, which happens when a bunch of humans rub elbows.  Can we co-exist?  Not without divine help: “for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for [God’s] good pleasure.”

Matthew’s account (21:23-32) is a matter of giving Jesus credentials.  Somewhat like Mayor Shinn in THE MUSIC MAN, the Temple keepers ask Jesus by whose authority he taught.  And this produced a give ‘n’ take about the authority of John the Baptizer, which Jesus used to deflect the officials.  Then comes an oblique parable about two sons:  one promised to work in the vineyard, but never showed; the other adamantly refused, but had second thoughts and went anyway.  Jesus accused the Temple folks of talkin’ the talk, but not walkin’ the walk…

These aren’t feel-good passages:  God’s messengers confront those who consider ourselves Holy People with the reminder that there’re still plenty of things in our lives that are broken.  BUT these things can be repaired; and it’s God’s good pleasure to turn these things around!  Makes my day a good bit brighter:  yours too?

God Bless Us, Every One                   Horace Brown King

My hopes & fears brought on by scripture passages assigned for the upcoming weekend can be found each Tuesday at this spot on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com

“NO FAIR!” complained the pint-sized guy trailing his big brother and me in our neighborhood games.  Seems that we older fellas weren’t playing by his rules–and I admit that we often pushed the envelope to discourage his participation.  Human- kind dotes on The Rules:  every culture and society has ’em.  What can we feel when God chooses to love us even when The Rules consign us to the flames?  Two great stories and an introspection give us a look beyond our own meager codes…

Jonah’s story is full of Grace:  most of us know well the tale of Jonah’s running from his missionary assignment, and how God provided a “great fish” to pluck him from a watery grave and give him a second chance.  But wait, there’s more!  Forgiven Jonah DID get to Ninevah and announced its imminent destruction, then waited at a safe distance for the fireworks.  But the citizens of Ninevah repented their blasphemous living, and God removed his threat.  Happy ending?  Not for Jonah, who pouted that his mission was in vain:  “I KNEW you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing.” (4:2)  So he built a hut to sit in (while waiting to die), and it was HOT!  God’s mercy caused a plant to grow up around the hut and bring a welcome shade.  Now a happy ending?  ‘Course not!  A cutworm came at night and destroyed the plant, and Jonah was angry again.  God said, “Look, you’re upset about the plant; don’t you think I should be upset about losing a city of 120,000?  I mean, Fair is Fair.”

Paul dares to be personal in his Letter to the Philippians (1:21-30).  Imprisoned—at Rome?–he feels that his life is done and worthless: “living is Christ and dying is gain”.  Jonah-like, Paul wishes to die and get out of his misery.  These are extreme feelings for an extreme situation.  Yet like the earth-worm that fell in love with a rubber band, he snapped out of it.  Remembering God’s works of steadfast love in life so far, he abandoned his own discomfort in the hopes of aiding others in theirs.  Fairness in God’s terms graciously exceeds human rules, thank heaven.

The second story is Jesus’ parable of the day-laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16).   You recall that the grower went to the labor-exchange square at various times of the day, even as the sun got lower.   The late-comers got paid the daily rate, so the all-day crew expected more.  But EVERYONE got the same daily rate, which was the original offer.  “Hey, that’s not fair!”  And the owner replied, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong;  did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?….I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you.”  Omigosh!  Does that mean that we’ll all be equal in Heaven?  Fairness in God’s terms graciously exceeds human rules…                                                                                                                                                             Many will tell you that I’m quite compulsive about playing by The Rules.  I’m uncom-fortable when plans change.  But our exploration of these passages encourages me (maybe you?) to make room in my constricted life for Grace to bend my perimeters to include the newly repentant and even those considering Life in the Kingdom.

God Bless Us, Every One                          Horace Brown King

My thoughts about Scripture passages assigned to the upcoming weekend can be found every Tuesday at this space on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com

My father-in-law, Carroll Neal, was the world’s most intense SORRY! player.  Most people try to get their tokens to the goal as quickly as possible; Dad would count his moves in order to land on someone else’s token–and gleefully shout “Sorry!” as he sent them home…  He wasn’t sorry a bit!  Scriptures for this weekend will look at God’s absolution when human patience is strained to the limit.

The lesson from Genesis remembers how Joseph–sold out by his brothers, but now the Viceroy of Egypt–met with these brothers to absolve them from their betrayal of long ago (Genesis 50:15-21).  “What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us…?  (And why wouldn’t he?)   I beg you, forgive the crime of your brothers…”  But pragmatic Joseph turned their former guilt into what God has done with it:  to save the Hebrews from famine “as [God] is doing today”.  After all these years, the family has been restored through this magnanimous gesture!  And they were genuinely sorry?

Paul exhorts his brothers and sisters in Rome not to condemn each other, especially about trivialities of custom and observance  (Romans 14:1-12).  “Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister?  Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister?  For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.”  Paul didn’t want to see the Christian community broken by insignificant differences, and taught that God alone would be the restorer, absolving “those people” when I myself have run out of pity.  “We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves.”  And so our liturgy affirms:  “In life, in death, in life beyond death, we are not alone.  Thanks be to God.”

Matthew’s Gospel (18:21-35) recalls Jesus’ parable about gracious absolution.  Seems that there  was a slave heavily in debt to the king, to the tune of ten thousand talents!  (I’m told that the budget to maintain the Greek Navy of antiquity was TWO talents!)  “So the slave fell on his knees before [the king], saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’  (Which of course he couldn’t)  And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the [huge] debt.”  Happy ending?  Community restored?  Not quite…  The forgiven slave found another slave who owed him some, not a lot of, money…and put the hammer on him until he could repay the little bit.  The king heard about it and gave over the Big Debtor to be tortured “until he would pay his entire debt.  So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

So how much can we take God’s mercy for granted?  God has given me much, despite my callous and habitual disrespect for Creation and Creature alike.  Can I continue to act up, trusting that Steadfast Love to absolve me?  I mean, if God loves to forgive, should I not give God lots to do?  Are there limits to Grace?  and if so, where are they?  As the song says, “Who’s Sorry Now?”

God Bless Us, Every One                       Horace Brown King

My musings upon Scripture readings for the upcoming weekend can be found every Tuesday at this spot on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com