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| From Lament to Strength Psalm 14 – Ephesians 3:14-21
We wake up with firm resolve to do better today than we did yesterday. We wake up thanking God for the day and trusting that things are in good hands - and then reality hits - and all things don’t seem to be in good hand; and life isn’t always easy; things do not always go well; and we are not always at our best. This morning we begin with a Psalm of lament and move to a prayer for strength. Truthfully, maybe that’s the way many days begin. Lamenting and worried about ourselves and the condition of the earth. We go to bed wondering what will be blown up in the morning, or whether there will be a world as we knew it. We wonder if can keep our faith in the face of overwhelming odds. Sometimes we wonder where God is or if God is even paying attention. And our hurried prayer is limited to “God help me!” Ps 14 instructs and encourages the lowly righteous ones in the face of prevalent and dominant wickedness. Things are not what they seem - what seems wise to the wicked is really foolish, and the apparent foolishness of depending on God is true wisdom. The Psalmist is concerned with the whole society. This is a lament by those who suffer because of the present state of things. It could be our lament as well. The opening words catch our attention: “Fools say in their hearts, ‘there is no God.’” The word for “fool” nabal does not mean silly or dumb but one who decides an issue on the basis of a wrong assumption - who makes a mistake about reality. The problem the psalmist is addressing is that people were acting as if they were not to be held accountable by God. They were preying on other people instead of seeking God and God’s way. The Tanakh translates this “their ways are corrupt and their deeds loathsome. There will be judgment, and for the righteous who endure, there will be restoration. While the Psalmist is speaking to the specific society and its behavior, it sounds very familiar. Writing in Paul‘s name, an apostle offers a prayer for those who are joining the church - a diverse crowd, mostly Gentiles that they may be strengthened in their inner lives with power through God’s Spirit. There is tension between these new people and the Jews who have claimed a faith in Jesus, who have been part of a worshipping community for a long time. They all need to find common ground. The prayer is imperative - that Christ will dwell in their hearts, and that they will be firmly rooted and alive, and grounded, that is set on the firm foundation of God‘s love. He prays that their knowledge of God‘s grace in Christ will be redemptive for them and a witness to others as they discern the path of obedient service in Christ’s name. They are called to be the church. The prayer is offer to those who need it most. The epistle to the Ephesians “sounds the note of celebration that the Lord of the church’s worship rules the entire universe and that in him God has a plan to embrace all the nations and all orders of existence.” At the same time, this letter faces the reality of evil which still presses upon human life, both personal and societal. - There are two truths: the cosmic victory is Christ’s, and ‘the church and the world are plagued by evil powers that must be resisted and overcome.” [Ralph Martin p.1] What were your first thoughts this morning - I mean even before you had your coffee and read the funnies? That it was Sunday and you could move a little slower; that church wasn’t until 10 and you could still have a good day free of work? - Or were you already burdened with responsibility from your job or anxiety about finances, or loved ones in difficult situations, or a world gone mad? Do we need a reality check and a reminder that there is a power beyond the Pentagon and paycheck that is life giving? Do we need to be reassured that our lives are not just so many hamster runs around a spinning wheel and there is purpose and hope, even when hidden? Do we need the assurance that God is, and that God loves us, and that counts for something. We began our time of worship this morning with a call to action in addressing the wrongful actions that have the Middle East boiling and hundreds of innocent people dying, and our government‘s lack of moral fiber in working for a peaceful solution. We believe that the lessons of scripture are to be learned and used and lived. If we are not the righteous poor we certainly have a responsibility to them, and to all who are oppressed.. Let us be very clear that God’s mandate is care for those who are marginalized or helpless or poor. James Forbes, noted preacher from New York says, “No one goes to heaven without a letter of recommendation from the poor.” There is more. We can tick off the problems facing the world today and know that we are being called to address the wrongs, and we are to pray for strength in our inner beings to make a difference. We, who are rooted and grounded in Christ know in some small part about the power of God’s transforming love. We, who invite Christ to dwell in our hearts, know what a difference it makes when good people refuse to remain silent in the face of evil. We have seen first one individual and then others join together to have their voices heard about civil rights for Blacks and Whites, for women and men, for gays and straights, about freedom to vote and be counted; about unjust labor practices; about the desecration of the earth; etc. etc. etc. And what if we haven’t done anything yet? What if we have been hanging back waiting to see how things go? Last week in western Maryland those of us on the Habitat team had the pleasure of meeting some of the families that had received houses - as well as those about to own their very first house. Across from me was a young family with three little people and one obviously on the way. The couple told me how wonderful it was to have their house and a new lease on life. When I asked how they had met and been provided with this opportunity they both glowed! Both had been married before and had very difficult lives. They knew the pain of failure and the power of an ungodly life lived on the edge. Both had been blessed with friends who helped them find a church and a community of faith and start over. The woman said, “I’m so glad there is a God of second chances.” I’m so glad there are second and third and
fourth chances to answer God’s call and claim the power offered
us according to God’s riches of glory. There is much to lament
for what has been - real evil and heartache. And there is much more
to be done by the power of God’s Spirit working in us. Look
around at the lack of clean water and air for too many people, the
dependence on non-renewable resources prompted by greed and self-serving
global interests; government which wants to tell us what to do with
our own bodies and whom to love and marry; preemptive war as a tool
of misguided leaders with arrogant agendas; gaps between people
of means and no means. There is much to do. It won’t be easy,
but love lies at the heart of God’s nature and purpose. Human
love and forbearance is the only response. It’s the grace
and power that comes from the indwelling spirit of Christ. The reality is that God is still on the side of the righteous and, by God’s grace, we would do well to place ourselves in that camp. The hope is that with the Spirit’s power and Christ in our hearts we can participate in God’s righteous plan. It is infinitely possible. Now to the One who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to God be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
You did not make us, O God, to die in bomb craters or to huddle through the night in basement shelters. You made us to play under olive trees and cedars and to sleep soundly with animal toys and gentle lovers. Lord have mercy. You did not make us, O God, to hold hostages for barter or to rain deadly fury on innocent children and beautiful coastlands. You made us, O God, to welcome strangers and to cherish all creation. Christ have mercy. You did not make us,, O God, to oppress in the name of security or to kill in the name of justice. You made us, O God, to find security in justice and to risk life in the name of peace. Lord have mercy. While leaders in Tel Aviv and Damascus, Tehran, Washington, and southern Lebanon pander to ancient fears, claim the mantle of righteous victim, and pursue their little empires in the name of gods of their own devising, the people of Lebanon and northern Israel are made captive to fear, true victims whose only advocate is YOU. Save us from self-justifying histories and from moral equations that excuse our folly. Search our hearts for our own complicity. Spare us from pious prayers that neglect the prophet’s angry cry. Let us speak a resounding “no” to this warring madness and thus unmake our ways of death, so that we may be made more and more into your image. Kyrie eleison. Kyrie eleison. Kyrie eleison. |
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