DEVOTIONS – PENTECOST – WEEK TWENTY-THREE – 2006

Sunday, November 12, 2006

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1

I remember with great clarity a moment from my childhood. I was in the car with my parents and we were talking about God. I asked a question that has probably crossed many of your minds: “If God created the heavens and the earth, who created God?” The answer had something to do with God being eternal, and so on. We all want to get behind the mask, and see that which is hidden. A different way of asking this question is this: “What was God doing before he created the heavens and the earth?” Martin Luther was asked this question, and he gave this response: “He was cutting switches with which to flog inquisitive questioners.” This is certainly a flippant answer, but Luther has a point. We simply don’t know what God was doing before creation, and we don’t know exactly what it means to say that God is eternal – that God always has been there and that no one needed to “make” him. This is in some ways unsatisfactory to our scientifically trained brains, because it means that God is different from anything else anywhere in the universe. But that’s why it’s such good news! We who are temporal, who live in the confines of space and time, who have a beginning and an end, would be lost if not for this one who is not contained by boundaries. We don’t know why or how God exists, and we don’t know what he was up to before he made the heavens and the earth. But in Jesus Christ we know that he loves us, and that seems good enough for me.

Monday, November 13, 2006

“At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book.” Daniel 12:1

We don’t often get to spend much time in the book of Daniel. It’s not read all that much in our lectionary cycle. But this Sunday we have a wonderful three-verse vignette from this apocalyptic work, so it would be worth our time to spend a few days reflecting upon these words. By way of introduction, the book is split into two main sections: chapters 1-6, which describe the experiences of Daniel and his fellow Israelites under the occupation of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, and chapter 7-12, which contain Daniel’s four apocalyptic visions. Although the setting is the 6th century, B.C., the book was written hundreds of years later, probably in 165, B.C. It’s interesting to note the while the writing of the book and the events it describes are centuries apart, the contexts are similar; the occupation of the Holy Land by Greek rulers. This history is important, because it points to a constant truth for God’s people: it is during the most difficult times that talk of the future becomes the most important. In our verses this week from Daniel (the last book of the Old Testament to be written), we find the first explicit talk of bodily resurrection in the Bible. Daniel and his friends knew great anguish, but they also began to understand God’s plans for his people – a future life that present difficulties cannot erase. As people of faith, we follow in Daniel’s footsteps, knowing that all times of anguish will give way to what will be found written in the book of life.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

“Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2

Daniel’s final vision continues today with a great image of the apocalyptic future. Specifically, Daniel foretells the resurrection of all people. He says that all those who sleep will be raised, but not to the same fate; some with rise to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. In theological terms, this is called “double resurrection,” because there are two different outcomes. In our day, talk of double resurrection has become a bit taboo. After all, doesn’t God love everyone? I recently visited someone in the hospital, and we started talking about reading the obituaries. The individual noted how obituaries often state that the deceased has “gone to heaven,” or “gone to be with the Lord.” To which the patient responded, “How do they know? He might have been a jerk.” It’s true that we need to remember that we don’t know God’s final plan for his people, and that there may indeed be shame and contempt awaiting some. But even more do we believe that in Christ, God is reconciling all people to himself. It is to this promise that we cling to the faith that believes without seeing; that tells us that we will be raised, and for Christ’s sake, declared holy.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

“Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” Daniel 12:3

Finishing up with our reading from Daniel, I think about what his name means. In Hebrew, Daniel literally means, “God is my judge.” Yesterday we said that God reserves final judgment on all people for himself. Whether or not this makes us uncomfortable is beside the point. Nor is this cause for concern; in Christ we cling to the promise. But today’s words give us pause. If God has reserved judgment for himself, then we are called to remember that it is not for us to try to discover how that judgment will go. It is not for us to poke around and try to see God’s future or the end of all things. It is for us, however, to shine like stars in the night right now, today, that all may behold and hear the words of grace that God longs to speak to all people. Judgment is part of God’s word; we are all judged, and we have all been found wanting. But God raises us up nonetheless, and sets us to be stars in the night sky. May we leave the judging to God, and simply shine his graceful light in the days that are given to us.

Thursday, November 16, 2006

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” James 1:27

Today the church around the world remembers Elizabeth of Thuringia, the 13th century Hungarian princess whose name you hear around Appleton, in the name of our local St. Elizabeth hospital. Growing up as royalty, Elizabeth had access to many worldly joys and possessions. But she chose to give most of it away. She gave large sums of money, including her dowry, for relief of the poor and sick. She founded two hospitals (and has had many more named for her), cared for orphans, and fed the hungry through the royal food supplies. Although she was supported by her, husband Louis, many at the court were unhappy with her “subversive” actions. When Louis died, she was driven from the court. This opened up more opportunities for Elizabeth, who joined a Franciscan order and continued her charitable work. Outside of court life, she became more involved in her work, often visiting the sick in her hospitals twice a day. Elizabeth only lived to be 24. Her work continues today in the hospitals named for her, where “pure and undefiled” religion takes place, as we continue to care for orphans and widows to the glory of our God.

Friday, November 17, 2006

“Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23

As most of you know, one of my favorite pastimes is canoeing. I seldom feel so centered and calm as I do when I’m on the water for a few days, enjoying God’s creation and the absence of everyday cares and concerns. But it would be foolish to think that canoeing is a benign experience; it can be quite dangerous. I remember working on my canoeing merit badge back at Boy Scout camp. We had to practice being dumped from our canoes, which can happen in whitewater (or when your partner is attempting to rile and surprise). The first rule, they told us, is to get a handle on the canoe. Obviously, part of this is to keep the canoe from floating away, but even more, it’s to alleviate the danger of you floating away! The first rule after falling out of a canoe is quite simply to find it and hold fast. In our walk through Hebrews, we’ve gone through a long discussion of what Christ has done for us. As our high priest, he has sacrificed himself that we may be worthy to stand before God. So what’s the first rule for believers? Hold fast to Christ, who has claimed you in baptism. We have fallen into the waters of God’s grace, and his first call to us is this: hold on.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

“I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” Psalm 16:8

Since it’s the school year, I have the Apostles’ Creed on my mind – that’s the unit I teach in our Confirmation program. Reading this verse, I recall the line from the creed, which tells us that when Jesus ascended into heaven, he was – and is – seated at the right hand of the Father. I tell my ninth-graders that this indicates that Jesus has been given a position of the greatest prominence. There is no better place to be seated than at the right hand of the host. What a surprise it is, then, to read today that the Lord chooses to be at our right hand. As people of Jesus, we can expect that his glory will be our own, that through his position God’s favor will fall upon even us. God goes even further: Rather than placing us on his side, God chooses to walk by our side. We keep him before us, but the Lord keeps choosing to walk by our side, to be with us on whatever road we travel. With a God like the, we will never be moved. May we always keep our eyes upon him.

Devotions - Year Three - Week Forty-three

Pastor Lyle