Bring on the wonder...

NOTE:  Here are my worship notes for Sunday, November 18th.  I am setting the stage - I hope - for both Christ the King Sunday and whole discipline of Advent.

Introduction

All around us people are getting ready for Christmas.  I know that we haven’t even eaten our Thanksgiving turkey, but preparations for Christmas are everywhere, right?  Now, I’m not against being prepared – and I’m certainly not against Christmas – in just a moment we’re going to do a little Advent preparation for ourselves.  It is just that when everyone and everything in a culture is moving down one path, I’ve often found it faithful to look in the opposite direction. 

+ Not that the majority is always wrong, mind you:  they’re not. We live in a majority rules world and just finished a winner take all election. 

+ But in the upside down spirituality of Christ Jesus, God’s kingdom is rarely embraced by a mainstream that tends to cherish the obvious and simplistic.

An old story from the Sufi world of Islam about Mullah Nasrudin puts it like this:  A man was walking home late one night when he saw the Mullah Nasrudin searching under a street light on his hands and knees for something on the ground. "Mullah, what have you lost?" he asked. "The key to my house," Nasrudin said.  "I'll help you look," the man said.

Soon, both men were down on their knees, looking for the key. After about 30 minutes had passed, the man asked, "Where exactly did you drop your keys, Mullah?" Nasrudin waved his arm back toward the darkness. "Over there, inside my house." Hearing this, the man jumped up and said: "Then why are you looking for them here?"  "Oh,” said the teacher, “because there is more light here than inside my house."

Often the obvious and simplistic path – the direction of the majority no matter how well lit – is not the way to prepare for the Lord’s coming into our lives.  That’s what I discern from the Biblical stories appointed for today about Hannah as well as the disciples:  they all are being trained to wait and watch and listen for the upside down way of God.  It is tough business, this waiting – exasperating and often filled with raw tears – as our sister in faith, Hannah, exposes in agonizing detail.  Like the disciples of Jesus, we too want answers – we want results – not apocalyptic poetry about the stones of the Temple and the end of time as we know it.

But let’s be clear:  God’s ways are not our ways.  The prophet Isaiah tells us that:  My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. The promise continues, of course, assuring us that just:  As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty…

But the challenge remains:

+ Can we learn to bend our desires to God’s will rather the chase after the majority rushing to the mall?

+ Can we be trained to embrace delayed gratification – watching and waiting, listening and trusting the Lord by faith like Hannah – rather than fretting and fussing and fighting with realities beyond our control?

+ Can we move closer to an Advent spirituality of quiet emptiness like the fallow fields rather than stuff ourselves full of distractions that rarely satisfy?

 Truth be told: I don’t know?  I know how hard it is for me to practice being still and knowing that God is God – and that’s my job!   What do you think?  Is it possible for us – not as a culture, that’s too big – but as people of this faith community to move closer to an Advent spirituality of watching and waiting, trusting and listening rather than demanding answers and trying to possess the Lord like we own God?  Any thoughts?

Insights

Christian tradition teaches that it will always be a struggle for us to embrace the path of acceptance rather than control.  It is not easy or simple and takes a life time to realize.  Perhaps that is why the Bible is filled with stories about real people trying to bend God’s will towards their own.  Today we have two examples:  in the Old Testament reading we hear about Hannah and in the Gospel lesson we learn a little about the on-going struggle between Jesus and the disciples. 

+ Both are offered up as a reminder that most of our lives are filled with experiences and truths that we cannot control – and we hate it.  I don’t think that hate is too strong a word:  we hate not being in control. 

+ Hannah hated the way her body worked; she hated the fact that her culture offered her security and worth only if she could give birth to a child – preferably a male child.  She hated that her husband was so dense and naïve.  She hated the fact that as the second trophy wife she could not deliver the way the majority demanded.  She hated that the priest, Eli, thought she was drunk and unruly.  She hated waiting and watching.  She hated her tears and her fears.

+ And the male disciples in the time of Jesus were no different:  they wanted to know the hour Jesus was going to take charge and put them on the top of the heap rather than the bottom.   They wanted to know just when the Lord was going to upset the status quo so that they could become the 1%.  And when they were told it was NOT for them to know the hour of the Lord – and it was NOT for them to escape the suffering and war and heart-break that would curse and wound the majority – they hated it.  They hated their fears, they hated the waiting and they hated the fact that they couldn’t escape from their own hatred.

If the Bible is clear about anything, beloved, it is that we hate not being in control.  I suspect that one of the reasons we love being consumers – and some are even addicted to shopping and possessing – is that it gives us the illusion of control.  We may wind up owing our souls to the credit card companies, but for a moment we are in charge – not cancer or addiction, not betrayal or loneliness or war or violence – we are in control.

+ Sometimes the Bible calls this idolatry – did you know that?  Idolatry is often understood to involve creating fetishes or images that we bow down to and physically worship.  In the 10 Commandments we’re told: You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation^* of those who love me and keep my commandments.

+ But most of the time we’re not that obvious – and that’s why the very next bullet point of the 10 Commandments reads:  You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.  You shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain is how we used to say it, right?

And taking God’s name in vain really isn’t about cursing – that’s the kindergarten version that is the first baby step in living faithfully – because what it really means to take the Lord’s name in vain is claiming to be a follower and then going in the opposite direction of God’s will.  “Yes, yes, I trust you are the Lord my God,” we say – and I accept that your ways are not my ways – but I still want to be in control and will do everything in my power to live like I am the center of the universe!  That is idolatry – everyday, real time idolatry – and it is virulent.

+ Our printed money tells us, “In God we trust” but mostly… we trust our money more than God.

+ Our religion tells us that God is love – but you are going to Hell if you don’ shape up.

Because idolatry is so destructive – and rampant albeit well-excused – sometimes the Bible is blunt:  THOU SHALL NOT MAKE IDOLS AND WORSHIP THEM!  Apparently, sometimes we need a clear and unambiguous word from God.  Back in high school one of our coaches used to say:  “When it comes to helping a group of teen-age boys run in the same direction – let alone work together as a team – there is no time for subtly.  No, what is needed is a 2 X 4 to get your attention.”   So, sometimes the scriptures are simply blunt and apply that same wisdom:  THOU SHALL NOT SAITH THE LORD!

But most of the time there is greater sympathy and compassion for our common lot and the Bible gives us stories to explore.  And let me note two truths about the stories:

+ First, we have to take the time to sit with them.  I know that is obvious but just owning them in your Bible at home but never reading them or listening to them doesn’t work.  What did the late Gertrude Stein say:  “Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.”  We’ve been given these stories to sit with – they are like dew on dry soil – if we spend time with them their insight and blessing will moisten us so that we might be able to bear fruit.

+ And second, we have to be playful with these stories – not harsh or demanding – there are already too many bullies throwing their weight around in the world of religion.  And beating up wounded and confused souls is NOT the will of the Lord.

You see, if we take time with God’s stories in Scripture – and honor them with a playful and faithful spirit – then we become like Hannah.  In time – and I mean God’s own time not our own – not only did she bear a child dedicated to the Lord, but she was able to exchange her tears for a song of joy: My heart exults in the Lord; my strength is exalted in my God. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in my victory. There is no Holy One like the Lord, no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.

Now who else in the Bible does this sound like to you?  Who else sings a song like this unto God, do you remember?  Christ’s momma, the blessed Mary, who sings like this:

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors

The stories in the Bible suggest to us that if we learn a little bit about playfully and faithfully watching and waiting – listening and resting in our emptiness – something sacred might be born within and among us.  Hannah is given a song – the church is given a Savior – the disciples are humbled – a young Palestinian peasant girl finds hope in God’s presence.  Are you still with me?  Have I been clear so far because there’s one more thing I need to share, ok?

Conclusion

In two weeks we begin observance of Advent in worship – and I hope you will mark it in your homes, too – because this season can help us play with the sacred stories and songs so that they become our own.  But such a blessing is not automatic:

+ You are going to have to do something different during Advent if you want Advent to mean something.  Often times when we in the church talk about Advent these days it winds up like a sound byte rather than a sacred discipline:  Advent helps us get ready for the birth of Jesus.

+ Well, yes, but how?  And what does the birth of Jesus mean?  And what gifts does the Christ Child bear?  And what obstacles do we face in receiving his unique and very counter-cultural gifts?

Do you see where I’m going here?  If we don’t explore these questions – if we don’t dig deeper and spend some playful and faithful time with the stories – we won’t be able to recognize Christ when he does come among us in the most unexpected way.

Last Sunday afternoon I asked our confirmation families what gift does Jesus bring to us – and how do we recognize them?  We then looked at the promises offered in a simple resource called the Advent wreath and discovered four gifts Jesus brings:

+ First is the gift of hope – so we need to be clear about what it is we are hoping for – and how does it square with God’s will?  A good clue for understanding the hope of the Lord is found in listening to the Old Testament prophets.

+ Second is the gift of peace – and what does Christ’s peace mean in a world like our own where there are over 26 armed conflicts taking place even as we speak?  Our confirmands identified that there is peace-making in our families, peace-making in our own hearts and peace-making as justice in the wider world, too.  A good resource for understanding the gift of Christ’s peace can be found in the gospel stories of Jesus welcoming the forgotten into his community.

+Third is the gift of love – but not sentimental and sanitized love – love as described by the last prophet of the Old Covenant:  John the Baptist.  Do you know his story?  He is blunt and demanding and if you want to know about the word of God made flesh, check out the story of the Baptizer.

+ And fourth is the gift of joy – a deep inner peace and rest – that can only come by turning away from idolatry.  Here’s a good test:  if you are too busy – too stressed – to wigged out then it is likely you’re trying to God by controlling everything you can.  This is idolatry and it is always deadly.  So what you’re feeling and experiencing is what you’re praying for:  let me be in control, Lord, let me live like I am in charge of everything.

And because God loves us so deeply, the Lord says:  Well, ok, if that’s what you really want.  Try it – take control – act like you are in charge of the universe – and then get back to me with how it feels.  But I suspect that you would really rather follow the invitation of my Son when he said:  come unto me all ye who are tired and heavy-laden and I will give you…. rest?”

 It is possible – not easy – but possible to repent from idolatry and experience God’s peace.  You have to want it – and practice it – and help one another try again when you fall off the wagon.  Here’s what we agreed to in confirmation- and maybe you’ll want to make this your own, too – during Advent:  For just one minute each day we’re going to stop everything and be silent with those we love.  60 seconds of rest and peace – any time of the day you want – anywhere that works best for you. 

One minute of quiet with those you love… this could be the good news for today for those who have ears to hear.