admitting weakness to God

I do not deal with change well. I am not sure anyone really does.

   There are those changes that are planned, that you have control over and then those that are unplanned and you feel as if there is no control. The feeling of being overwhelmed. The fear of what is to come next. The pressure of making the right choice or decision. The mixture of anxiety and excitement.

These are some of the feelings I have going through over the past few weeks. And I have prayed about it.

     Praying for courage and strength;

     praying to the see the joy in new beginnings;

     praying to know what is the right path and the right choices.

The answer I got this morning is to let the emotions out: to feel the sorrows and the losses and the fears.

      To cry when I need to; to admit my weaknesses.

      To embrace the lament psalms.

      To find comfort in God's love.

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Psalm 90     God’s Eternity and Human Frailty

A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.

Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

You turn us back to dust, and say, “Turn back, you mortals.”
For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past, or like a watch in the night.

You sweep them away; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning;
in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.

For we are consumed by your anger; by your wrath we are overwhelmed.
You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your countenance.

For all our days pass away under your wrath; our years come to an end like a sigh.
The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong;
even then their span is only toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.

Who considers the power of your anger? Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.
So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart.

Turn, O Lord! How long?  Have compassion on your servants!
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us, and as many years as we have seen evil.
Let your work be manifest to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands—
O prosper the work of our hands!

SORRY! (the board game)

Cultural Artifact paper for Theology II              SORRY!                                        

 How can a board game have theological aspects and how can theology be seen in a game that has been played by families for many decades?  This paper is an attempt to see if those questions can be answered.  I have chosen the game of SORRY!  because I see it as unique.  There are many board games where the object of the game is to get home; to race around the board faster than your opponents to get your piece there first.  Also most board games that are ‘race around the board’ are dice games.  Whether it is bubble popping dice in Trouble or free rolling dice of Parcheesi, it is always about moving forward and reaching the goal.  “Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it.”[1]  The goal of the game of SORRY! is to get all your pieces home, but the game has some unique aspects which I hope to put into a theological discourse.

The dictionary definition of sorry is ‘a feeling of sorrow or regret’.  The game title comes from the many ways a player can stop his opponent, while issuing an apologetic "Sorry."[2]  In other board games the option to send someone home is only from landing on the space they occupy.  In SORRY! cards are drawn and instructions are followed, sometimes choices are given, and on occasion your pawn[3] may even be moving backwards.

There is not a theological definition of ‘sorry’, however there are Biblical examples of being sorry or having regrets.  In Genesis God regrets creation.  “And the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.  So the Lord said, “I will blot out from the earth the human beings I have created—people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.”’[4]  God also had regrets about Saul.  “Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel.”[5]  Humanity has regrets as well.  Saying you are sorry can be seen as asking for forgiveness. There is sorrow for sin and a need of forgiveness of sins, both sins against God and sins/wrongdoings against others.  Psalm 38 is a plea for healing, for reconciliation; the Psalmist admits his failings. “I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.”[6] Thus saying ‘sorry’ is a plea for reconciliation, an act of asking for forgiveness.  The theological definition of forgiveness is "pardoning or remitting an offense. It restores a good relationship with God, others, or the self after sin or alienation." [7]

A unique feature in SORRY !is the use of cards that give you direction and on occasion choices.  As in life we are presented with choices, some beneficial to us alone or perhaps to all concerned.  What is the motivation of the decision?  In life how much theological or ethical discernment is included in the process of making a choice?  In a game that promotes family fun, there is probably little time spent on how the choice should be made.  However, in the playing of the game, even small decisions can affect the outcome.  When drawing a 1or a 2 do you continue on your path with the pawn already in play or do you use the card to come out of start and begin a new journey?  Drawing a 7 gives the option or moving one piece seven spaces or splitting it between 2 pawns.  This card is especially helpful if two pawns are nearing home and suddenly both pieces can make into the home space.   A 10 gives the choice of moving ahead 10 or moving back 1 space.  Moving backwards may seem to have you going in the wrong direction, however, on occasion it has its benefits.  Drawing a 4, which only goes backwards, immediately after coming out of start allows the player to skip the long journey around the board and be almost home.  And the 11 gives the choice of moving eleven spaces or trading spaces with your opponent.  This is usually to the player’s benefit and can on occasion be a mutual benefit to the opponent.

A question from the game of SORRY! is when you are taking someone’s space and sending them back to start, are you really sorry for this action?  Other ethical considerations may include Do you share with an opponent who doesn’t see a possible move that would benefit them and possibly send another player back to start?  Or do you sit quietly?  Do you take some joy when it is your turn and you draw the sorry card?  In the game human attitudes of being selfish or doing good for others may come out.  SORRY! is the board game my mother and I enjoy playing.  It is understood that when we play, we play ruthlessly.  We play to our own advantage and yes we take pleasure in sending someone back to start.  For it is only a game and this adds some excitement and competition into the fun of playing.

So what would happen if the game was played to the benefit of all, to only ‘sorry’ someone if there was no other choice?  Mom and I tried this.  After playing a few ‘normal’ games, we switched to ‘playing nice’.  Then we tried playing with different motivations, Mom playing a self-interest strategic advantage and me playing nice.  What did we learn? One player’s motivation can affect the other’s player’s behavior.  Especially the player ‘playing nice’ has a stronger influence on the one playing selfishly, even if the one playing nice is not winning.  Is winning defined by the winning of the game or the way the game is played?  “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.”[8] Actions and attitudes represent who we are as individuals.  Thus in the world as we present ourselves in words and deeds to others we can present out faith to them. 

Motivations of play aside, the game gives a place of connection, a coming together in fellowship, and a place for conversation.  Many churches offer a family game night and this type of fun fellowship may be the reason.  As in life there is structure and order in the game but some things come by chance.  This is seen through the journey around the board /life’s journey.  Your travel along the path with the goal of getting home.  What is encounter along the journey?  I have already discussed forgiveness; there is also hope and reconciliation, which can lead to second chances.

Hope in the game is present on the journey, the continuation of the goal of getting ‘home’. There is a feeling of relief when entering the final 5 spaces before the home space.  Here you are in a safety zone where other players cannot touch you; you are protected.  The protection is not by anything you have done; you have not battled to get here, you have only traveled the path before you.  It is a place of grace and rest.  And related to grace, along the board there are certain spaces you land on where you can slide ahead.  This can only be on other color slides, not your own.  Others aid in your journey, you cannot do it on your own.

Reconciliation is always a goal in life, both reconciling with others and with God.  SORRY! gives an opportunity by using fellowship and fun to begin conversation with the other players.  Some subjects may be more easily discussed during a low pressure activity.  It is important to come together in our mutual faith and be in community with others.  If the board is life’s journey, home is the place of reconciliation with God.  You have made it into a place of grace and mercy where you are protected from harm.  The next step brings you into home, the deeper relationship with God.

Second chances are present in the game as they are in life.  Being able to start anew brings unforeseen opportunities.  In the game, a sorry card that sends you back to start lets you have a second chance to begin again and maybe take a different path.  Scripture is full of second chances given by God.  The re-creation after the flood. “Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh –birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth –so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.”[9]  The continuation of the covenant with Israel, even when they have turned away.  “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward.”[10]   Healing in both the Old and New Testament gives people second chances.  The psalmist in Psalm 30 gives thanks from being brought back from the edge of death.  “You have turned my mourning into dancing.”[11]  Jesus heals many throughout the gospels, giving each of them a new way of life.

SORRY! is a simple chase game.  Life is a simple journey along the path put before you.  Yes and no.  The encounters, challenges, possibilities, setbacks, opportunities, regrets, and grace all make each journey unique.  You never know how the game will conclude.  The old phrase ‘it is not whether you win or lose but how you play the game’ comes to mind.  Do we identify as the person Jesus speaks of in the beatitudes?  Those who mourn, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers.  Or do we run the race alone?  God and community with others must be present on our life’s journey.  Faith is found together on the journey.  Paul nearing the end of his journey says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”[12]  How we encounter each other and God is the goal of a good game/life.  And remember there are times when you need to say ‘sorry’ along the way.

 

---

[1] 1 Corinthians 9:24

[2]http://www.amazon.com/Sorry-Classic-Edition-Board-Game/dp/B00B28IQ50/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=09DKRNMRX7RWKJMKS0QC

[3] I am using pawn or piece, 1972 version of SORRY! uses the term ‘man’ on the cards referring to the pieces on the board.

[4] Genesis 6:6-7

[5] 1 Samuel 15:35

[6] Psalm 38:18

[7] McKim, Donald K   The Westminster dictionary of theological terms

[8] Matthew 5:7

[9] Genesis 8:17

[10] 1 Samuel 16:13

[11] Psalm 30:11a

[12] 2 Timothy 4:7

 

King, Good Shepherd, Messiah, Truth

This sermon was preached on November 22, 2015 at New Covenant Presbyterian Church in Chesterfield Virginia.  It was Christ the King Sunday. 

The scriptures were John 18:33-37 and  2 Samuel 23:1-7.
 

King, Good Shepherd, Messiah, Truth

My first thoughts when I looked at the scripture reading from John for today was

  ‘Shouldn’t this text be closer to Easter?’ 

  ‘Shouldn’t we be talking about the trial of Jesus before Pilate in the later part of Lent?’

  ‘Why are you and I hearing this text now?’

Well it is Christ the King Sunday and today we focus on

     the crucified and risen Christ, whom God exalted to rule over the whole universe.

This scripture helps define Jesus as King.                      

And more than King.

King,    Good Shepherd,           Messiah, and    Truth.

And these 5 verses have a lot in them. 

It is a discussion on authority, who has the real power,

     who is in charge, and who is really on trial.

First let us look at some of the meanings of these titles we use for Jesus.

King and Messiah can be tied together, especially considering our Old Testament scripture.

Messiah means ‘anointed one’.  

David is referred to as “the anointed of the God of Jacob.”

In the Old Testament, kings were anointed, chosen by God.

In Samuel’s time, the Israelites wanted a king so they could be like the other nations.

They saw a king as having power,

if they were a nation with a king,

     they could battle the Philistines,

     they could be like the other nations.

In Jesus’ time, the people were again looking for a divine warrior,

someone to take charge,

     this time to fight Rome,

     to bring vengeance on their enemies,

     someone to save them.

But who did God send?  

     Not a warrior, yet, a savior. 

     Not a king like the other nations,

       not a king to make war against Rome,

       but a prince of peace.

God sent someone to tend the flock,

     to be the good shepherd,

     to care for the people, and not desert them.

In John chapter 10, Jesus speaks of being the good shepherd. 

The shepherd knows his sheep and

“the sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.”

The shepherd’s voice, hearing his voice, we are the sheep;

and Jesus proclaims himself the good shepherd

  and explains what he is willing to do for his sheep.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.”

My Greek professor at seminary likes to remind us that in the Greek

  the word for good is also the word for beautiful.

So he emphasizes Jesus is not just the good shepherd, but the beautiful shepherd. 

The sheep are blessed to have this shepherd.

God sent a light into the darkness; a spark of hope, a ray of truth.

One light, breaking through the darkness;

  the brightest spark shinning from the deepest darkness.

From the first few verses of The Gospel of John:

“What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”

Light illuminates truth.

Truth has to do with testimony, which in this trial dialogue is what Jesus is doing,                     

     testifying to the truth.

Pilate is driven by political expedience,

  he is unconcerned with truth or questions of innocence;

Pilate is concerned with a claim of kingship for it is a threat to his authority.

A king, a messiah, would be a potential threat to Rome.

So it is a very loaded question when Pilate asks “Are you the King of the Jews?”

Jesus respond with a question wanting to know if this is Pilate’s question or from someone else.

Pilate wants to know     “What have you done?”

In Jesus’s response, he shows power, he has authority.

“My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”

Jesus’ kingship is not defined by force, not like the Romans,

     not like the other nations.

Jesus’ authority, his kingship, comes from God.

When Pilate again asks “So you are a king?”

You and I can hear the good shepherd’s voice in Jesus’ reply to Pilate: 

“Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Everyone, not just the Jews, but everyone; it is an invitation to all,

     even to Pilate,

to hear the truth, to be part of his kingdom.

Those who oppose Jesus, have rejected truth and have sided with the ‘world’.

Do you and I embrace the kingdom of truth with Jesus as the one who reigns

or do we continue in this world looking for earthly rulers,

  looking to be like the other nations?

As Jesus speaks about the kingdom,

  we hear God’s words in Jesus’ voice, he reveals the truth

  and draws the people of the truth into a kingdom of truth as they hear his voice.

The sheep respond to the good shepherd’s voice.

You and I are followers,

  the ones who know the shepherd’s voice,

            the sheep of this  beautiful shepherd.

We are followers of Jesus, disciples.

How then do you and I as disciples

  take what we have heard from Jesus’ voice and bring it to the world and into our daily lives?

This is a question to explore both as individuals and as a community of faith.

Think for a moment what your answer would be.

What are some ways New Covenant is bringing Jesus’ voice of truth to others?

We gather together to be active witnesses in the world.

Truth is a challenge and a gift God has given to us through love and grace.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”

Everyone is invited to be part of the kingdom of truth.

Everyone.

            Those we love, those who are strangers,

those we know, those we have yet to meet,

those who may be un-churched

or searching for something,

those who we see as our enemies in the world,

and those we fear.

Remember Jesus even gave Pilate an invitation to his kingdom of truth,

  but Pilate could not hear it or could not respond to it.

He was focused on his world, his authority, his power.

Next week the church calendar begins again,

with Advent, the anticipation of the birth of Jesus,

leading to God’s light of love,

love's own crucified risen light,

coming into the world;

  however, today we celebrate that Jesus Christ is Lord!

In this upcoming week of giving thanks,

  we are thankful for this good shepherd,

  for the way, the truth, and the light,

  for having a king, who is not like the other nations,

For having Jesus as ruler, as judge, as savior, and as the one who reigns

in the world,

in our lives,

and in our hearts.

Amen.

King

 Good Shepherd

Messiah

                     TRUTH

Reflection from a camp weekend....

To Glen Arden girls, past, present, and future….

My earliest connection to God as Creator cane from my experience at summer camp. 

Being in nature, being in God’s creation, feeling God’s presence; the Holy Spirit in the beauty around me.

There is comfort in nature; the Creator’s arms embrace me here.

The sound of the waterfall washes my worries away.

The sunlight on the lake brings light to my soul.

There is peace here.

The cool breeze whispers,

The camp dog smiles,

Laughter of children floats from cabins;

There is joy here.

Memories call to me.

Traditions of council fires, vespers, warm fuzzies,

candles on the lake, singing, and tajar tricks;

There is love here.

Time stands still and moves at a different pace.

Healing can happen here; tears of joy, release, renewal.

God is here!

These mountains are my own heaven;

The happy place I go in my mind

when the world is too fast or cruel or lonely.

Glen Arden is special.

Its girls grow with grace into strong women,

Women of faith, of character, of compassion;

Women forever connected to Earth’s natural beauty,

For they too are part of God’s amazing creation.

Thank you Glen Arden for what you have spoken to me

and

Thank you Lord for the blessing of this beautiful experience.

 

trees reflected in lake

Needing to be self

There are times that do not allow you to drop your guard; 
      boundaries must be kept up.       

 Then there is the self time; the time to let myself be.

Alone time or time with very close friends or family or with those of same experience or when spending time with animals. 

Not a lonely time but a time of solitude and a time with God.

Peaceful joyful, quiet, independent….

A time to wander, to set my own pace, to choose my own path, to do what I need, to fill my cup.







{picture of Camp Glen Arden, Tuxedo, NC}

Doubting Thomas: Is seeing Believing?

Sermon given at Imperial Plaza in Richmond on April 12.  Scripture: John 20:19-31.

Doubting Thomas: Is Seeing Believing?

  I call this sermon Is Seeing Believing, but I thought of calling it Faith from Doubt.

And I will explain that idea in a moment, but first the idea of having to see something in order to believe.

The idea of seeing and believing is present throughout our lives today. 

We need proof that something has been done:

       a receipt for expenses,

       a copy of a letter,

       a report turned in,

       evidence and facts.                 

So the question presents itself:

Is seeing believing?  Do you and I have to see something to know it is true? 

Or can we have faith, even when we do not have evidence in front of us? 

 Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.                 

Words like assurance, hope, and conviction,

do not point to needing proof,

but to believing in the unseen.

What gets my attention in this 20^th chapter of John is the story of how the disciples came to learn of and believe in the resurrection. 

These are characters on a faith journey

and their different ways of responding to Jesus.

In the first verses of chapter 20, it begins

with Mary Magdalene who discovers the stone removed from the tomb.  She runs to get Simon Peter and the disciple that Jesus loved (who we know as John).  They hurry to the tomb.   

Simon Peter goes into the tomb first and sees the linen cloth, but does not understand what has happened. 

Then the beloved disciple enters the tomb,

then sees and believes.                       

It is such a simple little line in John 20 verse 8, it is easy to miss:  “..Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in and saw and believed…”

At this point Peter is confused,

but the beloved disciple believes!

Here is the question to ponder;

How can the evidence of an empty tomb lead to faith?

Why did the beloved disciple believe?                 

He believed because he already believed.

       Belief in Jesus.

       Belief in Jesus’ promises about himself and God.

Earlier in the Gospel of John, we hear these promises:

      Jesus as the way to the Father and the promise of the Holy Spirit:

In that one moment,

on seeing the empty tomb, the linen cloth,

 the beloved disciple believes! 

This puts him ahead of Peter and the others, and Thomas who doubts,

who will not believe, until he ‘sees it with his own eyes’.

Before we get to Thomas, we need to go back to the scene of the empty tomb and Mary Magdalene.

Peter and the beloved disciple leave and

Mary Magdalene is alone at the empty tomb.

She is weeping. 

She sees someone she doesn’t recognize,

assumes he is the gardener and asks,

“…where have you laid him…”       

Mary Magdalene sees Jesus but does not ‘see’ him.

She does not see with the eyes of faith.

 With one word –her name- her eyes are opened

and she sees Jesus.

It is the sound of his voice that she recognizes as he calls her by name. 

You and I need to be reminded that the good shepherd knows his sheep by name,

and they respond to his voice.    

When Mary Magdalene is called by name,

she abandons her grief.

When she hears her name, she makes a connection with Jesus.

All she can manage to say is “Rabbouni!” –teacher.

 In this week’s scripture we come to the verses about Thomas.

Thomas, who will need evidence before believing.

From his doubts, faith does arise;

from the darkest of doubts, can come the greatest of faith.  And there it is faith from doubt.    

Thomas’ words are a statement of faith.

       “My Lord and my God!”

Thomas sees God fully revealed in Jesus.

It is not touching Jesus that leads Thomas to his confession of faith, but Jesus’ gracious offer of himself.

Jesus offers Thomas what he needs.

Thomas is an example of a spirit that was present in that early community; he represents the doubts and denials voiced in his day.

How do you and I doubt?                                    

What doubts do we carry in our everyday lives?  

How do we move past these doubts to be disciples?

How might we grow in our faith?            

Even through our doubts,

even though you and I are sinners,

even though we are flawed,

–God loves and guides us!

Belief itself comes from another source than evidence.

It is a gift from God.          

So back to our original question:

       Is seeing believing?   

Let’s try a quick example of going on faith and trust.  What do you see?

Right here, right now –what do you see?

Now close your eyes –do you still see?

If I asked you to keep your eyes closed and walk from your seat to the front row, could you do it? –without stumbling or tripping?       

Do not worry I will not ask for any volunteers. 

Please open your eyes.           

Now some of you may have been able to do that, crediting your good sense of direction,

balance, or knowledge of your surroundings. 

A few of you may have peeked to make sure you were on the right path and one or two of you may have bumped into something along the way.

Thomas could have only done this with his eyes open.

Simon Peter would have given it a try but ended up a little short on his first attempt.

Mary Magdalene would have been guided

by Jesus’ voice.

And the beloved disciple would be sitting here in the front row.     

Where would you be?        Where are you?

 Do you see with the eyes of faith?

You and I have faith, we are believers;

we know:

       we are loved by God,

       Jesus is our Redeemer and our Savior,

       there is life anew given by the Holy Spirit.

And you and I, who have not seen, but have come to believe are blessed.

But this is not the end of the story.

And ‘he is risen’ is not the message Jesus gives to Mary Magdalene to tell the disciples.

But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’

There is more after the resurrection,

Jesus will ascend to God;

the love of God which was embodied in Jesus,

is not something temporary that was present only in the incarnation, but continues.

God is still with us.

Jesus’ return to God makes new life possible.

God who gives hope to his people;

 Jesus conquering death, taking on the sins of the world, our sins, and letting you and I experience God’s love for us.      

We are blessed for we are among

‘those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’

                     Amen.