Isaiah 6.1-8
Psalm 138
1 Corinthians 15.1-11
Luke 5.1-11
Are there Bigger and Smaller Calls? Are some Calls More Important than others?
Hmmmm.
Of course, we need to spend a moment thinking about what it means to Be Called. For us, in its simplest form, a Call is a nudge or pull by God toward some specific work that in some way shares Love or creates Light in the world. Well, maybe that is not so simple.
We think it is important for all of us to broaden our idea of call a bit. In the churches we grew up in, we mainly heard about people being "Called to the Ministry" or "Called to the Mission Field" or "Called to Work With the Poor", etc. Being Called by God meant huge things...big changes...grand sacrifices, etc.
But are all Calls huge?
When we look at the stories found in scripture we see all sorts of Calls. We see all sorts of people that are Called to do all sorts of things to share the Love and Light of God with the world.
In this week's scriptures we see a wide variety Calls being experienced and lived out. Let's look at some.
In Isaiah we see an unusual scene being played out. Isaiah is having a vision and in this vision he is Called by God to deliver a difficult message. Isaiah's initial response is one to which we can relate. Isaiah protests that he is unclean and he is among those unclean. We have experienced times (and we suspect you have, too) when we don't feel adequate or skilled or good enough for what is placed before us. But Isaiah is assured he can do this - in fact, he is called out as one to address those around him. Have you ever had that sense of call that you were to do something pretty bold amidst a whole group that you counted as friends and peers? Perhaps felt called to speak a truth among close friends? This passage ends with words that have become familiar to us in a popular hymn, "Here I am, Lord...is it I?" Isaiah moves past his doubt to say, ok, here I am. Send me. Do we feel called to that same response? Is there a choice?
In Psalm 138 the tables are turned a bit. We see a Psalmist who appears to be completely committed to a life of worshiping God, and in his confidence he calls on God when he is in a difficult space. And when God reaches out and answers him, that further increases his confidence in (and commitment to) God. We were reminded when reading this of the things we'd often like to ask of God when facing a tough spot.
In Paul's letter to the followers of Jesus in Corinth, we find Paul living out his Call. The message of this particular passage is important because it is another example of him telling his own story of how he got to where he is and what he is doing. But while he is doing that, he is living out his Call...which is to share the message of Jesus with others.
In Luke we can see a wide variety of Calls in one short passage. Jesus is living out his Call by going to the lake to look for disciples. These soon-to-be disciples are actually living out their Call by being fishermen (this can be understood as a Call because it provides others with food). And then, as the scene plays out we see Jesus Calling these fishermen to a different life. And they dropped their nets and followed. What bravery. What bravery? Have you felt called specifically to shift gears like that at any point?
There are many calls - to be a good parent, to feed the hungry, to speak to a co-worker who seems overwhelmed, to build homes for the homeless, to tutor, to sit with a dying friend, to bake brownies for the new family down the block, to pick up trash along the road, to fight for just systems. It makes us a little dizzy. How about you?
Yahweh,
Place your hands on our lives
and use our skills, our gifts and even our deficits
to shed light and hope and faith
in dark and lonely places
in warm and sensitive places
in overcrowded, undernourished places -
places that confront us
daily
sometimes without our awareness
or understanding.
Amen.
© matt & laura norvell 2010 www.settingourstones.org
we want to share this with you and hope you'll share with the world; we simply ask that you let people know where you found these words. May Grace & Peace be with you.
2.05.2010
5th Sunday after the Epiphany, Year C
1.28.2010
4th Sunday after the Epiphany, Year C
Jeremiah 1:4-10
Psalm 71:1-6
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Luke 4:21-30
You know, being in a "call-based" community really makes us more aware at the prevalence of Call Stories in scripture.
This week, we're going to pick up where last week's KC worship left off. Last week's lectionary featured Jesus sitting in the temple in his hometown having read from the prophet Isaiah, declaring himself the fulfillment of that prophecy. We were reminded that this portion of the gospel story is sometimes referred to as Jesus' mission statement.
But not all of our individual calls come through so clearly. We are seldom able to state them with such resolve, and our own experience is that our calls morph and bend and change over time and experience. And sometimes we know what we are supposed to do, sometimes we know how we are supposed to do it, and sometimes we don't want to do what we are called to do, and sometimes we don't like where we're called to. And sometimes the guidance is how not what. It's a mixed up bag. And it seems that bag is kind of tossed at us this week in a jumbly heap.
Jeremiah's call story is like many of the prophets. He resists, insists that he is not prepared. In particular, he tells God that he doesn't know how to speak. And God's response is to give him God's words, quite literally, touching his mouth. Now watch for next week's passage, because there is a similar theme. Our mouths and our words must be an important part of call...and isn't it sort of human nature to feel ill equipped to be a messenger for God? God also leaves Jeremiah with hefty responsibility - "I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant." That's big stuff.
The Psalmist's petition for God's refuge seems like sort of a fitting response to the weighty reality of any call. If we're going to take this call stuff seriously, we better be asking for this care and shelter and guidance.
In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, we read a really iconic verse about love. And while it is a lovely sentiment, it's a little difficult to figure out why we're reading it in this lectionary collection. It turns out this is less of a Call Story and more of an explanation of how to go forward in your call....sort of a Call Equipping passage. If you read a little more - the chapter before and the chapter that follows - it starts to address call in some way. The preceding chapter is Paul's explanation of the church as a body made up of many parts. The chapter that follows is a description of the many kinds of spiritual gifts that we might have and the many ways they might be used. And nestled in between is an important reminder that our actions, our intentions, our relationships are nothing if not practiced in love. It's an important reminder of HOW we must carry out whatever we care called to do. In love. With love.
Finally, in our continued reading from Luke's gospel, Jesus follows up his revealed mission statement with a bit of a poke at the hometown crowd. He basically tells his hometown fans that he hasn't really come to serve only them - he recounts the story of Elijah and the Widow and Elisha and Namaan. And he points out that while there were plenty of Israelites that God could have helped through these prophets' actions, God chose instead to have the prophets work with foreigners. Not a bold statement of support for the home team! And the actions of both Elijah and Elisha were a little unorthodox - Elijah insisting that the widow feed him in a time of great famine and Elisha prescribing a ritual bath in the Jordan for Naaman of Syria. These prophets were called to do unexpected, unfathomable things and along the way to serve those that were not understood as the chosen of God. This call thing takes us to uncharted waters and sets outrageous expectations and somehow it all works together to make a difference.
Our community spends a lot of time thinking about what it means to Hear, Receive, and Respond to the Call of God in our lives. Most of us can identify with the anxiety and fear a Call sometimes creates. Most of us have calculated out the ramifications of following toward what we feel God is calling us to do. And still, God Calls us. God Calls us to love ourselves, to love each other, to love the world around us...and to love God. It is hard, and still God Calls.
God, this really can be difficult.
The world around me presents so many wonderful options
that have nothing to do with making it a better place...
things that are easy for me to do and that make my life
easier and softer and safer.
And then, when I look deeper, the world also presents so many
horrible things.
So many people and places and things that are in
desperate need to be loved and cared for and nurtured.
And often attending to the second option precludes
the first option.
This can be really difficult.
Like Paul, I know the things I want to do
and I often don't do them.
Guide me as I attempt to love You.
Help me as I attempt to love Your Creations.
Amen.
© matt & laura norvell 2010 www.settingourstones.org
we want to share this with you and hope you'll share with the world; we simply ask that you let people know where you found these words. May Grace & Peace be with you.
1.21.2010
Third Sunday after the Epiphany - Year C
By show of hands, does anyone out there ever feel like you cannot do Everything Just Right?
Or maybe, more exactly, do you ever get frustrated because you cannot Do or Control Everything?
Accomplishment and competency are pretty highly valued in the places we hang around professionally. It is not explicitly written in anyone's employee handbook, but there are some unspoken expectations that encourage each member to be responsible for all parts.
And we understand that this feeling / fear may be unique to us, but there is also some sort of feeling / fear built in that whispers, "You should know everything. You should know all the rules. You should be good at everything. If there is a failure in another department, you might get blamed...since you are not Completely Competent."
Have you heard that voice?
It is a rotten liar of a voice.
The reality of life in and with God is a much more Grace-Filled and Gracious and Generous space. This week the lectionary scriptures remind us of God's Grace....and they also remind us that it is okay (even necessary) that each of us not be in control of Everything. It is important that each of us understand and play our particular role.
This first passage from Nehemiah is a beautiful example of the Grace of God. "All the people" that are gathering here and listening to Ezra read the book of the law of Moses were Israleites that had recently returned from exile to a destroyed Jersulaem (this story follows on the end of the story found in Chronicles). These folks (or their families) had last seen Jerusalem burning in their rear-view mirror. While they were gone they likely had varied abilities to read and adhere to the law of Moses (being oppressed in a foreign land and all). And so on their return, they took great efforts to re-establish the temple and to re-adhere to the law as they heard it taught. But look at what Ezra and Nehemiah do--they read the law and as people are weeping and feeling guilty for not maintaining all of the laws while in exile, Ezra and Nehemiah extend Grace to them. These two who were in charge of keeping everyone in line (according to Mosiac law), essentially said, "yes, it has been hard....and we have all had our hard times...now put that in the past and appreciate being here and living the the Love of God." (that is our rough interpretation)
Psalm 19 is beautiful. Stop and go read it. You can read it here if you like. It is beautiful. And one of it's important aspects of beauty is that it's writer is quite aware of his/her place in the universe. She knows what God is in charge of. He knows it is his responsibility to keep track of himself. The writer of this Psalm understands (to a depth we don't often experience) dependence on God.
This passage from Paul's letter to the followers of Jesus in Corinth does not need much commentary here. It is the passage that has become the standard as an explanation of 'the Body of Christ'. Eyes and hands finding themselves mutually dependent and such. The important awareness here (for us) is that each member with each member's gifts and deficits and talents and faults is important. Each member does the part she shows up able to do. Each member performs the role he was created to perform. There is no one that is responsible for the success of the whole....and no one can do the part of the other. The hand cannot hear and the foot cannot taste....the hand and foot have their own roles! And the explanation Paul puts out there is that each member fully live in to her / his role.
© matt & laura norvell 2010 www.settingourstones.org
we want to share this with you and hope you'll share with the world; we simply ask that you let people know where you found these words. May Grace & Peace be with you.
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