Authority

Today's readings: Ps 107:33-43, 108; Jud 16:1-14; Acts 7:30-43; John 5:1-18

Question: What is the relationship of a Christian to worldly authority?
Answer: Good question! Few topics of debate demonstrate how clearly we can use scripture to justify completely opposing positions.

Some people believe scripture (Romans, Daniel, Peter, etc.) tells us to yield to secular authority because God establishes it. Some go so far as to declare voting unchristian because voting for the loser puts one at odds with God’s purposes. Authority is to be obeyed unless such authority is counter to God’s will. Of course, despite different understandings of God’s will among Christians of good faith, most groups who embrace this position are confident their understanding is the correct one. It’s too easy to credit God when we like an outcome, and blame sin when we don't.

The actions of the prophets, Christ and the apostles seem to tell a different story. In the reading from John, Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath, then instructs him to carry his mat away – thus breaking Jewish laws against work on the Sabbath, and setting himself in opposition to the authorities. In Acts, Stephen must defend himself against authority because he preaches Jesus as the Messiah. Most Old Testament prophets were outlaws because they spoke against the status quo to proclaim God’s desire for love and mercy above law and sacrifice. We can choose to follow them as examples, but one could argue these people were prompted to disobedience directly by God, and we are not.

So what do we do? Our first allegiance is to our faith. We live out that faith regardless of whatever government or other worldly authority holds power. Rebelliousness for its own sake is not a virtue, but we must always evaluate the demands of authority against God’s will (as we faithfully understand it) and act accordingly. Whether we believe God’s kingdom is yet to be realized by a second coming of Christ, or has a present aspect, we are clearly called to serve the poor, the ill, and the hungry. If systems and processes prevent us from doing so, we must oppose them. We may not be of the world, but we are living in it.

Comfort: Our faith is constant, despite our circumstances.

Challenge: Pray for authorities, whether you support or oppose them.

Prayer: God of healing, grant me wisdom as I move through the world.

Evening readings: Ps 33

The Poetry of Prayer

Today's Readings: Ps 102; Jud 41:20-15:20; Acts 7:17-29; John 4:43-54

Art teaches truths beyond the reach of simple facts. Psalm 102 contains some of the most abundant imagery of any work in the psalter. The psalmist invokes vivid images because the facts do not adequately communicate the depths of his despair or his awe of the Lord. “I am terribly sad” would tell us something, but it can’t compare to the exquisite anguish expressed by “I eat ashes with my food and mingle my drink with tears” (v 9). While “God is eternal” might be useful statement for an academic theology discussion, it doesn’t say much about God’s relationship to the mortal world. Describing the heavens and earth as garments that will eventually wear out and that God will change like clothing (vv 26-27) helps listeners and readers sink their teeth into the concept of eternity. Burning bones, withering grass, a little bird on a roof – these densely packed imagines don’t just impart knowledge but help us experience the emotional state of the psalmist.

Prayer has many forms. When we pray from our deepest pains or joys, stating the facts may not be adequate to share our experiences. Could we consider writing God a poem? The idea may sound new-age or like something to do when Vacation Bible School is rained out, but the Bible is loaded with prayerful poems. Its 150 psalms and numerous canticles (hymns) tell us poetry is an integral part of the language of faith. Songs we sing in church are other people’s poems set to music. We don’t have to be as skilled as the psalmists or the great composers to express our feelings. Any honest attempt at prayer can only bring us closer to God.

Considering the Bible, prayer or God from a poetic or other artistic perspective can deepen our religious experience. Because modern culture tends to equate truth only with facts, we may feel like doing so negates the truth of the Bible, but this is not so. Picasso’s Guernica tells truths about war no history book can convey. Likewise, poetry and art can open new avenues in our relationship with God

Comfort: God can reach our hearts in many ways.

Challenge: Write a poem to God about your needs and joys. If you are not comfortable with a poem, try a letter or other artistic expression.

Prayer: God of healing, teach me to recognize truth in all its forms.

Evening readings: Ps 105:23-45

At the Center is Healing

Today's readings: Ps 89:1-18; Jud 12:1-71; Acts 5:12-26; John 3:1-21

Jesus often told the people he healed, “tell no one.” Of course they always did. If instead he had granted them riches, would they have been as likely to spread the word? Human nature does not tend toward sharing the wealth. But newfound healing and wholeness? You can’t hide them if you try. Bodies, minds, spirits, relationships with other people, relationships with  God – Christ’s healing presence was felt everywhere. Yet healing was not merely a public relations stunt to reach the widest market. Healing was at the center of his ministry.

Christians are meant to offer the world a continued spirit of healing. The Book of Acts tells us the apostles won many new believers through a ministry of miraculous healing. Presumably the Holy Spirit could have empowered them to perform any manner of miraculous signs to get the people’s attention, but the apostles stayed true to the mission.

As Christians we are still called to heal the world. Our efforts may not seem miraculous in an obvious, walk-on-water sort of way, but God can use us to accomplish truly miraculous things. As a member of an open and affirming congregation, I have been privileged to witness people who had been abused and rejected by other churches rediscover the love of God. They will tell you it is a miracle of the Spirit moving through a loving Christian community. As an employee of a Catholic health system, I am privileged to contribute in my own small way to a ministry that heals people daily, people who otherwise might be without help. This effort reveals the Spirit moving through another type of Christian community.

Let’s each ask ourselves: “Am I a healing presence in the world?” If we are following Christ, we should be. If our Christian experience is limited to following the rules, are we healing anyone? Christ didn’t heal people by enforcing the law – he loved them. We need to actively engage with the world, especially with the people who are the most broken, and often the most difficult. As Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick” (Matt 9:12, Mark 2:17 Luke 5:31). We are privileged to heal!

Comfort: God is always ready with the remedy we need.

Challenge: Meditate on how you can be a healing presence in the world.

Prayer: God of healing, thank you for the privilege of serving.

Evening readings: Ps 89:19-52