The opening text will come from a book by Abraham Joshua Heschel (God in Search of Man - A Philosophy of Judaism). As you are able to see by the title, the language may be a bit dated and therefore, I will, when able, make the language inclusive.
…God is not indifferent to (humanity’s) quest of (God). (God) is in need of (humanity), in need of (humanity’s) share in redemption. God who created the world is not at home in the world, in its dark alleys of misery, callousness, and defiance…
the words, “I am a stranger on earth” (Psalm 119:19), were interpreted to refer to God. God is a stranger in the world. The Shechinah, the presence of God, is in exile. Our task is to bring God back into the world, into our lives. To worship is to expand the presence of God in the world. To have faith in God is to reveal what is concealed.
Reading through this, I noted what I would see is a difference between Heschel’s idea of God’s involvement in the ways of humanity and that of the followers of Jesus. We would say God, incarnate in Jesus of Nazareth, enters and lives and moves within the dark alleys of misery, callousness, and defiance. We follow a Lord who is very present in these mundane and brutal places of real life. In fact, we know more about God through seeing God in the flesh in Jesus. I must agree though, that even if Jesus is God in the flesh, Jesus was still a stranger. The ways of God are always strange within a world that is unwilling to follow the ways of God’ reign. People of faith are called to exercise our faith…that is, worship, pray, and make this God who is a stranger as close as we can be to others around us. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the presence of our God is made known through us.
Connection: How might the presence of God be expanded through you today? Consider that prayerfully and who knows what will appear around us.
Lord of Life, be present in this place and time…be present among your people as Jesus was once among us even unto death. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment