This series of devotions are focused around Soren Kierkegaard’s “Christian Discourses etc.” The biblical text to consider during these devotions is: Matthew 6:24-34.
Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? – after all these things do the heathen seek; for the Christian does not have this anxiety. Is the Christian then rich? Well, perhaps it may well be that there is a Christian who is rich; but about that fact we are not talking, we are talking about the Christian who is poor, about the poor Christian. (This person) is poor, but has not this anxiety, so (this person) is poor and yet not poor. For when in poverty one is without the anxiety of poverty, one is poor and yet not poor, and then one is – if one is not a bird but a (human), and yet like a bird…then one is a Christian.
I’m in the church office this morning listening to 16th century music from the Lutheran Church. Its part of a pack of CDs from Thrivent Financial Services (Is this a commercial?). The point of mentioning this is simply that the “Gospel” being chanted is the Matthew passage we have been considering in these devotions. It is a good reminder that throughout the ages the followers of Jesus have wrestled with what it is to follow…to be a Christian…and that the way of the followers of Jesus might be quite unlike the ways and worries of the world. We may indeed be given the power for life that allows us to be at ease and without anxiety of poverty so that no matter what might be our case, we can be at rest. But not only that…we are not only at rest, we are invited to be involved in a benevolent rest in which we take what we have –much or little- and we share. Now, that could be called the definition of the incarnation of the grace of God…that is the Word made flesh…Christ Jesus. And we, we are Jesus’ followers – a rich people…sometimes poor but always rich in Christ, Jesus…always able to be a gift to the world as we ourselves have been gifted.
Connection: Today there will be many ways to share with others…to be a gift. No need to be anxious about when or where or with whom. We are free to be open to how the day unfolds so that we may begin to live within the wealth of our poverty.
Lord God your grace opens up the doors of our lives that lead us into the lives of others so that we can find in them the great beauty of your creation that continues to be unveiled all around us. How wealthy you make us when our lives are touched by your beloved children! Help us to offer ourselves to others and be for them a gift from you. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment