18 January 2007

Today we continue to move along this life in Christ we hear in the letter to the Colossians.

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to the Christ. (2:8)

I may work slowly through these verses and simply tag on onto another as it all unfolds.

Don't buy what is in the headlines! Don't buy into what the powers of the world say we must do in order to have life! We can look at history and see that it takes us and brings us and leaves us in the same place - war, poverty, distrust, anger, fear, hatred....and then again. Just look at what we were told about the need to go to war in Iraq. O, great wisdom - wasn't it! When fear drives our lives - we will fight for life no matter how we think we can secure it. But it fails...over time it is revealed again and again...and yet, we keep buying the rules and protocols and procedures of a spirit of life that only knows how to be master of death. See to it that no one takes you captive... through all the promises that bring winners and losing - but mostly make us all losers. Paul does not what those who will read this letter to get sucked into powers that are really quite real. Not only are they real, they will make great sense and will have their arguments presented in well thought out ways that are able to convince all of us - at times. We, on the other hand are to resist this worldly wisdom that keeps us living the same broken story over and over again without experiencing the promise of God's gracious mystery that will make all things new. Sometimes I look at the middle east and, as a follower of Jesus, wonder why we don't speak up and say this warring madness does not come close to revealing the grace of God. We let ourselves be ruled by spirits that keep us living at levels of life that bring no hope and allow for no renewing forgiveness and grace.

Connection: So...how do we not let ourselves be taken captive by the spirit of the day and the powers that try to promise much but always fall short at the expense of all of us? Maybe we need to say to ourselves and one another, "Don't let it grab you! Don't let it convince you!"

We know that we are easily swayed to follow what the powers of the world feed us and yet, O God, we long for more even when we are so unable to resist. Be the strength of this day and enable us to grasp onto the promise of life that no power can hand us or share with us. Amen.