Thursday 24 May 2007

In these days after the Ascension and prior to Pentecost, let's continue with comments by Walter Brueggemann on this age after the Ascension.



So imagine on this ascension day in poetic idiom, the ascended Lord Jesus, riding on a cloud of glory, keeping the world under caring surveillance. Imagine that cloud is the throne room where sits the Father of all mercy. Imagine the governance of Father-Son sending out edicts, directives, and policies that concerning the earth:

Here is a press release that says,

The newly ascended power has decreed that there is more than enough, and greed is inappropriate in this world of God's generosity.



Here is a new act of legislation from the government of God that says,

Perfect love casts out hate, that we are not free for vengeance but must leave such matters to the wise Father.



Here is an edict from the government that says,

Do not fear for I am with you and the world will hold.



I enjoy how Brueggemann is able to communicate. Here we have some powerful "press releases" that we will never hear from the powers that attempt to rule the world. In fact, I don't hear this kind of radical press release from many Christian groups that are attempting to build a cage of Christian Nationalism. This is beyond nation building. This is world caring. This is an announcement of life that is being called to break through into something quite out of the ordinary. And yet, it is all an announcement of what can be. Imagine that. From these images, we are people who can be encouraged to live boldly even when our lives do not reflect the standing powers. In fact, we are called to live in such a way...to break through the stagnant status-quo that brings no liberation to those who need to be set free. God's eternal Reign with Jesus as Lord, now does break in and make things new. What now must be a part of that Reign is our involvement in just such a life.



Connection: Make up some headlines today. Take a look at the newspaper or some blog news and then...rewrite it according to headlines from the Reign of God. Just for the fun of it. It may change the way you see more clearly what is going on around us that is, unfortunately, at odds with the glory of God's Reign.



Come, Lord, Jesus, and rule among us. It is by your eternal presence that we are pulled into the life you bring even as we are being pulled to follow other gods. Grand us the vision to see you spread throughout all our days. Amen.