Wednesday 23 May 2007

With Jesus' ascension and the new rule in place, Brueggemann suggests three urgent issues where we may take into account this regime change. Here is #3:

Jesus is the glue of the universe.
Paul... "in him all things hold together" (Col.1:17)
Jesus... "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life" (Matthew 6:25)
As you know, we live in a fearful society that is devoured by anxiety. And we imagine in our anxiety that there are extreme "security" measures that will make us safe. But if this is God's world and if the rule of love is at work, then our mandate is not to draw into a cocoon of safety; rather, it is to be out and alive in the world in concrete acts and policies whereby the fearful anxiety among us is dispatched and adversaries can be turned to allies and to friends.

In the same manner, our mandate is not to strike out first and keep others at a distance in an attempt to be seen as the all powerful and in control of all things. Imagine a world where our first goal was to build allies and friends. The amount of money that goes into what Eisenhower called the military-industrial complex would still be supported but to a much lesser extent. Rather, our abundance would be made part of the strategy to create justice and feed and care for the poor of the world. That is no pie-in-the-sky notion. It is a sensible way of attempting to live together in peace...in the way of Jesus. At least that is what I would call it. Others may accept this notion and call it something else. When we are the followers of this Lord, Jesus, who has ascended and is now eternally available to us, his vision now becomes accessible to us. It is now...us. We are not the anxiety-creating religious group who serves up threat and worry about what will be. Rather we are the cadre of people who begin living within this contrary rule where anxiety is real but it does not control us.

Connection: During the day make note of what "keeps things together" for you as you go about all the tasks and business of the day. What is at the center of your life that keeps you available to others?

Lord of the Universe, you tell us that you hold all things together and yet we so often let the anxiety of the day rule us and take us away from your presence. And yet, you are always near - even as we face the worst of what may come to us. We pray for patience and peace. Amen.