| Today we will follow up on all those convictions about the "high God." The accent in this common tradition is upon the sovereignty of God. There is no doubt, moreover, that Israel's doxological tradition - in turn taken up by the prophets - fully affirms the singular sovereignty of YHWH. And while that sovereignty is primally directed toward Israel, there is no doubt that YHWH's rule and purpose extends beyond Israel to all reality. I think we see this in that stories that remind Israel that they are to be a light to the nations. That is a light to a life that will give direction to all the others (who have gods) so as to build a new humanity where justice and mercy and forgiveness and loving kindness abounds. And yet as we know, the story of Israel is a story of a people who would not be that people - that light. Rather, they so often become nothing more than the rest of humanity - brutal, aggressive, self-centered, broken people who break the backs of other people. But, the prophets continue to call them to this sovereignty of God. This is the God who will make all things new for all people. It is the God who will not and cannot be contained by any notion of ethnicity. For what happens as one group attempts to control God, is that that we end up with the loss of the vision of how God make things new. We are left with the same-old, same-old. Connection: So when and how does this humanity under the sovereign Reign of God show itself. Well, it is meant to available and real - every day. That's part of our ongoing storytelling about this God. O God, who was and is and is to be, help the light of your Reign shine among us for the welfare of the whole world. Amen. |
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