In the middle of grief and separation there is what Brueggemann calls 'presence in absence' - here's what he sees.
in the meantime, with Israel in exile, far from home and from Jerusalem and temple, we may imagine that along with a theology of repentance (which was essentially a demanding imperative in Deuteronomic texts), there was a priestly theology of presence that was affirmative and indicative. The priestly disciplines and liturgies, testimonies that received normative form in exile, were strategies designed to help order an acutely disordered community and to assure Israel a mode of YHWH's presence in a venue of acute absence. While the tabernacle may be in anticipation of the temple, it is also a movable temple, a mode of presence not only imagined prior to the temple of Solomon, but available after the temple of Solomon. It is a mark of the inventiveness and courage of Israel in exile that it refused to settle for flat, angry, one-dimensional absence, and continued to address itself to the direction of YHWH in YHWH's hiddenness. Thus in exile Israel is a people celebrating and practicing presence in absence.
Each day is one in which we would all do well to realize God's "presence in the venue of acute absence." When that can take place, we have a much better chance at embracing the day and all that it holds. For now - with God present even as the day is flushed down the toilet, we are handed a vision that goes beyond what is. There was a moment in the last Harry Potter movie when Harry and his mates had to flush themselves down the toilet in order to get into the 'ministry' complex. It appears frightening - and yet you must be able to trust that the beyond what is visible is a reality into which you have been call to enter. Flush! Worship became for Israel a way to celebrate that presence - that reality that was no so visible in exile. I often need that kind of vision. Many times in worship, though the words we hear and sing are filled with powerful images it is also the simple gathering that reminds me of the presence of God who is able to fills us with all hopefulness. And yet, this gathering cannot be forced and turned into an obligation and then left to be merely that. It is really an opportunity to move into the places of absence with the promise that God is involved and present with us.
Connection: I have only heard of stories of exile. It must be rough. I know what it is have a sense of being in exile on an emotional level but not a real everyday, every moment separation that seems like the only think left in life.
O God, who watches how we turn away and follow other powers, it is still you who comes and remains with us so that as we stumble along you are there to lift us up and make a community that serves as a constant reminder of how you are faithful. We give you thanks. Amen.
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