Wednesday 21 October 2009

Here is another take on hell...and all of us.

Slaves, working out in the cotton fields on a hot Sunday morning in the Old South, looked up from their forced labor. They saw the master and his family getting into their fine coach, wearing their nice clothes, and preparing to go to their fine church for Sunday morning worship. One of the slaves began singing the spiritual, "Everybody Talkin' 'bout Heaven Ain't a-Goin' There."
At other times they sand, I got shoes, you got shoes, all God's children got shoes. And when I get to heaven, gonna put on my shoes, I'm gonna walk all over God's heaven." That was the song of slaves, many of whom did not have shoes in this world. Hell is that time and place where those who have had everything that this world can give are made to see the poverty of their lives. Heaven is that time and that place where those who had to go barefoot in the world, at last have shoes. Heaven is the delightful, disarming place and time where God gets what God wants.

Let me start with the last sentence: "Heaven is the delightful, disarming place and time where God gets what God wants." All God's children will be one. No one left out...all are renewed. No one is punished...all are healed and set free...all have shoes. Those who have...come to see the world in a new light so that they become familiar with how God is God of all. Those who have not...receive dancing shoes...to be reminded that God does provide. In the meantime, the two peoples begin to look at each other face-to-face and human community begins to see how full and blessed it can be with the whole house of the Lord is full with all God's children.

Connection: It is amazing how many times I am unwilling - unable...to experience the fullness of God's Reign by reaching across to touch the world of one who is not me. It is quite embarrassing. But then again, it is always an available scenario for all of us...the beginning of life within the restorative power of our God.

When you heal us, O God, you are also healing the world. As I am made whole, I become available to others. When you inspire us to be available to others, your creation shines and we are given a glimpse of the more into which you call us every day. Amen.