| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Today we will continue in - Mandate to Difference and a chapter called, "You Cannot Fool Your Nephesh." In the midst of theire stay at Sinai: ....then and only this one time, the God of the mountain spoke. This was a strange God whom they did not know. First off, this God tells his name. this name, however we are to take it, is a set of consonants with ill-fitting vowels. Christian scholars say "YHWH"; Jews refuse to say it. The name is an enigma, except that utterance fills out the inscrutable name, "....who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." Surprise! The God they had already known as their great advocate and emancipator turns out to the God of the mountain. This is the God who, on their behalf, outmatched and outmuscled Pharaoh, terminated the brick quota, and ended the hot , demanding brickyards. That is the God who speaks, who now offer a charter for an alternative existence outside the categories of Pharaoh. Tomorrow we will look at what God speaks. Today it is all about the one who speaks. In our faithful storytelling we need to know who it is that we are following. This is the God who takes life so seriously that God claims people and liberates them - no matter what odds against them might be. Even though they were complaining all along the way, here they were at Sinai and God helps them make the connection between their past and their future. This life in the embrace of this God would not shaped around the expectations and rules and demands of Pharaoh's empire. This is going to be new life that is (as we so often say) to be a light to all. Brickyards and the lord of those never-ending hell holes will not be the pattern of life anymore. Now God's people are being introduced to a future that will become the reason they will for generations - and even to this day - return to Sinai to remember whose they are and who they are to be. This is so often how I see the Eucharist each Sunday. It is the story that opens up the vision of who this God is that we say we follow. It is the story that then becomes our next steps as we move out in God's name to be the body of the Christ of God in and through all things - "an alternative existence." Connection: What are the brickyards from which our God liberates you? And then, what is the life into which you are invited today? It is to be a discipline of hope. God of Liberation and Freedom, teach us how to live within your Reign and let your light shine among us throughout this day. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | This week we will begin a move in a new direction. I'm staying with Walter Brueggemann but moving to a part of another one of his books - Mandate to Difference and a chapter called, "You Cannot Fool Your Nephesh." In the books of the Torah, all paths lead to Sinai. The Israelites had escaped Egyptian slavery, though they remembered Pharaoh's Egypt wistfully as a place of adequate food. The had traversed the "stony road" of wilderness, been contentious and received "wonder bread" from the sky. Then they approached the mountain. It was an awesome, dread-filled place that signaled divine presence that was in no sense user-friendly. As they approached that dread mountain. Moses reminded them of the heavy cost of life with YHWH. They would have to obey.... The mountain was an offer of a new identity, of life in covenant with YHWH. That is all Moses said. He gave them no details. Coming into a new identity is not easy. For example, to be a person who is forgiving demands a lifelong discipline. To say I forgive is not necessarily the life of forgiving. There is the day in and day out exercise of this life. We must continue to go back to the one who forgive us and remember what it is to be a forgiven people. Then - after we turn to the One who initiates all forgiveness - we step into the way of the Reign of forgiveness. As we all know, it is so very easy to let forgiveness fall to the side of the road as we move forward in the way we want to go and in the manner in which we will be going. So, like Israel returning to Sinai to in order to remember the life into which they were led by their God, we must keep returning to the word of forgiveness that is the power to change our own lives so that we might be a part of this forgiving Reign no matter where we are. That become our identity. I think that identity is a big change in identity. It takes practice and it take the power of God's creative Spirit to make it happen. Like Israel in the wilderness, we are a people who are handed a new identity that is not at all what we would choose for ourselves. Israel cried to go back to the food of Egypt - under oppression. God invited them into promise - where life is whipped up and will always be enough. Connection: Have you ever wondered about the way God's forgiveness could be the directive of this day? How would we be changed within that gift given to us? Bless us, O God, for the gift of life that is handed to us. Blessed is the Reign we are invited to enter and live all the days of our lives. Lead us in this day along this way. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Today we continue in Brueggemann's chapter "The Scandal and Liberty of Particularity." Following from yesterday we look at the second footnote about these totalizing superpowers. ...in addition to the standard lineup of imperial powers, we may mention a prophetic concern about Tyre, especially in Isaiah 23:1-18 and Ezekiel 26-28. What interests us is that Tyre's significance is not military and political, but economic. Indeed, Isaiah suggests that Tyre is the epicenter of a world economy that features opulence, self-indulgence, and general social disregard, so that Tyre can be imagined as saying: "I am god; I sit in the seat of the gods, in the heart of the seas." (Ezekiel 28:2) It is quite amazing how much power is contained in the ability to be an economic powerhouse. It makes me think of the military-industrial complex. It can, as Dwight Eisenhower warned, become a power that we will not be able to control. Now we look around and see how this "industry" is able to map out what the government will do next. In another way, simply look at Wall St. It is an economic power that is able to rule not only our country but also weigh in to the economic powers of the world. The market - something one would think has not power - becomes the one of the most powerful elements of the society. This is to the point that the people able to do something about their power and their use of it are quite impotent - or frightened. But let's not point fingers at others unless we point them right back at ourselves. We are the ones who buy (literally buy) into the prevailing whim of economic powers - what we say we "need" - what we want to have - where we must go - how much we want stored up for later. As long as the economic powers of the day are allowed to go along making the rules of the day among us, we follow for we become a very part of this machine of the day. Connection: So as we long to be free - we are a part of that which oppresses. Again we must consider living within a discipline that helps us see how we are able to be a part of God's Reign in the midst of this reality. How do we live contrary to the powers around us? Lord of Life, you are the power that brings all life into its own. By the power of your Spirit, guide us into your ways of new life in the middle of all that is old and oppressive. We long to be filled with your hopeful Reign. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Today we continue in Brueggemann's chapter "The Scandal and Liberty of Particularity." Now the discussion takes a look at Jerusalem as a "power" and what they do with it. We may register only two footnotes in this parade of totalizing superpowers. First, in the early part of the monarchic period in Jerusalem, emerging in a brief pause from imperial interference, the Davidic-Solomonic regime was not beholden to any external power. And yet the evidence we have, admittedly from a certain (Deuteronomic-prophetic) perspective, is that the Jerusalem regime practiced the same totalizing efforts, surely to be "like all the other nations." Both the relentless prophetic critiques and perhaps especially the Rechabite alternative in Jeremiah 35 indicate that even this regime is no exception to the pattern of hegemonic rule. The oppressed also will become the oppressors if they do not keep fresh in mind the vision of liberty and hopefulness and justice and peace that is usually on their minds when oppressed. This is not merely an observation concerning "powers." It is also a comment about individuals. Power has a way of making itself known through the lives of those who once had no power and now seem to "carry some weight" so to say. Therefore, we must all be aware of the ways groups and individuals and corporate entities can and do so easily turn to the "dark" side and make sure that they keep whatever it is they have - or want to have. We continue to return to Scripture to serve as a reminder of the vision of God's Shalom that is not oppressive and will never be oppressive. And yet, we know that the Scriptures are used by many to shape their own vision of greatness and power. We also have all seen how the argument that someone has been oppressed or was devastated by another group eventually becomes the argument that allows them to devastate others in order to make sure that they will never suffer under any other rule. The problem is, this kind of thinking - even when it is attractive to other powers of the day - continues the cycle of oppression. Even the once beaten down will beat down others to have life as they want it. Connection: The journey of the Reign of God is one that is meant to keep in our minds the fresh and liberating vision of God that does not seek to dominate or oppress or simply overcome others. It is a daily task for each of us in our ordinary days. Continue to abide with us, O God, as we cannot turn to you except by the power of your Spirit that will always attempt to pull us into your Reign even as we look to be secure in the face other powers all around us. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Today we continue in Brueggemann's chapter "The Scandal and Liberty of Particularity." ...these concentrations of power (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia) tolerated little deviation in matters of importance to them. To ensure compliance, moreover, the political-economic-military power of hegemony is matched, characteristically, with imperial myths and rituals, liturgic activities that legitimated power realities. It is not too much to conclude that the interface of political and liturgical efforts intended to generate a totalizing environment outside of which there were permitted no political forays, and where effective, no deviant imagination. The rule under such power is handed down to the children of the powerful. To be outside of that position of power pretty much means you must be watchful - or you will be branded an enemy of the "empire" - "country." Being watchful means that we are to obey what the storytelling of the empire hands out as the truth. I suppose this can even pertain to religious groups. That is, go along with the storytelling as it is known in the dominant story line or face consequences. I have started to look at some ideas around what is called the "American Civil Religion." As I read Brueggemann's comments, he is not speaking of ancient days. We have myths and rituals that go along with who we try to say we are in our own country. To attempt to live outside of those myths or to question them can bring down the wrath of neighbors and friends and the "empire." Imagine a president saying "no" to putting his or her hand on a bible when the oath of office is taken on Inauguration Day. The ritual is a must. Even to draw it into question brings criticism and charges of being "un-American." So in this kind of a civil arena, the followers of Jesus are invited to be contrary to any rule that would have us pay homage to any other god. Connection: I was given a list of examples of day-to-day aspects of our American Civil Religion. I think it would be a good exercise to try and list how many aspects of our day are shaped by the myths and rituals of our American culture. Lord, God, you are the one who promises to give us life in and through all times. When we are being wooed by the powers of the day, keep us faithful to you alone. Then, along the way grant us the vision to see how your Reign is to come alive among us. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | This week I will be pulling from another piece written by Walter Brueggemann - "The Scandal and Liberty of Particularity." It is only the dominant community, or those allied with and amenable to the dominant community, that does not need to work intensely or intentionally to socialize its young into its vision of reality.... "The ruling class" - those who govern the imagination, control the flow of images, and adjudicate what is worthy - so much control and legitimate the environment that their young inhale those assumptions and visions without effort. The dominant community nurtures its young into the habits of privilege, certitude, and domination, and the young, wisely and without reflection, receive their inheritance of privilege, certitude, and domination. This introduction is difficult to walk through. I know that Brueggemann will write about the empires that controlled the world of Israel and Judah and yet, he wants us to see into the present - that which is all around us and begin to see things with realistic eyes. Think about this one line: "The ruling class - those who govern the imagination, control the flow of images, and adjudicate what is worthy." Quite a good description of any dominant culture. I always go back to the infiltration of McDonalds as we - the empire of the late 20th century - into the world psyche. With our entrance into foreign countries, we have been able to mess with the communities and their identities. Just as our young "inhale" the assumptions of our dominant culture, those same notions are being inhaled by others. So often, it makes it next to impossible to live in a way that is contrary to the dominant power. So how do we help even our own children with in the American empire - not "inhale" too many of the habits of the "dominant community." On Sunday a young child was baptized into the life of the congregation. There were circles of people who promised to raise her up in the way of Jesus. Then again, even the church has a history of "inhaling" the life and patterns of the dominant culture. My concern for the this child is that she will go ahead and be Jesus in the midst of us even if we are not showing her the way. From her, we may learn. We must be willing to stand up and offer another way to live together than the rule of those who are in positions of power and domination. Connection: I like the simple words of the Lord's Prayer. It becomes a simple base line for a community of hopefulness that can give us all a spark of direction. God of All Hopefulness, let the image of you Reign be the power that gives us life when we are being so easily swayed to be nothing more than a reflection of the powers around us. We cannot resist alone - you are our rock and foundation for new life. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | | As Brueggemann will say, Israel is being made ready to be an odd community. Israel is free for life under the aegis of Yahweh, who wills well-beiing, justice, and homecoming. This poet is a voice of hope to a community near despair, ready to give up on Yahweh. Indeed, great oppressive regimes aim at despair, for the killing of a hope-filled future renders displaced people powerless and easy to administer. Thus the poetic, lyrical, liturgical practice of hope is foundational for the sustenance of an odd community. Such practices of course can easily become sloganeering self-deception, unless the community is able to point to signs in the actual course of affairs. Poetic imagination in Isaiah was able to transpose observed public events into gifts Yahweh had performed for Israel. The emancipation of hopefulness engendered liturgical freedom that in turn produced ethical, and eventually, geographical freedom. I must remember to hold onto this idea of "the emancipation of hopefulness." Wow. Hopefulness is so often held prisoner - put away so that it cannot have a voice and is not able to walk in the middle of God's people. But when hopefulness is set free - wow! Life begins to spring forth - the hills are made low - the valleys are raised up - the crooked ways are made straight. The wonder-filled words of the prophets are meant to move us to live within that hopefulness and not simply find the language to be poetic and filled with nice images. In the speaking of those words comes the life that those words call up among us. This is not an easy path - but it is oh so necessary. Connection: I find that words come easy. I find that actions that rise up to the words are not so easy. I also find that as I hear the words that draw us up into a living vision of hopefulness, life - real life - becomes stirred up. That is vital. Stir us up, O God, as you have done to your people throughout time. We are faithful only as you Spirit pulls us into your vision of life that is placed before us. Amen. |
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