Review and The Wonder of Meeting God

The Bible reliably elicits many thoughts. Consolidation helps. Notice again, the encouragement posts through the week, spring from the Scriptures coming this Sunday, 2 Advent. Each day we have looked at a suggested theme of encouragement emerging from assigned readings. Below are brief sketches:

1. Monday 11/30 – Certain things depend on God. Our ultimate rescue and inclusion in holiness are brought about by God. We resolve to do a lot and we do bring many things about. In Isaiah 40—a classic prophetic text—we remember that we depend wholly upon God for our ultimate deliverance. The voice in the wilderness announces rescue: “Here is your God!” We look up and “See, the Lord God comes with might and his arm rules for him. Those strong arms carry us like lambs to our safe forever-pasture.

2. Tuesday 12/1 – Beyond resolution to conversion! New Year’s Day brings many people personally to resolve ways of living that our reason recommends. Advent brings us to conviction and conversion. Psalm 85:2 & 8 urges us to trust the forgiving, cleansing nature of God – You have forgiven the iniquity of your people and blotted out all their sins. I will listen to what the Lord God is saying, for he is speaking peace to his faithful people and to those who turn their hearts to him. Make resolutions of practices as you like for Jan 1, but from deep within, this Advent, turn from destructive ways, toward God’s path of life and healing.

3. Wednesday 12/2 – We look John the Baptist straight in the eye. The Gospel passage from Mark 1:1-8 will not let us rationalize his announced call to repent, or “turn,” is for someone else. It is for me; it is for you. The Lord comes. John’s purpose is to command our attention; then to point to the Savior, Jesus, whose baptism is of the Holy Spirit rather than river-water. Jesus is about the removal of sin, not just turning away from sin. We pray it will dawn on us in Advent, “Oh my, this stuff is about me, not others: it is for me!”

4. Thursday 12/3 – Clarify what truly deserves full focus. Life is so full: there is much we can leave blurred, but some things we should bring to sharp clarity. In his second letter, St. Peter urges followers to look past things we can do nothing about, and give focus to the people God means for us to be. He says the Lord “is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.” Waiting for God’s final move at the end of time frustrates; he urges, “Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.”

If you want to look back at any of the full articles, find them at our St. Francis Church website: sfch.org, under the category of “Community”, and “Fr. David’s Reflections”: https://www.sfch.org/father-david-prices-reflections.

I looked on Tuesday at Psalm 85, and for a brief word today I circle back to the eleventh verse. Picture yourself, in your mind, standing in a beautiful field with your hands raised to the heavens. Think of God reaching from the heavens down to you. In your up-reaching hands, you bring clarity and truth to who you are and what you need. The illusion is swept away, confusion and twisted rationalizing are gone. It is you in truth reaching to the Holy One, just as you are. What you find, reaching up like that in all candor is the merciful and compassionate Holy One, reaching to you and meeting you with divine righteousness. Advent does not call us to find the best rationale to excuse ourselves before God. It calls us to offer our truth, unafraid, and trusting in God’s mercy. Try reading what follows slowly, four distinct times, and see if it does not start with a simple look, then move you to a reflection, to prayer, then finally to quiet acceptance. Those are the stages of Lectio divina: the four “Rs”—Read, Reflect, Respond, and Rest. God wants to meet you. You can be honest. God is always faithful. Let the repeated Scripture passage move you now.

Truth shall spring up from the earth, *
and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

—Psalm 85:11

The Rev. David PriceDecember 4, 2020