March 27, 2020
Good afternoon,
1 God of grace and God of glory,
on your people pour your power;
crown your ancient church's story,
bring its bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
for the facing of this hour,
for the facing of this hour.
2 Lo! the hosts of evil round us
scorn the Christ, assail his ways!
From the fears that long have bound us
free our hearts to faith and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
for the living of these days,
for the living of these days.
These are the words of Charles Wesley from " God of Grace and God of Glory ", number 366 in our Mennonite Hymnal.
In Matthew's Gospel, right before the disciples and Jesus enter into Jerusalem, there are three short stories. In 20:17-19, Jesus says he is going to Jerusalem to die, and be resurrected. In 20:20-28, the mother of James and John is asked by Jesus, " what do you want ? ", and she says, " can you get my boys good seats in heaven ( my translation ) ? ". The third story , in 20:29-34, two blind men get healed by Jesus, after Jesus asks them, " what do you want me to do for you ? ".
All three stories have unknowns in them. The disciples never wanted Jesus to die. James and John's mother must have been traveling with them, and wanted to make sure they were taken care of when Jesus died. And even people who had suffered, like the blind guys, were asked what they might want to happen to them. Now that they have their sight , what happens to them ?
The Virus epidemic has so many unknowns, the science is not conclusive on transmission, treatment or immunity ? What do you do with things in you life where there are many unknowns ? How do you trust in God, when things are so wacky in our world, like today ? What do you want from Jesus today ?
" Don't the hours grow shorter as the days go by,
You never get to stop and open your eyes,
One day you're waiting for the sky to fall,
the next day you're dazzled by it all
When you're lovers in a dangerous time,
Lovers in a dangerous time. Bruce Cockburn ( 1983 )
" May the Lord of heaven and earth surround us all as we live courageously into the unknowns of the world, to find grace, love, compassion and faith. Amen. So be it ! "
Fred
Ponder Anew 