What is it to be human?
Sometimes we have such a low view of humanity.
We become so consumed with the failings of people
that we forget that God made us in his image.
We lose track of the fact that we are
the crowning glory of the creation story.
Yet God is not confused about our potential;
He has entrusted so much into our care.
His name is majestic, yet man and woman
Are well worthy of honor themselves.
Hear the word of the Lord:
O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortals that you care for them?
Yet you have made them a little lower than God,
and crowned them with glory and honor.
You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,
all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Ps 8:1-9:1 – NRSV
Be blessed in being human.
Ron
Showing posts with label human. Show all posts
Showing posts with label human. Show all posts
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Kingdoms rage ...
Today, a prayer:
Kingdoms rage … and we are called
Kingdoms rage;
Empires tremble;
Cities totter.
You speak assurance;
You designate human agents;
You say, “This is my beloved son”;
You say, “This is my anointed.”
Right in the middle of chaos,
you designate human agents who do your will.
And we are not sure;
We would rather it were you,
directly,
straight on and visible.
But you stay hidden in your holy splendor,
and we are left with human agents
about whom we are never sure.
So we name Jesus, “son of David”;
so human and frail, even if kicked upstairs;
so vulnerable, even if transformed in song and creed.
And then, in a flash, it may dawn on us:
You call and designate people like us, your agents.
Kingdoms rage … and we are called.
Empires tremble … and we are designated.
Cities totter … and we are summoned …
like the first David, like the second David …
us, vulnerable, frail, anxious, your people,
And we are dazzled.
Amen.
Walter Brueggemann
Kingdoms rage … and we are called
Kingdoms rage;
Empires tremble;
Cities totter.
You speak assurance;
You designate human agents;
You say, “This is my beloved son”;
You say, “This is my anointed.”
Right in the middle of chaos,
you designate human agents who do your will.
And we are not sure;
We would rather it were you,
directly,
straight on and visible.
But you stay hidden in your holy splendor,
and we are left with human agents
about whom we are never sure.
So we name Jesus, “son of David”;
so human and frail, even if kicked upstairs;
so vulnerable, even if transformed in song and creed.
And then, in a flash, it may dawn on us:
You call and designate people like us, your agents.
Kingdoms rage … and we are called.
Empires tremble … and we are designated.
Cities totter … and we are summoned …
like the first David, like the second David …
us, vulnerable, frail, anxious, your people,
And we are dazzled.
Amen.
Walter Brueggemann
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Why so silent, Night?
Not everyone can sing, yet this song is so lovely that almost anyone can sing it. Hear the music as you read the words:
Silent Night
Joseph Mohr
Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and Child.
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!
Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light;
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.
Silent night, holy night
Wondrous star, lend thy light;
With the angels let us sing,
Alleluia to our King;
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!
Praise God for the silence, and the angels, and the Christ child. I am thankful for this song, and the contemplative mood to which it leads me whenever I hear it. Silent night. Holy night.
Meditation on these words leads me to a question: Have you ever wondered why the night was silent?
There are all sorts of possibilities, but I have an explanation. I believe that this is the pause before the message. Watch a good speaker. There is an introduction, a description of this person and their personal attributes, education, and experience which make what the speaker might say relevant. There is the celebration of applause as the one making the introduction vacates the podium and the speaker arrives. Then there is the quiet moment where the speaker looks out, knowing what must be said, and waits for the audience to be ready to hear it.
For centuries, God's messengers have been preparing the people for this moment. They have described this person, this person's attributes, and this person's life. The introductions cease, and then the angels celebrate, praising the name of God in heaven and on earth. Now, just before the voice of the speaker is heard, there is silence. Deep, abiding quiet.
Under the light of a still star, the people of God hear the voice of God for the first time since Sinai. Not the deep, richly timbered voice that we might expect. It is, rather, the voice of a newborn clearing his throat for the first time. Is there anything more joyous than to hear the first, strong cries of a newborn baby? Perhaps not, but this is not exactly the voice we might have expected, is it?
What kind of message is this supposed to be? That will become clearer later in the story, but for the moment, this is the message: God is with us. Immanuel.
The word of God is profitable for much, but this child, the living Word of God, will eventually make clear what words fail to describe adequately. Jesus will fully show us who God really is, and at the same time, he will fully submit to the process of being human. Experiencing birth. Discovering food and drink. Learning to walk and talk. Going through growth spurts and life's hurts. Following his calling. Crying out at the feelings of abandonment and pain. Experiencing death.
But for the moment the message is: "I am with you. Being human is so important that I am not going to miss a single part of it, first breath to the last. I am with you, just as I always have been, but now you know just exactly what I'm willing to go through in order to have a relationship with you. I, the Creator who spoke the universe into existence, do not have words tonight. I, the possessor of the mighty arm that so long protected David, cannot control either my arms and legs tonight. Instead, I am wrapped tight in a blanket, cuddled in the arms of a mother still in her teens, experiencing for the first time the responsibility of being a parent. I have emptied myself of my power and made myself helpless, dependent upon humanity for nurture and nourishment. For you, to be with you, to understand you fully, I have stripped myself of titles and power and things that you cannot even begin to understand."
Sometime in your night tonight, find a moment of silence and hear the message once again: "I love you and I am with you forever."
Grace and peace through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Ron
Silent Night
Joseph Mohr
Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and Child.
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!
Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light;
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.
Silent night, holy night
Wondrous star, lend thy light;
With the angels let us sing,
Alleluia to our King;
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!
Praise God for the silence, and the angels, and the Christ child. I am thankful for this song, and the contemplative mood to which it leads me whenever I hear it. Silent night. Holy night.
Meditation on these words leads me to a question: Have you ever wondered why the night was silent?
There are all sorts of possibilities, but I have an explanation. I believe that this is the pause before the message. Watch a good speaker. There is an introduction, a description of this person and their personal attributes, education, and experience which make what the speaker might say relevant. There is the celebration of applause as the one making the introduction vacates the podium and the speaker arrives. Then there is the quiet moment where the speaker looks out, knowing what must be said, and waits for the audience to be ready to hear it.
For centuries, God's messengers have been preparing the people for this moment. They have described this person, this person's attributes, and this person's life. The introductions cease, and then the angels celebrate, praising the name of God in heaven and on earth. Now, just before the voice of the speaker is heard, there is silence. Deep, abiding quiet.
Under the light of a still star, the people of God hear the voice of God for the first time since Sinai. Not the deep, richly timbered voice that we might expect. It is, rather, the voice of a newborn clearing his throat for the first time. Is there anything more joyous than to hear the first, strong cries of a newborn baby? Perhaps not, but this is not exactly the voice we might have expected, is it?
What kind of message is this supposed to be? That will become clearer later in the story, but for the moment, this is the message: God is with us. Immanuel.
The word of God is profitable for much, but this child, the living Word of God, will eventually make clear what words fail to describe adequately. Jesus will fully show us who God really is, and at the same time, he will fully submit to the process of being human. Experiencing birth. Discovering food and drink. Learning to walk and talk. Going through growth spurts and life's hurts. Following his calling. Crying out at the feelings of abandonment and pain. Experiencing death.
But for the moment the message is: "I am with you. Being human is so important that I am not going to miss a single part of it, first breath to the last. I am with you, just as I always have been, but now you know just exactly what I'm willing to go through in order to have a relationship with you. I, the Creator who spoke the universe into existence, do not have words tonight. I, the possessor of the mighty arm that so long protected David, cannot control either my arms and legs tonight. Instead, I am wrapped tight in a blanket, cuddled in the arms of a mother still in her teens, experiencing for the first time the responsibility of being a parent. I have emptied myself of my power and made myself helpless, dependent upon humanity for nurture and nourishment. For you, to be with you, to understand you fully, I have stripped myself of titles and power and things that you cannot even begin to understand."
Sometime in your night tonight, find a moment of silence and hear the message once again: "I love you and I am with you forever."
Grace and peace through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Ron
Monday, December 22, 2008
Being found in human form ...
Today, scripture and prayer for our meditations.
If then there is any encouragement in Christ,
any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit,
any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete:
be of the same mind, having the same love,
being in full accord and of one mind.
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit,
but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.
Let each of you look not to your own interests,
but to the interests of others.
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
Who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death —
even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:1-11 - NRSV
Prayers
Søren Kierkegaard
Our Father, you called us and saved us in order to make us like your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Change us, day by day, by the work of your Holy Spirit so that we may grow more like him in all that we think and say and do, to his glory. Amen
Yes, Lord Jesus Christ, whether we be far off or near, far away from you in the human swarm, in business, in early cares, in temporal joys, in merely human highness, or far from all this, forsaken, unappreciated in lowliness, and with this the nearer to you, do you draw us entirely to yourself.
Peace,
Ron
If then there is any encouragement in Christ,
any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit,
any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete:
be of the same mind, having the same love,
being in full accord and of one mind.
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit,
but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.
Let each of you look not to your own interests,
but to the interests of others.
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
Who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death —
even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:1-11 - NRSV
Prayers
Søren Kierkegaard
Our Father, you called us and saved us in order to make us like your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Change us, day by day, by the work of your Holy Spirit so that we may grow more like him in all that we think and say and do, to his glory. Amen
Yes, Lord Jesus Christ, whether we be far off or near, far away from you in the human swarm, in business, in early cares, in temporal joys, in merely human highness, or far from all this, forsaken, unappreciated in lowliness, and with this the nearer to you, do you draw us entirely to yourself.
Peace,
Ron
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