e-vo for week of July 14

Dearest e-votees-

The appointed texts this week from the Old and the New Testament are very familiar ones to those who have been part of a church community for any length of time. The New Testament reading is Luke 10:38-42—Jesus visiting with Mary and Martha. The Old Testament reading is Genesis 18:1-10a—Abraham’s household receiving the 3 visitors by the oaks of Mamre who inform Abraham and Sarah about the arrival of Isaac. (some icons of the of the Holy Trinity depict these three and see an empty spot at the table where we are invited into community with the community of God—that’s something compelling and powerful to dwell upon).

For our time this week, however, we’ll use the appointed psalm (Psalm 15) as our meditative focus.

May we all choose the one thing that is needful and be hospitable to strangers who may be bearing promises this coming week.

Peace,
Karl

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1 O Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill? 2 Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart; 3 who do not slander with their tongue, and do no evil to their friends, nor take up a reproach against their neighbors; 4 in whose eyes the wicked are despised, but who honor those who fear the Lord; who stand by their oath even to their hurt; 5 who do not lend money at interest, and do not take a bribe against the innocent. Those who do these things shall never be moved.

Psalm 15, NRSV

Reflection on this psalm needs to be prefaced with the fact that none of us are worthy to abide in the Lord’s tent or dwell on the Lord’s holy hill on our own. We are unable to live the requisite life. We are granted access to God through the saving work of Jesus on the cross.

Jesus’ life, death and ministry trump our failings. Access is granted to the most holy place and to the holy hill and into the community of the Trinity by virtue of Jesus’ gracious and costly invitation.

The fact that Jesus has most fully granted us access to God does not negate Psalm 15. In fact, as we have been give great freedoms and liberties through Christ they are given in order that we might use them to live more fully into the expectations of Psalm 15. The equation has been reversed and through access to the Lord we are even more strongly called to live lives of integrity and justice and faithfulness.

We are called to speak the truth from our hearts. The world lives in deceptions, head fakes, spins, lies of omission, little white lies and big honking huge bald-faced bold-print 128-pt font lies. Much of advertising involves creating false needs and then offering insufficient solutions to those trumped up needs and wants. Speaking the truth is risky and sometimes a lonely place. Speaking the truth got Jesus hung up for display in a lonely place on a very unholy hill. Jesus still calls on us to take up our cross. Jesus still calls on us to speak the truth in love. We can as God gives us wisdom and power and courage.

There is a prohibition of lending money at interest. How will our credit-driven society function? How will we buy a house or a car? Won’t our modern society melt away if things are sold at fair prices with cash and no ability to gouge those in need by those who already have? We are called to share with those in need. We are called to live within our means. We are called to help dismantle systems that prey upon the needs and wants of those who lack the resources we might have. Jesus still calls us to not send them away but for us to give them something to eat. Jesus still calls us to chose the needful thing and not be worried and distracted about all the others. We can as God gives us wisdom and power and courage.

Psalm 15 lifts up the ones who stand by oaths even when they hurt. We are in a society that thrives on loopholes and excuses and renegotiated contracts. We are invited to get as much as possible for ourselves and to duck as many responsibilities as possible. God lifts up the ones who live out their marital oaths deep into end-stages of disease and dementia and failed oaths on the part of the other. Oaths and duties and codes of conduct are all too easily shunned in our throwaway society. Jesus still calls us to be different and faithful and abiding. Jesus calls us to be people of our word and people of God’s Word. We can as God gives wisdom and power and courage.


God, You call us to be so much more than we are. You love us just as we are but truly love us too much to leave us that way. Shape us and move us into the forms and places and kinds of people You want us to be. Give us wisdom and power and courage that we might glorify You with our lives. Amen.