The scriptures for next Sunday are Isaiah 65: 17-25 and Luke 21: 5-19.
We're going to be focusing on how we deal with the difference between what it is we think "ought" to be (Expectation) and what we encounter as what "is" (Experience).
Part of our experience is our awareness of the "voiceless ones" that we talked about in this Sunday's worship. Our faith calls us to help them find a voice as well as to give voice to the wounded places in our own lives as well. It also gives us the courage to look honestly at the difference between Expectation and Experience.
Please read these passages and share your thoughts and ideas about them here on the Blog. If you want to reach me with a more personal note or question, there is an email link at the bottom of the home page.
Thanks to all who contributed to last week's discussion.
Shalom,
Stephen
1 comment:
Though I'm not a literalist as far as reading passages without context or alone, I don't understand the Old testament verse in the readings for today:
Is. 65:20 (NIV)
"Never again will there be in it
an infant who lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not live out his years;he who dies at a hundred
will be thought a mere youth;he who fails to reach [a] a hundred will be considered accursed."
What are we are talking about here? The new Jerusalem -worldly or metaphorically? The new existence we will have? Why would there be anything we would consider death at this time?
As far as the new testament reading in Luke 21: 5-19, this reminds me of all the choices and things that happened to bring humanity to this point. As much as I (and others, I'm sure) may wish for God's immediate intercession on a huge variety of important concerns/events, we have no idea ultimately what the overall impact of such concerns/events will be - either on individuals or groups or on us. SOmething from column A has to happen in order for B, C, D, R, and Q to come about . Or maybe something else from column A...creating new situations for us to learn and grow, albeit sometimes incredibly painfully.
To me, these prophecies are more like straight statements that things will NOT be always happy and bright- but that God is and will be there (obviously I'm reading the "not one hair harmed" bit metaphorically there, and perhaps that is a misreading of the text.)
In any case, looking forward to Sunday. Thanks Steven!
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