Feb 19 - Lenten Devotional

"What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?" (Luke 4:34)

"Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?" (Psa 139:7)

"But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord." (Jon 1:3)

------

Three very separate contexts, three differently nuanced meanings: one message to learn: God is God of the whole world.

In Luke an unclean spirit imagines that "the Holy One of God" ought not to have anything to do with them. And yet Jesus is a constant surprise to all he meets because he has something to do with all people and in all places - and usually with those who imagine themselves too unclean, or too far removed from the notice of "Holy" ones.

Do you have places in our lives that we think too unclean and too far removed,
places you think Jesus ought not to have anything to do with?
Do you harbor the idea that there are parts of our lives we can "keep from Jesus"?

In Psalm 139 words of hope are offered, everywhere the Lord is present. However it's amazing to notice just how true this is for the Psalmist... even to the depths of Sheol! As a friend has reminded me: this is the kind of hope that can move straight on to annoying... I mean I need some space from God already!!!! And yet anywhere we go: God is already there.

Do you feel God's presence in all the "places" of your life?
Are you aware of the ways that God is already at work in your life before you even get there?

Jonah of course is the perfect example of one who wishes God wasn't quite so "already there" in all places. Jonah after all is trying to hide from God, trying to ignore his calling; Jonah is fleeing the presence of God. Only we cannot flee God's presence. We cannot hide away pieces of our lives. We cannot draw a line and say this side is God's and this side is mine. Jonah tried... and well... lets just say that didn't work out for him.

Are you running from God's calling?
Have you hoped the challenges of the call to discipleship could be avoided?

God has everything to do with unclean spirits - though certainly never to destroy them. Jesus never once destroys a demon, unclean spirit... or sinner. Jesus has come to redeem - not destroy. And yet we flee redemptions sometimes far more than destruction. Being redeemed
is hard work - and as Jonah can attest to, it requires some radical changes
in the way we live our lives.

Are we listening? Are we ready to follow?

This evening Palms hosts Rev. Dr. Anna Carter Florence as our visiting theologian. She will talk to us about being called to live our faith - being called to testimony. I hope you join us for this wonderful conversation with Anna (who is one of the best preachers I know)!

I hope you join us... because God does have EVERYTHING to do with us!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


God of all Creation - Stir us again to awareness.
Awareness of your life-giving presence.
Awareness that you have everything to do with all of our life.
Awareness that you will not let us go.
Amen.