Readings for February 27, 2010

Isaiah 49:8-16a • 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 • Matthew 6:24-34

Prayer: God of tender care,
like a mother you never forget your children,
but you lovingly comfort and quiet those who are restless and fearful;
like a father you know already what we need.
In all our anxiety, give us the spirit of trust;
in all our worry, give us faithful hearts;
that in confidence and calm
we may seek the kingdom of Christ
where your holy will of peace and justice
has been made known. Amen.


Isaiah 49:8-16a

This book can be divided into two (and possibly three) parts. Our reading this week comes from Second Isaiah;Chapters 40 to 66 were written during and after the Exile in Babylon. They are filled with a message of trust and confident hope that God will soon end the Exile.

In v. 1-7 of Isiah 49, the prophet, called by God before he was born, speaks to people everywhere. God prepared him for his mission, as a trained spokesman, ready for action (v. 2). Through him, God has told him, his disciples and faithful Israelites (“Israel”, v. 3) that they are his agents who will show God's glory. The prophet has tried to convince other Israelites to trust in God, but without success: he feels that his ministry has been wasted; even so he still trusts in God (v. 4). But now God commissions him to a greater mission than bringing Israelites back to God: to be “a light to the nations” (v. 6) so all peoples may be saved.

Now he continues to speak on God's behalf. God has given this prophet to Israel as assurance (“covenant”, v. 8) that, at a time of God's choosing (“time of favour”), the people will indeed return to Palestine (“the land”) and take possession of the properties they owned (“desolate heritages”), taking with them those deprived and oppressed. It will be as though God is a shepherd leading his people in a new exodus, protecting them from harm and making the way easy (v. 11). It will be a new era. As well as coming from Babylon (the east), the returnees will travel from all directions, including from as far away as southern Egypt (“Syene”, v. 12). V. 13 invites all of heaven and earth to join in rejoicing over God's deliverance and renewal. “Zion” (v. 14) was the hill on which the Temple was built. Jerusalem (and its inhabitants) may feel that they have been ignored by God, but he assures them of his love (v. 15-16): they are as close to him as a tattoo (“inscribed ...”). Indeed (v. 19-21), the returnees will be so numerous that some will say “the place is too crowded ...”. People of many “nations” (v. 22) will assist the returnees, and will be subject to you (“lick the dust ...”, v. 23). God will punish their oppressors (v. 26); and all people will know that God is “your Saviour, ... Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob [Israel]”.


Reflection:
This passage contains some beautiful and intimate images for God's relationship to us.

"I have inscribed you on the palm of my hands." Do you have any tattoos? Any scars? What stories do these markings tell? There's something about permanency in this image. And intimacy.

"How could God forget us, when we are like a child being nursed by God?" Isaiah uses a maternal image for God. How do you respond to this nurturing, feminine image of God? What does this image intimate about our relationship to the Holy One.

1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Corinth was a major port which also commanded the land route from the sea to central Greece. An industrial and ship-building center, it was also a center for the arts. Its inhabitants came from far and wide. In this epistle, Paul answers two letters he has received concerning lack of harmony and internal strife in the Corinthian church, a church he had founded. Paul wrote this letter from Ephesus (now in Turkey), probably in 57 AD.

In Chapter 1, Paul writes that he has heard disturbing news: there are factions in the Corinthian church. Some “belong to Paul” (1:12), some “to Apollos”, others “to Cephas”, and others “to Christ”. These divisions cause “quarrels” (1:11). But later, in 3:4, he rethinks: isn't it human to be attached to “servants through whom you came to believe” (3:5)? Paul “planted [the garden], Apollos watered [it], but God gave growth” (3:6); God giving growth is what really matters. Paul and Apollos “have a common purpose” (3:8) so it is silly to set them against each other. Both are “God's servants, working together” (3:9) for God.

In our reading, Paul picks up the topic again. How should members of the Church think of him and Apollos (and perhaps Cephas)? What should be the role of apostles in the Church? A servant's work is not his but his master's; apostolic ministry makes no claim for itself but points to Christ: we are “servants of Christ” (4:1). A steward in a Greco-Roman household was entrusted with custody and protection of its assets. “God's mysteries” are what was unknown of God's plan in Old Testament times, now revealed by Christ. With this responsibility, an apostle must be “trustworthy” (4:2). It seems that criticism of Paul has already begun; he is indifferent to it. He does not even examine himself; he has nothing on his conscience, but “it is the Lord who judges me” (4:4). Do not reach a verdict (“pronounce judgement”, 4:5) before Christ comes again (“before the time”); When he does, he will elucidate God's plans (“things now hidden”) further. He will also make known people's inward thoughts. At that time, each person will receive the praise he deserves – from God.

Reflection:
"stewards of God's mysteries." How do you care for the mysteries of God? What mysteries and wonders are we called to tend? And consider the responsibility God gives us. A sign of trust!Do you see the faith that God places in us?

Paul, always confident (!), admits God may have reason to judge him, but can't really think of any reason... Some of us come to God quivering and quaking, sure that we are not worthy. Paul is so confident! This may lead us to some conclusions about Paul's character and personality :). But consider what Paul's confidence may say about how he sees God. God is...grace, love, faithfulness... so Paul is confident in God, not just in himself.

Who do you judge? Yourself? Others? Do you feel God's judgment of you? Others' judgment toward you? Is this a good thing? What can we learn from Paul? Can we be/should we be/ more confident in our relationship to God?

Matthew 6:24-34
This passage is part of the Sermon on the Mount. In v. 24, Jesus speaks of the impossibility of serving two masters: one cannot love both. “You cannot serve God and wealth”.

A key word in v. 25-34 is “worry” (v. 25, 27, 31). The Greek word means be preoccupied with or be absorbed by. To be preoccupied with food and appearance is to view life much too narrowly. Birds are an example of a proper attitude towards food (v. 26): they work hard to find it, but they do not store it for possible future shortages. Worry, preoccupation, is futile: people desire a long life, but excess concern for it will not lengthen it (v. 27). Wild “lilies” (v. 28), abundant on Palestinian hillsides but dull brown for much of the year, are only brightly coloured for a few weeks. Even “Solomon” (v. 29), known for his accumulation of wealth, could not compare to their (God-given) beauty. The “grass” (v. 30) ends up being “thrown into the oven” as fuel for cooking. But if God cares for such plants, how much more will he provide for, clothe those who are faithful to him. So do not be preoccupied with your physical needs (v. 31). Such preoccupation is wrong on two counts:
1) those who do not follow Jesus (“Gentiles”, v. 32), not knowing of God’s munificence, seek security in possessions; and
2) God knows the needs of his people, so worrying about these needs is to suspect him of forgetting or neglecting his people.

Our prime objective must be to put God first, to seek union with him, and to attain faithful integrity (“righteousness”, v. 33).

Worry about material well-being is largely being concerned about “tomorrow” (v. 34). Today's worries are “enough” for today.

Reflection:
What masters do you serve? What are the priorities in your life? What master does our society serve?

Chris Haslam says that the Greek word we translate worry is merimnate, which means more literally to “be preoccupied with or be absorbed by.”

Sometimes I wonder how Jesus can tell us not to worry. Is he just oversimplifying? An idealist? How do you tell people who are hungry and naked and homeless not to worry? But, I think, more likely, Jesus is tying his words back to his comments about more than one master. When we worry, we tend to make an idol of the object of our worry, because we're putting something else in a more important place than God. What happens when we put God and God 's realm first in our lives.

Beth Quick writes: "I think I worry about everything. And then I worry about worrying too much!" What do you worry about? How does worry affect your life?

"Strive first for the kingdom of God." What does striving for the kingdom look like?