It was another Course of Study Saturday, which means I was up before the sun and heading to Indianapolis to teach my preaching class. Then a long day of teaching and listening to and critiquing sermons. Followed by a drive back home to get here in time to have a funeral. Then supper. Then to the task I usually start my Saturdays with. So, I’m late. Sorry.
But it was a good day. A long and somewhat exhausting day, but good. And I suspected it was going to be a good day because I got to see the sun come up while I drove to Indianapolis. It was a glorious day today. Made me somewhat sorry that I was inside all day long. But at least I got to watch the gradual shift from night to day. The black sky that begins to fade into a purple and then a rose and finally to the full yellow of the bright sun, it was glorious to experience this morning as I drove along. Suddenly, I felt a little less alone, a little less burdened with the responsibilities of the day. It was an performance just for me and the other cars out on the road this morning. A private show for the few. A message about ... well ... something surely. Let me think about that for a moment. In the meantime, take a look at the Psalm chosen for this third week in Lent.
Psalm 19:1-14 The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; 4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun, 5 which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy. 6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hid from its heat. 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the LORD are sure, making wise the simple; 8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. 12 But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults. 13 Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
The heavens are telling. That was the message. That’s what I saw this morning as I drove along. The glory of God. Of course when that glory got a little higher, I had to squint and move the shade over to block it out. After all I had places to go and safety to consider! Hmm.
No wonder the psalmist says both “day to day pours forth speech” and “there is no speech, nor are there words.” It’s there, but not there, you know what I mean? We get a glimpse, we see something, our hearts are lifted, a smile comes to our face, or a tear to our eye. But just as quickly as it arrives - as surprising and wonderful as it is - it fades away and we get caught up in the busyness of our lives again. And we are left to wonder if we saw anything at all. If we heard that message, or felt that presence. Or if it was simply a figment of our imagination. It’s here, it’s gone, was it really there at all?
So, what is the solution? What is the antidote to our inability to grasp the presence of God in the world around us, to hear the voice of God on the wind, to see the glory of God in the palette of the dawn?
The law, of course! Say what? Yeah, go back and look at the psalm again. We go from rapture about the vocality of creation to a giddy celebration of law. OK, I can the nature thing. We’ve all been carried away by an awesome vista now and again. But rapture over the law? Well, ok, I’ve met a lawyer or two in my day who was just crazy about the law. But we all know that they are not normal people (sorry lawyers, but you know it’s true).
The rest of us understand the law to be necessary, even useful. But soul reviving? Seems unlikely. Heart rejoicing? Hardly. Isn’t the law the something we want to be able to do away with? Aren’t we set free from the law because of grace?
Is it possible that the psalmist has a different understanding of the law than we do? Is there something to the law that we miss because we are caught up in legalism and in limitation and boundaries - all of which seem like such negatives to us. Is there another way to approach this thing called law?
My Hebrew professor used to tell us that we had pretty much mistranslated the ten commandments. Not because the words were wrong, but because the essence was missed. She said that a better translation than “you shall...” or “you shall not...” would be “You are...” and “you are not...” In other words, she argued, this law was description and therefore an invitation to live into it. Rather than mold we are pressed into, the law is a picture drawn of the people of God, the community of faith. This is how we can live, the law tells us, this is who we can be.
Now it is something we can aspire toward, something we can reach for, not something that cuts off our attempts to fulfill our passions. And Christ’s call to love God and love neighbor is not a rule to follow but a way of living that fills the emptiness of our souls, that gives us insight into what it means to be human, that gives us a heartfelt joy of connecting with another soul. The law is enfleshed in Jesus and now by His grace can be enfleshed in us.
Can be, meaning we are on the way, we are in process. The Spiritual Disciplines I chose to go along with this Psalm are Study and Service. Which simply are reminders that we don’t know everything we need to know yet, and spending some time learning would serve us well. And that the crucible of learning about love is found in how we care for others. Acts of Service bring us into compliance with the law. But more than that they rejoice the heart and enlighten the eyes.
So, study and serve. So live and love. It’s the law, after all.
But it was a good day. A long and somewhat exhausting day, but good. And I suspected it was going to be a good day because I got to see the sun come up while I drove to Indianapolis. It was a glorious day today. Made me somewhat sorry that I was inside all day long. But at least I got to watch the gradual shift from night to day. The black sky that begins to fade into a purple and then a rose and finally to the full yellow of the bright sun, it was glorious to experience this morning as I drove along. Suddenly, I felt a little less alone, a little less burdened with the responsibilities of the day. It was an performance just for me and the other cars out on the road this morning. A private show for the few. A message about ... well ... something surely. Let me think about that for a moment. In the meantime, take a look at the Psalm chosen for this third week in Lent.
Psalm 19:1-14 The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; 4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun, 5 which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy. 6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hid from its heat. 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the LORD are sure, making wise the simple; 8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. 12 But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults. 13 Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
The heavens are telling. That was the message. That’s what I saw this morning as I drove along. The glory of God. Of course when that glory got a little higher, I had to squint and move the shade over to block it out. After all I had places to go and safety to consider! Hmm.
No wonder the psalmist says both “day to day pours forth speech” and “there is no speech, nor are there words.” It’s there, but not there, you know what I mean? We get a glimpse, we see something, our hearts are lifted, a smile comes to our face, or a tear to our eye. But just as quickly as it arrives - as surprising and wonderful as it is - it fades away and we get caught up in the busyness of our lives again. And we are left to wonder if we saw anything at all. If we heard that message, or felt that presence. Or if it was simply a figment of our imagination. It’s here, it’s gone, was it really there at all?
So, what is the solution? What is the antidote to our inability to grasp the presence of God in the world around us, to hear the voice of God on the wind, to see the glory of God in the palette of the dawn?
The law, of course! Say what? Yeah, go back and look at the psalm again. We go from rapture about the vocality of creation to a giddy celebration of law. OK, I can the nature thing. We’ve all been carried away by an awesome vista now and again. But rapture over the law? Well, ok, I’ve met a lawyer or two in my day who was just crazy about the law. But we all know that they are not normal people (sorry lawyers, but you know it’s true).
The rest of us understand the law to be necessary, even useful. But soul reviving? Seems unlikely. Heart rejoicing? Hardly. Isn’t the law the something we want to be able to do away with? Aren’t we set free from the law because of grace?
Is it possible that the psalmist has a different understanding of the law than we do? Is there something to the law that we miss because we are caught up in legalism and in limitation and boundaries - all of which seem like such negatives to us. Is there another way to approach this thing called law?
My Hebrew professor used to tell us that we had pretty much mistranslated the ten commandments. Not because the words were wrong, but because the essence was missed. She said that a better translation than “you shall...” or “you shall not...” would be “You are...” and “you are not...” In other words, she argued, this law was description and therefore an invitation to live into it. Rather than mold we are pressed into, the law is a picture drawn of the people of God, the community of faith. This is how we can live, the law tells us, this is who we can be.
Now it is something we can aspire toward, something we can reach for, not something that cuts off our attempts to fulfill our passions. And Christ’s call to love God and love neighbor is not a rule to follow but a way of living that fills the emptiness of our souls, that gives us insight into what it means to be human, that gives us a heartfelt joy of connecting with another soul. The law is enfleshed in Jesus and now by His grace can be enfleshed in us.
Can be, meaning we are on the way, we are in process. The Spiritual Disciplines I chose to go along with this Psalm are Study and Service. Which simply are reminders that we don’t know everything we need to know yet, and spending some time learning would serve us well. And that the crucible of learning about love is found in how we care for others. Acts of Service bring us into compliance with the law. But more than that they rejoice the heart and enlighten the eyes.
So, study and serve. So live and love. It’s the law, after all.
Shalom,
Derek
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