Kingdom Building

July 29, 2019

Scripture Reading: Hosea 11:1-11

When Israel was a child, I loved him,
   and out of Egypt I called my son.
The more I called them,
   the more they went from me;
they kept sacrificing to the Baals,
Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
   I took them up in my arms;
   but they did not know that I healed them.
I led them with cords of human kindness,
   with bands of love.
I was to them like those
   who lift infants to their cheeks.
   I bent down to them and fed them. –Hosea 11:1-4

Hosea describes well God as parent. There is a point in all children’s lives when they break away from their parents allowing them to become the person God created them to be. At this time, they often test what they have learned from their parents and make the decision to retain what they had gleaned or let it go. Most do some of both. Humans are not perfect, and no parent is perfect. Even though parents and children share the same DNA, all are uniquely made. God’s love is perfect, yet God gives us the choice to follow God or not.

So why do we choose to follow the ways of the world as Hosea describes in our scripture today? The history of God’s relationship with humans is marked by ebbs and flows of being rescued by God when things go bad followed by humans pulling away from God when things are going well. Why are we willing to settle for the lesser gods of greed and power? Do we fear living in a kingdom ruled by love? Can we even imagine what that might be like? Or do we imagine God’s kingdom being a place where we must give up our individuality and everyone is alike? What does it mean to be made in the image of God while each person remains a unique being? Can we imagine a kingdom ruled by love being a greater source of all that is good than anything we have ever known?

I John 4 attempts to add insight to these questions: God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgement, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. (16b-19)

Prayer: God of Love, help us internalize the reality that perfect love casts out fear. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.