Epiphany
February 11, 2020
Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. –Deuteronomy 30:19-20
When Europeans began arriving in what was then called the New World, they brought with them their ideas of land ownership. They did not seem to recognize that their New World was steeped in the ancient history of peoples who often referred to themselves in their native tongues as the people. In general, these peoples understood that the land belonged to God who provided it for their use and wellbeing and had no concept of land ownership. They seem to practice recognition of land assignment by tribes where they lived and lands where they hunted. They did not necessarily always agree on those land assignments and much like the history of the Israelites some tribes were friendly with each other and some were not.
In the 21st Century we are returning, some quicker than others, to the reality that the earth was provided by God to everyone and everyone is impacted by how we care for it. Indeed, we now have deeds and borders, and it seems we have always maintained friendships among some groups and not among others only we now call them allies and aliens. The ever growing truth is whether allies or aliens, borders and deeds cannot and will never stop the melting of ice raising ocean waters overtaking coastlines, the progressive heating of temperatures resulting in weather changes and impacting crops, or the presence of smog so thick masks must be worn to enable breathing.
The Deuteronomist who recorded oral history probably around 700 BC give us sage advice that is still very relevant today: Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him. Learning to live together in love for one another will be the only way we survive.
Prayer: Lord, forgive us for our clinging to privileged self-centeredness. Help us recognize that all people are dealing with the same challenges regarding our earth and only all people working together can leave our world a place of life for our descendants. 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.