Advent
December 17, 2020
Scripture Reading: Romans 16:25-27
Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.
Obedience as used above literally means submission to what is heard*. As Paul uses it here, faith obedience indicates fidelity in following the only wise God through Jesus Christ. Indeed, John identifies Jesus Christ as the Word. His deeds and actions speak to us the way God wants us to be. Idol worship transfers faith to other gods and following their words. While we may not have hosts of people bowing down to graven images, we do have individuals and groups putting their words in God’s mouth and calling it of God. How do we discern the difference?
The answer is as old as time. Does what I am hearing speak to loving God and loving one another? If it does not, it is not of God. The Bible contains lots of examples of loving God and loving one another—the Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ parables, particularly Matthew 25. In so many instances, the voices of the idols are speaking the opposite of these scriptures. Greed is good for the agents of evil. Privilege is, too. Feeling that, because of who we are, we deserve better things than others.
When we seek to see through the eyes of God as we listen to God’s Word, we are drawn to see the world in its stark reality as it compares to the world and all its people as God envisioned it at creation. With God’s guidance and help, our job is to bring our current world into sync with that vision through loving one another. Looking through the eyes of evil only lets us see the enticement directly before us.
Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free
Silently now I wait for thee
Ready, my God, thy will to see
Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!
Prayer: Lord, help us to love one another as you love us as we seek to work together as the Body of Christ in the world today. Amen.
*https://biblehub.com/greek/5218.htm
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.