Lent

March 24, 2021

Scripture Reading:
Psalm 40:5-10

Sacrifice and offering you do not desire,
   but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt-offering and sin-offering
   you have not required.
Then I said, ‘Here I am;
   in the scroll of the book it is written of me.
I delight to do your will, O my God;
   your law is within my heart.’

I have told the glad news of deliverance
   in the great congregation;
see, I have not restrained my lips,
   as you know, O Lord.
I have not hidden your saving help within my heart,
   I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
   from the great congregation.–Psalm 40:6-10

This week the lectionary focused on offering “things” to God that are of value to us but not of value to God.  I have always thought it interesting that the required sacrifices support a system that establishes worth based on wealth. The rich with much pomp brought their fatted calves, the middle class, a lamb without blemish, and the poor a couple of birds. Fair is fair; we should give based on our ability. I do not think God desires more of us than we can provide. However, our all too human self-righteous inclinations can create caste systems. What indeed does the Lord require of [us] but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with [our] God*? Doing God’s will by choice is what God desires.

The Psalmist writes Here I am. . .I delight to do your will, and then talks about sharing the glad news of deliverance. When I was a child, my church’s evangelism group called on people new to our community to invite them to our church and called on people who may have lived there for years, encouraging them to come to church. Among the various churches in my small hometown, the preachers preached similar sermons. Bible school felt boards illustrated the same stories, and I was blessed to learn a few different hymns and choruses in each Bible school attended. I do not remember doing much mission work locally. We did support global missions.

Our world has become more complex. The diversity of denominations is the least of what divides us today. We now clash on who owns God. Evil has done Evil’s job well. We have it upside down and backward. Many believe Abraham Lincoln wrote, a house divided against itself cannot stand. He was quoting from Matthew 12:25. The verse was true when repeated and is still true today. He probably thought Christians in his hearing familiar with the verse would take heed.

God is at the center of God’s Kingdom, and all creation is called to be one working within the framework God designed. All people are of worth, all people are called to contribute their unique talents and skills, and all are held together by the sinew of God’s love.

Prayer: Creator of All, forgive us for forming our kingdoms and adding your name without your permission as an endorsement. Guide us to be all that we can be in oneness supporting your Kingdom. Amen.

*From Micah 6:

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.