Greed vs Love
May 25, 2021
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 6:1-8
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said:
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.’
The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’ –Isaiah 6:1-5
Where is love?
Does it fall from skies above?
Is it underneath the willow tree
That I’ve been dreaming of?*
The orphan Oliver is cast out of the orphanage into a frightening world where he feels no one cares what happens to him. I sense that many of us may be feeling that way about our relationship with God. The last year has not been easy. Loved ones were gravely ill; others died. Work and earning a living were turned upside down. Some switched from an office to a computer at home and never lost any income. Others lost their jobs. Children fell behind in their learning, and many parents found themselves staying home from work not only to care for their children but to be their teachers, too. As an active retiree, I felt relatively worthless during those first few months of the pandemic when the best help I could give was to stay home, wear a mask, and socially distance. If God indeed is love, then where is love in times like these?
When I read the above scripture, I thought of Oliver in the first stages of shock from feeling he was without anyone who cared about whether he lived or died. And, yes, I too think that was a rather odd reaction to this scripture. After pondering, I do no longer think it is strange. Isaiah saw the need for change in his people’s ways of being because of the situation in which they found themselves. They were a tribe of people who Keep listening, but do not comprehend** Jesus quoted this scripture in Matthew 13:13, and it describes us today.
We live in a world where the rich are getting richer, as the number of people grows who do not have enough resources to meet basic needs. That does not reflect a world ruled by God’s love. It does mirror a people putting greed over God. Exile was where the Israelites landed. Where are we headed?
Denial of the need to correct our courses is a typical reaction. Being bound in that attitude only makes matters worse. Seeking God’s guidance, listening, hearing, and restoring our commitment to God’s plan is the path to fulfilling God’s vision of a Kingdom ruled by love.
Prayer: Lord, open our ears to hear your wisdom and give us the courage to follow it. Amen.
*Lines from musical Oliver from the song Where is Love? See at https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/3270758/Mark+Lester/Where+Is+Love%3F+%5BFrom+Oliver%21%5D
**From Isaiah 6:9
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.