Thought for Today
Isaiah 5:7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his pleasant planting; he expected justice, but saw bloodshed; righteousness, but heard a cry!
Psalm 10:3 For the wicked boast of the desires of their heart, those greedy for gain curse and renounce the LORD. 4 In the pride of their countenance the wicked say, "God will not seek it out"; all their thoughts are, "There is no God."
Mark 1:3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'"
Luke 12:40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."
One of our area colleges currently is advertising one of their graduate programs on television. Every time I see the ad, I am struck by one particular phrase. In speaking about training for future executives, the announcer says something like, “they don’t merely have to look ahead, they need to see around corners.” I understand the implied message, that their program will prepare future executives to deal with the world of the future.
Every time I see that ad, I hear a suggestion that this particular program will teach students not only how to imagine the unimaginable, not only how to anticipate the inconceivable, but also how to conquer and even profit from doing so. How might it be possible to plan for that which we cannot see or imagine?
First, I want to make it perfectly clear, I am not opposed to advanced degrees. I am, in fact, of the opinion that we benefit from continually studying and learning, from accumulating information and tools better preparing us for our unknowable future.
Secondly, I am fully aware of some of the amazing, futuristic weaponry being developed by our military. I have even seen television programs reporting on rifles that can shoot around corners. I am also aware of topics such as fiber optics which can open up new vistas in terms of our ability to see around those corners. And I know that there are much older technologies such as a mirror on a stick that will also allow us to see around those corners.
There is even an aspect of our faith which encourages (demands?) that we look forward and plan for the future. To do so necessitates we at least try to anticipate the corners and whatever lies in wait around them. Luke reminds us “the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” Jesus’ warning in that parable the warning to always be prepared is certainly appropriate at all times. We don’t want to be caught unprepared when Jesus does return. Earlier in that same chapter in Luke, Jesus says, “Luke 12:35 "Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit.”
Mark begins his gospel speaking about, “Mark 1:3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'" Being ‘dressed for action,’ ‘preparing paths to be straight,’ are analogous to the motto of the Boy Scouts, “Be Prepared.”
Questions immediately come to mind. How do we prepare? For what do we prepare? How do all these words about seeing around corners, making paths straight, dressing for action equate to how Christians are called to live our daily lives? Metaphors, parables and other indirect stories make us think. What did Isaiah truly mean about vineyards? With all that talk of making paths straight, was Mark a road contractor? Did John the Baptist specialize in highway construction. Obviously not!
Somewhere in our basement, I may still have the gold star I got in Sunday School for memorizing John 3:16. I often speak and write about Micah 6:8, Luke 10:27 and Ephesians 2:8. Reading and rereading those are good ways to understand how to "Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit.”
We can never know when we will be called to judgment. We don’t even think or talk much about judgment. We certainly cannot know what lies ahead or what lurks around those corners. But if we love God and love our neighbors as ourselves, we can be confident that when our Master returns, we will be dressed for action and our lamps will be lit and full of oil. We prepare for the unknown and unimaginable by doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly with God (Micah 6:8)
Prepare the way of the Lord, make the path of your life straight, trust God,
Pastor Ray