Humanity's Place in the Scheme of Things

Monday, September 18, 2006 -- Week of Proper 19 (Edward Bouverie Pusey)

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117
An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html


Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 985)
Psalm 56, 57, [58] (morning) // 64, 65 (evening)
Job 40:1-24
Acts 15:36 - 16:5
John 11:55 - 12:8

Saturday and Sunday we read the first address of God to Job. Job had charged God with creating a universe without design where random suffering abounds. God speaks of a design that is beyond human knowing, intentional and purposeful. The universe was created for God's inscrutable purpose. Humans beings are not the center of the universe. "Where were you when I created all this?" ask God of Job, the challenger. Job has no answer.

Today we begin the second speech of God, responding to Job's accusation that God is unjust -- God allows the wicked to prosper and the innocent to suffer. God's answer is to describe two mythical beasts, Behemoth (today) and Leviathan (tomorrow's reading). These beasts seem to represent ultimate cosmic evil. Like the desert and the ocean, these beasts are entirely under God's mastering hand. What can human beings do before them? God declares divine control over these fearsome powers that are beyond our understanding, but God's control is not exercised for the immediate benefit of human beings. These beasts cannot be tamed to serve humanity. The world is God's, not Job's. The world and its apparent power and chaos serve God's purposes, not humans.

The mysterious, powerful and autonomous God that confronts Job speaks a truth that seems poignant for us today. We seem to have exercised human control over so much of creation. We overcome deserts and earth boundaries with irrigation and airplanes. We search the depths of the sea and defeat great monsters. Yet nature has its own purposes and its powerful truths that we challenge at our peril. Human exploitation and pollution of the planet now threatens humanity. The human heart has not evolved such that we can create justice and wisdom.

We are not the center of the universe. Life does not revolve around us. We confront Behemoth and Leviathan at our own peril. Can we repent and live humbly in our place?
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There is an odd moment in the continuing story from Acts. We just heard in Acts 15 about the pivotal decision to allow Gentiles into the Christian community without their having to become Jews -- they will not have to follow Torah or to be circumcised. This is Paul's great victory. His passion for freedom in Christ -- freedom from the law and all of its anxiety -- is a centerpiece of his gospel. His opposition to circumcision as a sign of the law is fierce.

Yet before setting out on a missionary journey with a new partner Timothy, Paul circumcises him so that Timothy won't give offense to Jews. Paul's strategy for evangelization is to enter the synagogue in each town, to preach his gospel, and to focus on the appeal of that message to the non-Jewish "godfearers", Gentiles who are drawn to Judaism but are not members. The circumcision of Timothy is a strategic act designed to give Timothy access to the synagogue where he and Paul will argue that circumcision is unnecessary and contrary to God's will. Interesting.

Lowell
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The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, AR