God is Love
Tuesday, April 24, 2007, -- Week of 3 Easter
"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. 960)
Psalms 26, 28 (morning) 36, 39 (evening)
Daniel 4:28-37
1 John 4:7-21
Luke 4:31-37
This passage in 1 John is among the most exquisite in all of scripture. It presents God's love for us as being utterly foundational. "Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only son into the world so that we might live through him... God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them... There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear... We love because he first loved us."
God is love. God loves us. To abide in love is to abide in God. God's love is so full and so perfect, that we can fear nothing. (This is the context for another maxim: "If God is for us, who can be against us?") We see God's love manifested concretely for us in the incarnation of Jesus. This is what God's love looks like in human life.
The gospel reading today gives us a nice glimpse of John's theology in a story. Jesus is in the synagogue, and there is an encounter of opposites. A man "who had the spirit of an unclean demon" shouts at Jesus, "Let us alone! ...I know who you are, the Holy One of God." From the perspective of the purity code, an unclean demon is the exact opposite of the Holy One of God.
Jesus rebukes the spirit which leaves the man unharmed. Perfect love has cast out fear.
Yet, there is some hangover from this encounter. Saving this man leaves Jesus vulnerable to the charge that Jesus has violated the sabbath. Further, if Jesus confirms the proclamation of the man -- "you are the Holy One of God" -- he will be vulnerable to the charge of blasphemy. Jesus will be accused of breaking the commandments of the Biblical law; Jesus will be accused of blasphemy. From a legalistic religious perspective, those charges will stick, and he will be condemned.
We have a hard time expanding our consciousness to realize the wonder of this God of love. God is love, and love transcends and crosses boundaries of religious law and commandment. When love is manifest, it is the manifestation of God. the commandments must stretch to welcome unexpected love. And when love is present and active within and among human life, it is the presence of the Holy One of God within and among us. "Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God... God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them..."
The encounter in the synagogue and its consequences serve as a reminder to us, to religious people, that our perspective can be too limited toward God. We do not have a monopoly on God. Wherever love is, there is God. Don't oppose that.
And, when you think about it, has there ever been a human life that did not receive and give love in some sense? Has there ever been a human who did not respond to love with love in some form? Love is ubiquitous; universal. Those who follow Jesus, who listen to his voice, will rejoice wherever love is manifest. Even on the sabbath; even outside our faith tradition or our theology. Whoever receives love or gives love lives in God and is one with God. Do not condemn love. Do not be afraid.
Lowell
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posted by Lowell @ 7:23 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Giving love is not equated to salvation. Responding to love does not mean salvation. We are all depraved in comparison to a perfect and holy GOD. That is the standard we must achieve to be one with God. Those are his standards, and they are the only standards that have any logic.
I can't rejoice in "homosexual love" as I can't rejoice in any sin.
I am still waiting for an answer to a question. WHY would God inspire, protect, and preserve the Bible if it is wrong? How could a loving God give us an instruction book full of misdirection and human errors. I contend that a loving God would not and did not. That sounds more like a sick, twisted freak.
Reg,
Your question is a non sequitur to me. It is like asking why did Jesus bleed and die like a human being when he was crucified. Or why didn't he show the Jewish and Roman authorities his divine power, overwhlem them and inaugurate the peaceable kingdom. Or why did a good God allow such evil and suffering. Couldn't a loving God do better than all of this misdirection and human error?
Why isn't rainwater beer?
The scripture is written by human beings. It is our ancestors' response to their experience of God. It reveals God and tells God's story of relationship with us. It is God's Word and contains all things necessary for salvation. It is truth sufficient for faith. It is the holy conversation of holy people. It has been authorized by our church councils as our trustworthy guide to lead us toward God.
But it is not a magic book dictated by God and perfectly infallible in fact.
In fact, parts of the scripture are written to challenge other parts of scripture. Ruth and Jonah challenge the theology and tribal purity policies of Ezra and Nehemiah. Job challenges the theology of the Deuteronomic historian that God always rewards the good and punishes the evil. Jewish tradition preserves this wonderful custom of relgious argument and dialogue.
In the New Testament we see the post-Pauline writers of the pastoral epistles (1 & 2 Timothy & Titus) backing away from Pauls more egalitarian tradition toward women.
The Bible speaks with many voices. Honor them; don't squash them into some indistinguishable "the Bible says..." The Bible is what it is. Honor it as it is.
The Bible is not God. We do not worship the Bible. The Bible points to God. We worship God.
Lowell
(Mat 24:4) And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
(Mat 24:11) And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
When we were children, the school bully used to hold up his favorite book and tell me to "Bow down before the Holy...." In Chapel or in Church (it was an Episcopal School) I would see people reverence the "Holy Bible." I refused to bow, perhaps from what I had learned from the bully, that no book is to be worshipped. What is it that makes the Bible "Holy?" And is the Bible "Wholly Holy?" I also am aware of the argument that if you reject (read "question") the truth of any part of the Bible you are essentially rejecting the whole thing. As a card carrying middle of the road Episcopalian I can live with both Lowell and Reg. I hope they can live with me. Today, I will even be seen gladly bowing before the cross, and showing reverence to the Bible because in the Bible there is Truth.
I am not suggesting we worship the Bible. Where did you get that?
I am saying simply take it or leave it. Have the guts to make a choice. Lowell's logic does not follow. Lowell's "jesus" is a liar.
Why did Jesus bleed and die? he WAS human
Why didn't he overwhelm? to fulfil prophesy
Why does a good God allow suffering (he still does by the way)? to bring glory to Himself, to draw people to Him, to cause us to rely on Him and not on our own, and probably many other reasons.
Can God do better? That one you can ask him?
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