rejoice

As we continue to slog through the season after Pentecost eavesdropping on Jesus telling parable after parable against the Scribes and the Pharisees and having slipped into the Holy Week narrative without so much as a context clue these Sundays can feel a lot more ordinary than they do Pentecost-y. It becomes increasingly hard to find good news in the words of Jesus as the weeks press on. He seems angry, bitter, on edge. Last week, though I didn't post, I did preach, and decided to go with an exposition on the 10 Commandments from Exodus 20. I'll post that in just a few minutes, but it felt good; it was nice to take a different look from a different book.

This week, I am not preaching, but I am still looking for good news. I would still like to ignore the looming worldwide economic meltdown. I don't want the Ron Paul supporter/conspiracy theorist guy at the coffee shop to have more evidence for the "new world order." I want big purple dinosaur faith this week.

And thanks be to God, we get it in Paul's letter to the Philippians. That great blessing from the 4th chapter; the end of which is still the only one I have memorized for liturgical use.

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Ignoring completely the fact that Paul's letters are often used to beat us up and tie rules around our necks, this simple yet beautiful paragraph is why I love Paul (and, incidentally, think he gets a bad wrap).

I wonder if the church in Philippi was in the same spot I am; sorta tired, sorta poor, sorta stressed out, loosing close fantasy football game after close fantasy football game, etc. I wonder if that was the exact word they needed to hear, "rejoice!"

God's blessings are so great that even in the midst of fantasy football hell, or whatever hell you might find yourself in, we can still find a reason to rejoice!

May the peace of God which surpasses all understaing guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus!