As I read Isaiah the first lesson for this week I feel a little bit like the munchkins in the Wizard of OZ….
“Come out,” to those who are in darkness, “Show yourselves.” The prophet is exclaiming to the people to come out from their hiding, to show themselves in the presence of a magnificent God who loves and cares for them.
So what are we hiding from?
Are we hiding out of our own shame? Are we hiding from the communities persecution? I know in my own community of LGBT’s fear and hiding comes from pain and the feeling of isolation, that you are all alone sometimes dealing with hate and pain. God says to us though – “come out” come out of your hiding and into the benevolent presence of the one who provides everything that is meaningful. Do not cloud yourselves in worry, come out and see that I can provide everything.
I find that especially difficult as i approach getting ready to leave a job and a paycheck to go on the journey that is ordained ministry. I have a hard time letting go and “coming out” into that fellowship. I constantly doubt what will be provided for me even though I know that when you are working for the Body of Christ, the body can do some amazing things to take care of it’s stewards. The gospel today is from Matthew 6:24-34, where we hear Jesus telling us of how God provides for the birds and the animals and they don’t worry about material items. So too will God bless you so much more then even the plants and animals if you would just stop worrying…
Ok so God provides….. but i have a hard time trusting that…. I sometimes get the image of the man on the roof in the flood when I hear people saying they are waiting for God to provide. The man is waiting for his God to save him and sees a man in a Canoe come by and offers him rescue, to which the man replies, “no I am waiting for my God to save me”, soon a row boat comes along, still same response, about an hour later as the waters continue to rise a power boat came along, still same answer. Soon the water was up to the roof and the man was getting anxious, a heliocopter comes by and offers him rescue, but still the man replies with “waiting for my God to save me.” Later when the man was standing before God, he asked Him, “why God didn’t you save me? why didn’t you provide for my rescue?” God simply replied with, “well i sent you a canoe, a row boat, a motor boat, and a helocopter, what MORE did you want?!?!?!”
See we have to be willing to look around and see what God is providing in our lives. Without sounding too much like Joel Olesten though the critical question for you today is what do you do in response of God’s blessings? God says don’t worry, come out dwell in the fellowship of believers, know that i love you, and call you to be my hands and feet to the body of Christ. By devoting our lives to the mission and ministry of this church we will care for each other, provide for each other, comfort the people, and praise our Risen Savior that much more. This is my hope, this is God’s hope, Come out – wherever you are and taste the fullness of God……