August 27, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 46, 67, 93
Job 4:1-6, 12-21
Revelation 4:1-11
Mark 6:1-6a

II. Selections
Psalm 46:9
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.

Job 4:16b-17
" ...A form was before my eyes;
there was silence, then I heard a voice:
'Can mortals be righteous before God?
Can human beings be pure before their Maker? ... '"

Revelation 4:3
And the one seated there [ on the heavenly throne] looks like jasper and carnelian, and around the throne is a rainbow that looks like an emerald.

Mark 6:2
On the sabbath [ Jesus] began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! ... "

III. Meditation: Your power and ours

Yours is the power to make wars cease,
break the bow, shatter the spear,
and burn the shields with fire.

Ours is the power to start new wars,
build ever more destructive weapons,
and burn the cities with nuclear fire.

Our vision of you shows you seated
on a heavenly throne of precious stone,
surrounded by an emerald rainbow.

We see ourselves in the muckiness of earth,
contaminated and contaminating,
spoilers being spoiled.

In the silence, we hear a voice-
Can mortals like us be righteous before you?
Can we human beings be pure before our Maker?

Clearly not-unless, of course, we pay attention
to the man who astounded his hearers with wisdom
and deeds of power ...though not too close to home.