February 27, 2010 8th Sunday after Epiphany
Isaiah 49: 8-16a, Psalm 131, 1 Corinthians 4: 1-5, Matthew 6: 24-34
Anytime you are doing something new, there is a risk of...well...failure. That is true for just about anything; starting a new business, roller skating, buying and trying your first computer. Life if fraught with things that just don't turn out right the first time you try it. I wonder how many patens are in the hallowed halls of the US Paten and Trademark office. There were over 500,000 filed just last year...do you think any of those were failures.
We at Pisgah did something new this week-end. We went away for a discerning and visioning retreat. I am happy to report that this new thing we've done was not a failure! In fact it was so successful that we will be talking about it at least for the next 5 to 10 years.
God blessed us while we retreated. God remembered us. God spoke to our hearts, to our minds, and God helped us to dreams the plans that God has for us. I've just got to tell you...I'm pumped.
As I have looked at our scriptures we have read today, I notice a theme. The theme is about having a fearless faith. Matthew's gospel has Jesus telling his followers not to worry, not be anxious about a thing. Being so can't add a single minute to our life.
In the Isaiah text the prophet is speaking for God. Here is the gist: God said, When you called out, I answered you. I helped you. I have kept you. Now I want to give you away as a gift.
I wonder what those who heard Isaiah words might have thought about God's plan to give them away. The Hebrews had always been called God chosen. The ones on the top of God's list. They knew that God had indeed blessed them, answered their prayers, and helped and kept them through thick and thin. To be given away and to whom? Isaiah said to the prisoners who sat in darkness.
That must have been a shock to God's chosen people. Their faith might have wavered a little as they contemplated that God was going to now give them away, maybe forsaking them...even forget them.
Is that what we can expect of God? We know that when we call out to God, God does indeed answer, does help us, and God keeps us. So does God also give us away?
This weekend Richard Smith shared with the group some history of this great church. He told about the dedication of the founders, about the generosity of people, people who were not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, who gave land, time and money to build the first small church on this very hill. Since those days over 150 years ago when the first brush arbor was build until today God has answered, helped and kept Pisgah UMC as a beacon to those who have indeed been imprisoned and in darkness. Today we are still being given away.
God knew that the Hebrews might have figured that if they were going to be given away that God would forget them. Nothing was further from the truth. God reassured them that he could no more forget them than a mother can forget her newborn. In fact, God said that they were...just as we are...engraved on the palms of God's hands (16).
I like to think of this verse as an indication that tattoos...must be okay. I looked up last night to see if I could find the origin of the tattoo. The earliest known tattoo was on a 5000 year old Ice man found in the late 1990's. But I'm going say that God's tattoo of the Hebrews, God's tattoo of you and of me was way earlier than that!
One of the things about a tattoo (which is an inked engraving) is that basically they are permanent. I'm not sure about today, but back in the day, a tattoo was done to be a permanent reminder of something. My dad had a lovely colorful eagle and American flag tattoo on his right forearm. When I was five, I thought it was just dreamy. Dad's tattoo was his permanent reminder of his service in the Navy.
Isaiah tells us that God remembers. We should allow such a promise from God to encourage us. We should keep that promise in mind when things get tough at work, or the doctor gives us a hard diagnosis, or when life is not as full or as fun as we want it to be.
God remembers us so we should also keep this promise in mind when we are on the verge of securing and implementing the vision that God has given us. A fearless faith will carry us as we move forward with planning and implementing stage of God's vision at Pisgah.
A good many of you were not able to attend the retreat, so for just a few minutes, I want to bring you a few highlights. There will be more clarification to come...but for now here is a part of the vision; where God wants us to focus and to be in ministry.
Place to Grow
· relationship with God
· in our connections to our Long Shoals community
· in our connections to the wider world community
· in opportunities for all people, young and old
· in numbers (we believe God wants our congregation to grow)
· in education, technology
Focus on our facilities
· to have authentic worship with dynamic praise and worship
· to support, improve and strengthen the lives of children and youth in our church and in our community
· to give opportunities for community connections though such things as health screenings, small groups, youth basketball, health and wellness opportunities, tutoring, food pantry, walking track, and community garden
Go
· Go, do, participate in and support building teams; missions beyond the local church and community
· Get our hands dirty (while getting our souls fed)
Do such dreams, does such vision take a fearless faith? You bet it does. But ask yourself, has God heard the prayers of Pisgah over the years? Has God answered them? Has God keep Pisgah for over 150 years? Yes God has...and God also has our name...Pisgah United Methodist Church...tattooed on the palm of God's hands. It is God's permanent reminder of us and the vision God has given us.
I believe God is going to do great things through us...and I can't wait to get started. How about you?
© 2011 Judy H. Eurey
