Choose your writing utensils (and travel partners) carefully

 The Bible Gateway Verse of the Day for today is:

"As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that as the last he will stand upon the earth. " - Job 19:25 (New English Translation)

*^Citation below

It was not difficult for me to consider this text as a Lectio Divina for today! (Lectio Divina is a contemplative process of prayer and reflecting on a single verse.) I have read this verse at many funerals. I know the whole reading. 

“O that my words were written down!
O that they were written on a scroll!
O that with an iron chisel and with lead
they were engraved in a rock forever!"

<Today's Verse>

"And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God,
whom I will see for myself,
and whom my own eyes will behold,
and not another."

From a reader of the New Testament, it is a quick connection to Jesus. We would put this on the list of texts in the Prophets that did not require much explanation to the disciples about how his predicted life's meaning.

The keyword for modern Christians is "redeemer." Yet, from a Jewish reading of the mysterious Hebrew,  Job seems like he is describing a Vindicator or Avenger.  A "kinsman redeemer" seems to be described here. Yet, in an earlier verse, Job says no one is left. It might seem like the Hebrew is describing a "spiritual" resurrection in the word "from" the flesh, as in away from or out of. Job, however, seems to make a bodily resurrection clear in the word seeing which is not prophetic, but literal and physical sight from your eyeball.

To us it all makes sense. Jesus would become Job's brother, and ours. Jesus would be the one to stand with us when no one is left. He is truly the one that will defend us beyond all life, and into the eternal.

It is interesting to read these passages where an inspired connection to the Resurrection is foretold, but not understood by the writer. Being led by the Spirit means at times that we hear/discern things that don't yet make sense. We have to write them down and sit with them. (Maybe don't inscribe it into rock until you are sure you heard it clearly!) It might be troubling or downright confusing. We will often not know where the Easter road leads to until we have arrived. Traveling with Jesus, though, is the best assurance a joyful journey and actually arriving where we need to be.

cuylerblack.com

*^Image Above- Workers cleaning Israel’s Nitzana National Park as part of a conservation jobs program for the unemployed recently discovered a tombstone inscribed in ancient Greek dating to the late sixth or early seventh century. Almog Ben Zikri reports for Haaretz that the stone’s inscription reads “Blessed Maria, who lived an immaculate life.”

By the Sweat of Awkward Conversations

 Luke 5:1-11 (New English Translation)

Now Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing around him to hear the word of God. He saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then Jesus sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing! But at your word I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets started to tear. So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they were about to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For Peter and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were Simon’s business partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people!” So when they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

We are blessed to live in a great area for fly fishing. I am told that the Yellow Breeches is among the best. I wouldn't know. I don't think that catching fish is one of my gifts. My grandfather never exactly told me that I was bad at catching fish, he would say I was really good at catching crabs. I learned in later years that it was Chesapeake Bay talk for not being good at fishing. Yes, it was a nice way to say it with a chuckle. It didn't hurt. I didn't mind. Good fishing was in the family. My grandmother, after all, he would proudly boast caught the record flounder for the year (woman power) and it hung on the wall!

Do you consider yourself "good" at fishing? What skills and attitudes are necessary?

One of the most thought provoking connections is a disconnect with this text. The fishing that they were doing was net fishing. They did not use singular poles with bait. The method and manner are entirely different. They did not use lures, but weights on the edge of the circular net.  Net fishing was not about patience and waiting, but hard work and repetition, often with little or limited results over long hours.

So, if we shift our thoughts about what fishing is or looks like for catching fish, then we can begin to see what Jesus means about fishing for people. We might hear Jesus saying that we will need to be active and engaged. We will need to put in a lot of effort to connect people with the Good News. Our results will often be frustrating. Many times, we will be casting on the wrong side of the boat--we will need to reconsider our focus and attention. We will have to have those awkward conversations with people who aren't sure that they care about Creation and don't know that the Creator cares about them!  We might sweat a bit if it gets heated or nervous. We should be always rejoicing, though, because God doesn't throw back anyone that is caught. No one is too small, just for the sport, not the "right kind," or even too crabby!

Today is Earth Day. On Sunday we will have a special worship celebration with Lutherans Restoring Creation. Below are some links. 

Great God, we praise you for your gift of life and the many ways that you feed and sustain us. We offer to you in this moment, a portion of our thankfulness for those who found us and brought us into the worshiping boat. We lift before you in praise, our sometimes paltry harvest, knowing that all times with you are good! We ask your continual healing and help with those who are sick or suffering in any way...We pray for those who do not know you or who have fell into a time of distrust and doubt...We give you great thanks for this incredible and beautiful Creation, guide us to be better and more faithful managers of all creatures from the smallest to the greatest, soil and water, air and rock, all that is truly and finally yours. To you, the Author of Life, we give all glory and honor. Amen.

Bishop Eaton Earth Day Letter

Our Synod Earth Day worship

RATTLE

Almighty God, you are from everlasting to everlasting. You bring speech from silence and turn mourning into dancing. You are the originator, Creator, and care-taker divine of all things. We praise you for your creativity and life. It is your breath that gives energy and animate to all things. If we were to turn from singing of your immeasurable joy, the stones would take our place. Yet, "Alleluia" keeps rolling off our lips. Even when things seem dark and impossible, we know you are with us and your hand leads us through. We lift before you those who are in need.... We cry out for those in pain and struck by grief...We plead for those in terrible situations and disasters... Asking for peace among the nations and in our homes, we know you also charge us with the participation in all you do, that we bring help, relief, counseling, assistance and support. Empower us in our generosity and faithful use of time to share your joy and Good News. We pray all this in your transforming Name. Amen.

Abraham Rattner, Valley of Dried Bones. 

Ezekiel 37:1-14

The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and placed me in the midst of the valley, and it was full of bones. He made me walk all around among them. I realized there were a great many bones in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said to him, “Sovereign Lord, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and tell them: ‘Dry bones, listen to the Lord’s message. This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: Look, I am about to infuse breath into you and you will live. I will put tendons on you and muscles over you and will cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will live. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

So I prophesied as I was commanded. There was a sound when I prophesied— I heard a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to bone. As I watched, I saw tendons on them, then muscles appeared, and skin covered over them from above, but there was no breath in them.

He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath,—prophesy, son of man—and say to the breath: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these corpses so that they may live.’” So I prophesied as I was commanded, and the breath came into them; they lived and stood on their feet, an extremely great army.

Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are all the house of Israel. Look, they are saying, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope has perished; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to open your graves and will raise you from your graves, my people. I will bring you to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people. I will place my breath in you and you will live; I will give you rest in your own land. Then you will know that I am the Lord—I have spoken and I will act, declares the Lord.’”

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     Dancing bones? Did you hear them rattle in your imagination? Dead things don't get up and dance. It is an entirely miraculous situation. Ezekiel is given a vision for Israel. It is one of utterly unbelievable resolution for a people in exile. The most direct meaning of the text is an end to the exile. God's people would be reunited and allowed to be together in their promised homeland. It did happen. This tremendously amazing resolution is part of the history of Israel. So, this seemingly crazy moment in prophetic imagination became a reality! Though, it wasn't as dramatic and pointed or fast and dance-filled. The exiles returned over a period of time. Yet, this makes sense. So often we expect God to work swiftly and God is always teaching us patience and perseverance. A large part of the delays are from human stubbornness and rebelliousness.

     Hmmmm. Does this sound at all familiar? Yes. Yes, it does. I remember the first time I heard that the pandemic could be ended with just 6 weeks of careful behaviors. I was pretty mad then. Now, I think it has helped me to see the immeasurable worth of the Church. That is, we are a people working and repeating that the premium Way of Christ is to "love one another." This not only leads to life is also leads to more community. Selfishness and  greediness lead to problems, brokenness and isolation. 

     We hear the Good News in this story because we know that God is the overcomer of even death. No one is lost to God. What might seem like a Halloween is an Easter story from our heritage. We look at sad and dry things, times, places and people saying, "Oh, there is no way..." "We are not going to be able to get through this."

     God asks us what is going to happen. We should follow the faithfulness of Ezekiel. The real takeaway from this story is that the prophet says, "Sovereign Lord, you know." This is the empty center in the middle of the tomb. God did it. God does it. Who moved the stone? Who can make dead ones live? God.

     Alleluia! Christ is risen! We no longer look for the living among the dead!

For more, check these out:

RATTLE! by Elevation Worship- YouTube

The song on this page:

https://artandtheology.org/2016/05/10/dry-bones-by-rebekah-osborn/