ADVICE FOR TROUBLING TIMES

A meditation by the Rev. Dr. James G. Kirk

Harundale Presbyterian Church

Glen Burnie, Maryland

October 6, 2002

Text: “the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:14)

First Reading: Exodus 20:1-4,7-9, 12-20

Second Reading: Matthew 21:33-46

It’s troubling when Paul calls us to seek the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus, and we hear how, for the past six weeks, soldiers at Ft. Hood in Texas have been wearing gas masks all day so that they will be used to them if they are called to go to war in Iraq. It’s troubling when Paul calls us to seek the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus and we see pictures on CNN of Israeli youth wearing gas masks, since if that war does occur Saddam Hussein will almost certainly send a scud missile armed with germ warfare of some kind. It’s troubling when Paul calls us to seek the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus and we read how the United States is arming itself with enough smallpox vaccine for every citizen to be inoculated when and if a terrorist introduces germ warfare to this country.

These are troubling times we live in and people in this country fear for their lives in ways that a decade ago were unimaginable. And in the midst of those times the church is called to speak a word of comfort, a word of challenge, and a word of advice in how, indeed, do we seek the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus and arm ourselves with that comfort, challenge and advice in ways that no gas mask or inoculation ever will.

I just came from a meeting of our General Assembly in Louisville where we adopted a statement that’s being sent to all the churches. The statement is a call to prayer and action. For example, every day I’m praying for the leaders of the U.S., Iraq, and the members of the United Nations. I want them to receive the wisdom that leads to peace, not war, and that results in renewed commitment to use their great resources for the alleviation of poverty, hunger and disease, and the rebuilding of the lives, communities and nations that already have been destroyed by war.

I’m praying that Saddam Hussein will cooperate fully as UN weapons inspectors prepare to re-enter Iraq and will stop the oppression of his own people and threats of violence against neighboring states.

I’m praying that Harmid Karzai and the people of Afghanistan will be able to establish and rebuild a country free from the tyranny of oppressive regimes that sought their own gain.

I’m praying for all who are fearful over the prospect of war, especially the families of all those who’ll be placed in harm’s way in the event of military action, whether covert or in open warfare.

I’m praying for the Iraqi people, who have been not only victimized by a repressive government, but also devastated by more than a decade of destructive and ineffectual economic sanctions.

I’m praying for the women and children of Afghanistan, that they may use their new found freedom as an incentive to bring their country from the brink of destruction to some semblance of freedom, education, erection of the necessary infrastructure and a health system that breeds hope rather than devastation.

It’s comforting to realize that Paul is writing from jail. When he goes on at length about what he’s sacrificed for the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus he’s not using merely empty words. He’s forsaken the political power that he had as a member of the Sanhedrin. He’s forsaken the ideological identity that put him in the position of persecuting those with whom he disagreed. He’s forsaken the any self-righteous arrogance to which he felt entitled in order to embrace the vision of Christ for the world. In fact, he now considers all of his former credentials as what we translate as “rubbish.”

We’re not in jail. Yet, that doesn’t keep us from feeling the way Paul did. We may at times feel that many of our established rights are being taken from us. For sure, we don’t feel as free as we used to. Our status as a people is changing and becoming more and more threatening. We don’t seem to be in control of our destiny the way we used to be. Yet, in the midst of it all here’s Paul saying, “I’ve been there and had all those same feelings. Don’t despair. Instead seek the righteousness to be found in Christ and in time you will consider everything else as rubbish.”

That’s not to say we don’t have work to do. Even Paul admits, “Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” I’m going to keep on praying for all those things I’ve mentioned, and I invite you to pray with me. As Karl Barth said during the onset of the Second World War, there’s nothing new for the church to say than what it’s been saying all along: “that we can have no other gods than God, that holy scripture is enough to guide the church into all truth, that the grace of Jesus Christ is enough to forgive our sins and to order our life.” The only difference now is those same words have taken on the character of an appeal, a challenge, a battle-cry, and a confession. “Choose this day whom you shall serve…but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

Thanks be to God,

Amen