Psalm 40:1-11

Epiphany 2 - Year A


“I waited and waited and waited for God.”
Psalm 40:1a –MSG

Remember how far it is from Jesus’ birth to baptism? It is far longer than the twelve days from Christmas to Epiphany. Traditionally it was a 30-year wait. Less than a 40-year wait in the Wilderness, but still a long time. How many died for no good reason during that wait? How many were born? How consistently perfect were our heroic figures?

“At last God looked; finally God listened.”
Psalm 40:1b –MSG

The wait was about a direct encounter, a sense of belovedness strong enough to stop waiting. Enough, G*D, of the active listening. Enough, G*D, of the appreciative inquiry. Enough, G*D, of the anticipatory waiting. Enough.

Now, with a firm grasp of mercy beyond repentance, Jesus rises out of chaotic waters (even as Moses put his sandals back on after that mystery of an unconsumed burning bush). And you? No matter how great your repentance it will always be outdone by mercy. So you might as well get on with it—receive great mercy; give great mercy.

No matter how long it has been, living a moment in mercy more than balances all the years of waiting (well, if your view is long enough and you don’t want to apply fairness or justice to each opportunity faced). Perhaps we only need to affirm that mercy is a more wholesome approach to life than is an insistence on repentance.

May you find a new song of mercy on your tongue and in your life.

 

As found in Wrestling Year A: Connecting Sunday Readings with Lived Experience

 


 

Often images of the Lamb of God are related to a sacrificial approach to living — accept the hurt of now for a joy later. Sometimes this has the feel of a zero-sum game. One of the outs of this either/or trap is that of trust.

An important element in this trusting process is a sense of presence. "Sacrifice and offering you do not desire, but you have given me an open ear", reminds us that revelation is not about absolute states, but relationships.

When we are able to trust this relationship, then we can say, "Here I am." This in both its showing up for service sense and that of finding and presenting one's self.

In this way the Lamb of God simply shows up for service (whether that service is easy or difficult is not the question) and has a valued identity that can interact with others (whether revered or reviled).

So how is your trust level in the face of every evidence that the world is falling apart, both naturally and politically/economically? To what issue of life are you willing to show up, "Here I am," and express your trust through the powdermilk biscuit route of "doing what has to be done."

http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2005/january2005.html

 


 

Psalm 40:1-11
Isaiah 49:1-7
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
John 1:29-42

Even though I was called before being birthed [Isaiah], yet I have waited patiently [Psalm] for spiritual gifts [1 Corinthians] to be identified and put to work [John].

This is an arduous journey at each stage.

Calling before birthing leads to entitlement that all ought to go well with me. When it doesn't a tantrum ensues. It is difficult to be patient.

Presuming patience is learned there is still a desire to arrive and we can patiently go down many a wrong alley. Patience is needed, though, to clarify a gift's presence.

Again with the entitlement, seems it never goes away, isn't a spiritual gift a very valuable thing to possess and to use at every occasion, even when a different gift is called for. The spiritual gift of a hammer sees every occasion as a nail, even when it isn't. It is difficult to find one's place and to humbly use one's gift.

And we are back to a call again. Jesus is called, disciples are called, all G*D's children are called to birth after birth, to use of their present gift and future gifts (but not necessarily past gifts) again and again. A call to communal birthing moves us onward even as we try to find our place in a community that will challenge our entitlements with its own and both will need to be seen in a larger light.

The initial process seemed pretty straight-forward at first and then our realities set in. Now we need to move on to see our community as but one gift part of a community of communities.

- - -

called
through time
through space
through ancestors
and descendants

called
in time
in space
in ancestors
and descendants

called
in spite of everything so far
in anticipation of something different

called
through insight
through attribution

called
through and in mercy
to birth ad infinitum

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_01_01_archive.html

 


 

I waited patiently.
     through desolation
      through new songs
     through multiplications of same
     through revelation
I signed on
     with delight
     with energetic witness
transformed in mercy, steadfast love, and faithfulness

With this summary in mind we revisit John the Baptizer, Isaiah, and our own life. We revere again the unknowns in our spiritual heritage, whose names never made the cut, but who have added their transformational presence alongside that of Andrew to Simon (aka Peter) to the latest one through whom we have been called again.

We see the downs and the ups through which we have clarified the meaning and joy of life. We affirm all the different covenants so far made. We look forward to additional mercy.

Much has been revealed to us and we are now revealing even more than we know.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2008_01_01_archive.html

 


 

I waited and waited and waited for God. [Psalm 40:1a, The Message]

Remember how far it is from Jesus' birth to baptism. It is far longer than Christmas to Epiphany. Traditionally it was a 30 year wait. Less than the 40 year wait in the Wilderness, but still a long time. How many died for no good reason during that wait? How many were born? How consistently perfect were our heroic figures?

"At last God looked; finally God listened. [Psalm 40:1b, The Message]

The wait was about a direct encounter, a sense of belovedness strong enough to stop waiting. Enough, G*D, of the active listening. Enough, G*D, of the appreciative inquiry. Enough, G*D, of the anticipatory waiting. Enough.

Now, with a firm understanding of mercy beyond repentance, Jesus rises out of chaotic waters (even as Moses put his sandals back on after that mystery of an unconsumed burning bush). And you? No matter how great your repentance it will always be outdone by mercy. So you might as well get on with it - receive great mercy, give great mercy.

So it is we move to the end of the pericope, "Do not, O Lord, withhold your mercy from me; let your steadfast love and your faithfulness keep me safe forever. [Psalm 40:11, NRSV] No matter how long it has been, living the moment in mercy more than balances all the years of waiting (well, if your view is long enough and you don't want to apply fairness or justice to each opportunity faced). Perhaps we only need to affirm that mercy is a more wholesome approach to life than is an insistence on repentance.

May you find a new song of mercy on your tongue and in your life.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2011/01/psalm-401-11.html

 


 

A crying patience is an intriguing way to talk about engagement in the world and in our own life. This is an active non-attachment; an unfocused attention.

In this state we find our interpretation of a desolate pit or miry bog to be only one viewpoint. Just a blink of an eye away is a firm rock from which to relaunch.

Here we do not live out of creeds that require we sacrifice ourselves and offer to be but a worm. No, here the psalmist says what is needed is an “open ear”. Here we need to hear the word of belovedness echoing within that is an assurance participation in a book of life that contains my story along with yours and yours.

This story lodges in and warms our heart, our bowels, and we find our actions and words to be congruent with our inmost calm.

Here we are in need of and overflow with mercy. In this play of need and abundance we sort our way through to a steadfast trust, in season and out, of a great congregation singing its way forward toward a healthier wholeness.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2014/01/psalm-401-11.html