“No Longer Jacob, but Israel”

Meditation on Genesis 32:22-31

Oct. 20, 2013

***

      The same night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, ‘Let me go, for the day is breaking.’ But Jacob said, ‘I will not let you go, unless you bless me.’ So he said to him, ‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Jacob.’ 

      Then the man said, ‘You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have struggled with beings divine and human, and have prevailed.’  Then Jacob asked him, ‘Please tell me your name.’ But he said, ‘Why is it that you ask my name?’ And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, ‘For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.’  The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

***

     This past week I received an anxious call from one of my sons away in college.  Jacob is tired of school and living in a dorm, wanting to be working, and worried about the future. He feels, I am sure, like many other seniors halfway through the first semester of his final year.

       So Jim and I decided to take a ride out to Mankato on Tuesday to see our sons and encourage them in person.  How precious is that hug, smile, and meal off campus with your parents when school anxiety sets in! 

       Friends, how precious are the moments when someone who cares listens as we share our worries—and reminds us just how far we have come!

      Reading the Jacob story in Genesis this week, I remembered when my son Jacob, my second child, was a baby. A friend from church asked me why we named him Jacob. What she really meant was, “How could you name him Jacob, knowing the story of Jacob and the meaning of his name?” Jacob or Ya’akov is Hebrew for “heel” or “leg puller.”    

      But that’s only the beginning of Jacob’s story, I told her. Jacob doesn’t remain Jacob. God will intervene and transform him, through his struggles and in the midst of them. Jacob will become someone new—someone God will use for His purposes. 

        The Jacob of Genesis is a twin. His mother, Rebekah, is greatly distressed by her babies’ constant movement in her womb. The two are struggling against one another. Sibling rivalry had begun.

       Rebekah becomes so disturbed that she asks the Lord the reason for her suffering. The Lord tells her, “Two nations are in your womb.  Two separate people shall issue from your body.  One people shall be mightier than the other. And the older shall serve the younger.”

    Now this wasn’t the way of ancient societies.  The firstborn male inherited the family’s property and the younger children were subservient to him. This way the land would remain in the family intact from generation to generation.

    But God had a plan for Rebekah and Isaac’s second born, who emerges from the womb holding on to the heel of his brother.  Thus his name, Ya’akov—“Heel.”

    Esau, whose name means “red,” is bigger and stronger than Jacob. He becomes a mighty hunter and his father’s favorite. Jacob is Rebekah’s favorite, knowing the Lord has chosen her second born for His purposes. Jacob’s people will be a mighty nation. The line of the Old Testament patriarchs will continue through Jacob—not Esau. Yet Jacob is not a warrior. He is a mild man, preferring to stay close to home. 

      Jacob’s life is full of struggles. Many of his problems begin when he and his mother deceive his father into giving Jacob the blessing of the firstborn that Isaac, elderly and blind, meant for Esau. When Esau finds out, he threatens to kill Jacob. For his own protection, Rebekah sends Jacob off to her kin in Haran on a ruse to find a wife. Rebekah will never see Jacob again.

      But God will be with him. On the first night of his journey to Haran, Jacob dreams of a ladder with angels going up and down. He says with awe, “Surely the Lord is present in this place.”

     ***

       In today’s reading, Jacob is on his way home to Canaan. Twenty years or more have passed since Jacob left. He has persevered through many difficulties, tending the flocks of his uncle Laban, who repeatedly deceives and mistreats him.  Jacob falls in love with Laban’s daughter, Rachel, and works for her father for 7 years before Laban permits them to marry.  Only, Laban goes back on his promise by giving him Rachel’s older sister Leah in marriage, instead.  Jacob must agree to work for Laban another 7 years so he can finally marry the love of his life.    

        And then, after they are married, Rachel fails to conceive. She is humiliated when her older sister and their handmaids give birth to numerous children with Jacob. All the while Laban is still treating his son-in-law like a slave, though the flocks are flourishing under Jacob’s care —making Laban a wealthy man. 

      Finally, Rachel gives birth to a son—Joseph.  Jacob decides it’s time to go back to Canaan.  But Laban refuses to let him go. He knows that God has been blessing him because of Jacob. So Jacob leaves with his wives, children, and all his belongings when Laban is off sheering sheep. Laban eventually catches up with his nephew/son-in-law. There is a confrontation, and a pact is made. Freed from his anxiety about Laban, Jacob continues his journey home with his wives and kids.  But he is haunted by memories of what happened between him and Esau. Fearing Esau’s wrath and retribution, Jacob prays to the Lord. He confesses that he is unworthy of all the kindnesses that God has steadfastly shown him. And he asks God to deliver him and his wives and children from Esau’s hand.

      Then, hoping to gain his brother’s goodwill, Jacob sends ahead messengers with presents for Esau—some of his choice livestock and slaves.  The messengers return with news that frightens Jacob even more; Esau is approaching with 400 men! Jacob is so scared he can’t sleep that night when he rises and takes his wives and children across the Jabbok.  He is alone when a mysterious assailant wrestles with him until dawn—and Jacob figures out that the man isn’t human. The assailant is ’elohim –Hebrew for “divine being” or “God.”

      Jacob, the one named “heel” because he clung to his brother’s foot at birth, refuses to let the divine being go, though ‘elohim wrenches his hip at the socket.  Jacob stubbornly holds on, insisting that he tell him his name and give him a blessing.

     The being refuses to reveal his identity; instead, he gives Jacob a new one.

   “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel,” says ‘elohim, “for you have struggled with beings divine and human—and prevailed.”

     Israel is Hebrew for “God strives” or “God struggles.”

     “God perseveres.”

    

***

     I have to tell you that this is one of my favorite scenes in Jacob’s life—this wrestling in the night. For me, it symbolizes our struggle with God and being obedient to His Will. Just holding onto our faith can be a struggle when we, like Jacob, are tempted by our fear or anxiety. Jacob prevailing over the Lord is a demonstration of God’s mercy. Of course the Lord let Jacob win! But only after he put up a good fight to make Jacob feel stronger, so that he could more confidently face his brother. The Lord revealing Himself to Jacob in the form of a man demonstrates God’s love—so Jacob would know the Lord was still with him.  And that he would prevail—because God was with him!  The resulting limp from his injury would forever be a reminder to Jacob of his intimate encounter with the Lord, when he saw ‘elohim face to face, yet his life was preserved!     

     Soon after Jacob wrestles with God, Jacob and Esau meet and are reconciled. The 400 men with Esau are not an army coming to attack. They are Esau’s household welcoming Jacob home!

      The message today, brothers and sisters, is about persevering—holding onto the Lord through our struggles as stubbornly as Jacob clung to the one who wrestled with him until dawn. We are no longer what or who we used to be. Clothed in Christ, we have new God-given identities. We are being transformed so the Lord can use us for His purposes. And we can look forward to our Lord’s welcome to us in our heavenly home.

     But while serving Him in this world, may we be stirred to reach out and encourage others who are anxious, remembering how precious are the moments when someone who cares listens as we share our worries—and reminds us just how far we’ve come!

      And that we will prevail—because God is with us!

   

  Let us pray.

Merciful God, thank you for giving us your Word and Spirit to teach us how to live. Thank you for your sacrifice of Your Son, so that we may be transformed into new creatures, with new lives and God-given identities. Thank you for being our refuge and beckoning us to come boldly to you with our needs and to seek your face. We pray that you would remove all fear and anxiety from our hearts and minds and help us to be more obedient to your will. And we ask that you be with our young people who are not with us today. Watch over and protect those who are away from us for work, school or military service.  Draw them closer to you. Encourage them through the kindness of people around them. Remind them just how far they have come and their hope in You. Give us all courage to face every struggle with confidence, trusting in your unfailing love and everlasting presence so that we, like Jacob, will prevail!  In Christ we pray.  Amen.

   

“Where are you?”

Meditation on Luke 17:11-19

Oct. 13, 2013

***

       On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ When he saw them, he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, ‘Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.’

***

   The Broberg family came to our home for supper Friday night.  It was definitely a high point of my week. 

   Especially when we were gathered around the table—four adults and two children, 4-year-old Andrew and 7-year-old Riley. And in between bites of buttered biscuit and forkfuls of peas, Riley told me that I am a great pastor!  And that he is always watching me. 

   Kind of reminded me of when Ami Gasca was 4 and was eating dinner at one of our church’s potlucks.  He pointed two fingers at his eyes and then two fingers at me. And he said ominously, “Pastor Karen, I’ve got my eye on you!”

    There were other high points in my week, too.  My Acts Bible study at Meadows is always a pleasure, as is visiting parishioners at Renvilla and East Ridge. Working in the office with Lou Ann and chatting over coffee with Friendship Circle made Wednesday fly by.

    But the week kind of started out on a low.

    On Monday, Jim suggested we go out of town for the day.  Maybe we could drive up to St. Cloud for lunch after we ran some errands in Willmar.  But once we had taken care of our errands in Willmar, I was too tired for another hour’s drive to St. Cloud, where there are dozens of restaurants and shops, plenty of places to go and things to do, for people with time and energy to do them.

     And there’s the problem for us pastors who try to take Mondays off to recover from the busy-ness of ministry.  I am often too tired for anything but a few household chores and errands.  I could tell Jim was disappointed when I wasn’t up to going to St. Cloud, though we did enjoy lunch in Willmar, instead.

    Back at home that afternoon, I took a long walk.  The sun was shining.  The sky seemed bigger and bluer. The weather was warm. The wind had died down. I saw a kind of woodpecker that I had never seen before.

     And I gave God thanks. For the beauty of His Creation.  For being with me every day in Spirit. For His many blessings to me.

    For forgiving me of all my sins.  For giving me new life in Him.

    Once I started to thank God and give Him praise, more and more things came to mind for which to give Him thanks.

    I thanked the Lord for:

   My husband, who is patient and kind to me, even when I am too tired to do fun things on our day off.

   My children, whom I know God continually watches over and keeps in His tender care wherever they are.

   My church, whom God has given me to love and shepherd.

   My two dogs, Molly and Mabel.  And our cat, Melvin.

    Waves of gratitude washed over me. I felt lighter. Less tired. More joyful.  More at peace.

    Then a thought came to mind. I realized that God had wanted to give me His joy and peace for days. He had been whispering to me, “Where are you?”

    But I had been too busy to stop and just listen for His voice. And I had forgotten to bring Him my thanks and praise!

    Friends, as we take time to thank and praise the Lord each day, we experience an even greater sense of gratitude for what He has done.  We are filled with more joy. We are filled with His peace.

    When the Lord was whispering to me, He wasn’t angry or scolding me. He wasn’t saying, “Where have YOU been?!”

    The Lord knew very well where I was, where I needed to be for my wellbeing, and where He wanted me to be for His good pleasure—at the foot of the cross, submitting myself and my life to Him, giving God my thanks.

    He was simply and lovingly saying to me, “Where are you? Here I am—waiting for you.”

 ***     

    We read of 10 lepers in need of the Lord’s healing touch in the gospel of Luke today. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem and nearing the end of his journey, when he will suffer and give his life for all humanity’s sake.  Jesus is outside an unnamed Palestinian village when the lepers call out to him for mercy and pity.  The lepers—who are also not named—are outcasts. They are not permitted to live in the community because of their disease. They are not permitted to worship in the temple because their sickness has made them unclean.

    What’s interesting is they are not all Jews.  One is a Samaritan. Now Jewish people in Jesus’ time saw Samaritans as their enemy. Samaritans didn’t worship the God of Israel in the temple of the Holy City of Jerusalem.  They worshiped their god on a mountain.

    But Jesus makes no distinction when he answers the lepers’ cry for mercy with the directive of Leviticus 13:49—telling them to go and present themselves to the priests.  Only the priests can declare them healed and no longer unclean.  Only the priests can allow them to return to their community and worship in the temple.

    All 10 of the lepers—including the Samaritan, surprisingly—do as Christ tells them to do. And on their way to see the priests, all 10 are suddenly healed; they are “made clean.”

     But only one of the lepers, when he “sees” or understands that the Lord has cured him, comes back to Jesus to praise and thank God “in a loud voice.”  And it’s the Samaritan! The loud voice shows the Samaritan’s passion and joy for the Lord, who has unexpectedly shown mercy on him and healed him of his disease, though he is not even a child of Israel!

    His healing is body, mind, and spirit. The healing is truly a gift of a new life in this world, as well as eternal life in the world to come. A leper, forced to live apart from his family and community, could not have anything resembling a normal life. What’s worse, the leper felt shame and self-loathing; ancient society looked upon leprosy and other diseases as God’s punishment for sin.

      The Samaritan responds to this unexpected gift of a new life with humility and faith in the God of Israel who shows no distinction—who does not favor one group of people over another. He falls at Christ’s feet, submitting himself to the Lord and giving him thanks.

     His faith has brought him salvation, Jesus says. But first, the Lord asks him, “Were not 10 made clean? Where are the other nine?”

     Still, the Lord isn’t angry.  He isn’t saying, “Where ARE they???”

    The Lord knows where they are, where they need to be for their wellbeing, and where He wants them to be for His good pleasure. He is speaking from a heart of love that grieves when the people of God fail to do as they ought.  When they fail to submit to Him and give Him their thanks and praise. When God’s people just go on their way.

     Christ is saying, “Where are they? Here I am. Waiting for them.”

***

   

   After my cleansing, healing walk with the Lord on Monday, when I realized I had been too busy to hear God’s whispering, I decided that I would try very hard to be more grateful. With the Lord’s help, no matter my situation, I would give Him thanks –not just for family, health, or material blessings but for giving me new life in Him.  For the gift of faith that has brought me salvation!  For the privilege of serving Him each day.      

      It is an honor, my friends, to be a follower of Christ, to be chosen and called to share the Good News of Jesus and bring others closer to Him!

     Let me assure you that the Lord knows where we are, where we all need to be for our wellbeing, and where He wants us to be. At the foot of the cross, submitting ourselves and our lives to Him, and giving Him our thanks and praise.

    Friends, in the midst of your busy-ness this week, take time to stop and listen with your heart. May you hear the Lord whispering, “Where are you?”

   And when He does, know that God is not angry with you.  He is not scolding you for being too busy. He is reminding you of His love.

   He’s saying, “Where are you? Here I am.  Waiting for you.”

Let us pray.

Holy God, thank you for speaking to us of your love and giving us faith in Your Son, who has brought salvation to the world when He was crucified for our sins.  Forgive us for being too busy or just not listening for your voice.  Stir us to gratitude for what the Lord has done for us—for our new and abundant lives in Him in this world and everlasting life with Him in the world to come.  Draw us ever nearer to the foot of the cross that we may submit ourselves and our lives wholly to You—to worship, serve, and give you thanks!  In Christ we pray.  Amen.

"The Desires of Our Hearts"

Meditation on Psalm 37

Oct. 6, 2013

“Do not fret because of the wicked;
   do not be envious of wrongdoers,
for they will soon fade like the grass,
   and wither like the green herb.
Trust in the LORD, and do good;
   so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.
Take delight in the LORD,
   and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD;
   trust in him, and he will act.
He will make your vindication shine like the light,
   and the justice of your cause like the noonday.
Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him;
   do not fret over those who prosper in their way,
   over those who carry out evil devices…
Our steps are made firm by the LORD,
   when he delights in our way;
though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong,
   for the LORD holds us by the hand…
Depart from evil, and do good;
   so you shall abide for ever.
For the LORD loves justice;
   he will not forsake his faithful ones...” (Psalm 37, selected verses)

***
     I knew, by the time I was 4 years old, that I would be a writer.  I loved books.  The feel of them in my hand—how you opened the hard cover and turned the pages one be one.  I loved the pictures.  I even loved the way books smelled.

    As soon as I could hold a pencil in my hand, I began to write—first random letters across the page. And then my older sister taught me how to print my name.  Then easy words like “ball” and “cat.”
     
     I started writing stories and making books in kindergarten. My teacher gave us blank books that she made with wide-lined paper folded in half and stapled 3 or 4 times down the left side.  Often they had construction paper covers—red, blue, green, orange—depending on the theme, holiday or season. Sometimes the entire book was cut into a familiar shape—a baby chick, a Valentine heart, a Christmas bell, or a fall harvest apple or pumpkin.
   
      If my teacher didn’t happen to have a blank book, I made one of my own. Just give me paper, scissors, and a stapler—and I’ll get the job done!
   
     Some of you are probably thinking what a strange little girl I must have been.
   
     I probably was. But I was having fun.
   
     By the time I was in second grade, I discovered that not only did I like creative writing and making books—I liked standing up in front of the class and reading my stories out loud!
     
      I loved to see the expressions on the children’s faces as I read. I loved hearing them laugh.
     
       Oh.  And this is important. The main characters in the stories were always my classmates.  The stories were all about them!
     
       Yes, I knew by the time I was 4 years old that I would be a writer.

***
     David, the shepherd boy who slew Goliath and ruled as king of Israel, was also a writer.  So many of the Psalms, including Psalm 37, identify the writer or the one for whom the Psalm was written. Psalm 37, for example, begins, “Of David”—belonging to David.

      Now I doubt that David decided to be a writer when he was a little boy.  And many of the Psalms he created may not have even been written down during his lifetime.  Psalms were sung. They were Israel’s hymns.
     
      I am amazed that David, a king, was not embarrassed to reveal his thoughts and feelings—intimate conversations with the Lord—to all Israel through his songs. Though he lived thousands of years ago, David’s songs offer practical advice for us living in modern times who seek to live out our faith in our daily life.
   
      In Psalm 37, we hear a message of patience and trusting in the Lord.  Sometimes, we trust in the Lord to lead us to act, such as when he instructs, “Trust in the Lord, and do good, so you will live in the land and enjoy security.”
   
      Other times, we trust in the Lord to do His righteous work as we wait patiently on him.  We read, “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.”
   
      The Psalmist encourages us not to be distracted by people whose lives are not lived in obedience to God. He urges us to stop worrying about what other people are doing.  Just pray!
   
     We read, “Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices.”

***
      When I was visiting with folks after the funeral yesterday, quite a few that I met for the first time wanted to know how long I have been here. They were surprised that I came such a distance to accept a call to ministry—more than 1200 miles.
   
      One lady exclaimed, “And you had never been to Minnesota before?! You must be brave!”
   
     I just smiled and said, “No, not really.”
   
     Later on, as I was reading Psalm 37 and preparing for today’s message, I wished that I had told her that I had trusted the Lord—and waited for him to show me His will. Because I did.
   
     I used to believe that when the psalmist tells us to delight in the Lord and he will give us the desires of our heart, what he meant was that God would give us what we wanted if we delighted in him.
   
     Now I understand what the psalmist really meant was that if we take delight in the Lord, the Lord’s desires will become our desires.  He will put his desires in our hearts and then those desires will lead us to accomplish His purposes.
   
     Looking back on our move to Minnesota, I remember being afraid. Feeling like this was a really big decision. But I also recall wanting to come. Caring about your church—and most of all, wanting to be obedient to the Lord and His Will.
   
     I believe that God placed in me a desire to come and be your pastor.  And then he gave me the desire of my heart.  He brought me here. I became your pastor.
     
     Yesterday, at the funeral, when I was telling the story of Coco and John and Donna, I had a flashback to when I was a little girl and used to stand up and share the stories I had written about my classmates.
     
      How I loved to watch the expressions on their faces.  How I loved to hear them laugh.
     
      How I was sure when I was 4 years old that I would be a writer.  And had no idea I would be a pastor.
     
      But God had planned it all along.
     
      My message to you, friends, is very simple.

      Let us learn to delight in the Lord.

      As we seek to do His will and be pleasing to Him, may the Lord's desires become ours.
 
      And then...

      May He give us all the desires of our hearts.

     
Let us pray.

Holy Lord, thank you for sacrificing your Son, Jesus Christ, and for giving us the desire to be forgiven by you and live eternally with you.  Lead us by your Spirit each day to delight only in you and your ways.  Place your desires in our hearts, Lord, so that we desire only your will. Give us the strength and courage to obey.  Teach us to be still and wait patiently on you.  To trust in you and do good.  In Christ we pray.  Amen.