Mother Hen

Scripture Suggestion from Alton Key

Luke 13:34

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

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I can't see you, mama.
But I can hardly wait
Oh To touch and to feel you, mama
Oh, I just can't keep away
In the heat and the steam of the city
Ooh, it's got me running and I just can't brake
So say you'll help me, mama
'Cause it's getting so hard, ooh

"Mama" written by Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, recorded by Genesis off of the disc of the same name.

When Christians talk about the persons of the Triune God, we usually use the phrase "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." It has been used for centuries and has staying power. The reason we speak of Trinity that way is that The Lord has presented himself to creation as these three different persons.

There is the Father who creates in the book of Genesis (not the band). God the Father can also be found in many other places in scripture. There is God the Son who came to Earth in the person of Jesus the Christ. His place is in the New Testament, especially in the Gospels. God the Spirit is more elusive, as a spirit should be. The Spirit is the wind that blew across the chaos at the beginning of "In the beginning."

But here's something that is a little more difficult to get used to, God without this masculine image. Yes, how about God the mother? Yes, feminine imagery for God is found in scripture, it's not some politically correct plot, it's really there.

God the Son wants to collect all of God's children in the same way a hen collects her chicks under her wings. The hen uses her wings for protection, it's where the chicks hide from predators, severe weather, and other dangers. This leaves the hen in a vulnerable position. If a chicken hawk comes down into the barnyard, the hen (too big to be taken up herself) could be horribly injured or even killed. Still, the chicks will be safe.

Jesus speaks of the chicks not being willing to take shelter from the storm. This leaves the chicks to their own devices and their own wisdom. Not a good place to be for a bird without either the instinct or capability to survive.

Phil Collins sings, "So say you'll help me, mama." As usual, the scripture has nothing to do with the scripture. Yet Phil is calling for help. He's calling for help because he cannot take care of himself.

Thanks be to God who protects us like a hen protects her chicks. Thanks be to God for mothers who protect their children like a hen protects her chicks.

Slip Away on The Way

Nehemiah 9:20-22

You gave your good spirit to instruct them, and did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and gave them water for their thirst. Forty years you sustained them in the wilderness so that they lacked nothing; their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell. And you gave them kingdoms and peoples, and allotted to them every corner, so they took possession of the land of King Sihon of Heshbon and the land of King Og of Bashan.

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Carefree highway, got ta see you my old flame
Carefree highway, you seen better days
The mornin' after blues from my head down to my shoes
Carefree highway, let me slip away
Slip away on you

"Carefree Highway" written and recorded by Gordon Lightfoot from "Sundown"

This is the part of Ezra/Nehemiah where the Prophet Nehemiah has taken the nation into the hills for the reading of the law. He is reading of the faithfulness of the Lord despite the faithlessness of the Nation of Israel. Forty years in the desert, forty years and they wanted for nothing, forty years on a carefree highway.

Right before this scene, immediately before this part of the reading, Nehemiah shares the tragic truth of the building of the golden calf and the nation's blasphemies. For the nation the way was carefree, but to the Lord it was anything but carefree. The Lord suggested giving up on the whole lot of them, and Moses stood firm on the people's behalf. Moses and the Lord were steadfast.
Because of that, the nation's clothing did not wear out for forty years. From their head down to their shoes, their clothing did not wear out.

The nation of Israel committed blasphemy and entered the promised land. Staying with the One who is The Way, the Lord, it is good to see the Lord, call the Lord "Old Friend," and slip away on the way.

The Politics of Dancing

Mullet Alert!


1Chronicles 15:27-29

Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the musicians, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod. So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts, with the sounding of rams’ horns and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.

As the ark of the covenant of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.

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The politics of dancing
The politics of ooo feeling good
The politics of moving
Is this message understood

"The Politics of Dancing" by Re-Flex written by Paul Fishman from the album of the same name.

The Ark of the Covenant is coming home! It's a time for celebration and dancing. Unfortunately, as with any parade, danger lurks on the open road. There has been a fatality. David left the Ark behind while creating standards and practices to make sure it made its way back to Jerusalem carefully and properly. But it's almost home now.

David's dancing in front of the Ark too. The Lord should be in the mood to celebrate the return of the Ark to the people of Israel so horns and trumpets and cymbals and lyres and harps should be met with dancing and rejoicing. In this theocracy, a place where the rulers of the faith are also the political rulers, the dancing that brings in the Ark is also the dancing of politics. Or is it the politics of dancing?

Of course, Michal, Saul's daughter, she wasn't too happy. Her father and brother fell at the hands of David's army. No matter how much David loved Saul and Jonathan, nothing could salve this truth. The politics of dancing was that she despised him.

Some churches love this singing and dancing tradition, some love it to the point that worship looks more like a Broadway show than worship. Then there are churches that are so reserved that the phrase "frozen chosen" is well known across the theological spectrum. It's time to remember that the pipe organ and piano were never mentioned in scripture, so when the worship committee says pipe and drum and dance don't belong in church it's time to remind them that they do, they certainly do belong. This is the politics of dancing, the politics of ooo feeling good.

We need to move some more in worship, but we still need to remember that worship is not a place where the congregation is an audience. God is the audience. The congregation is the "cast of the show." The pastor and worship leaders? They're the directors. If it makes you feel any better, Michal would hated it!

A Children's Kingdom

Suggested by Marie Andresen


Matthew 18:2-4

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

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Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow dream away (dream away)
In the wind of change

"Wind of Change" written by Klaus Meine, recorded by The Scorpions on "Crazy World"

In the ancient of days, there was no person with less status than a child, a girl had less status than a boy. Our English reading doesn't tell us if the child was a girl or boy, nor does the original Greek. Regardless, the child is in the lowliest position in the society, one of submission. The child submits to all. There is no such thing as a spoiled brat among the Hebrew children. There isn't enough to go around to be spoiled and the culture doesn't allow brattiness.

So when Jesus tells the people that the people must be lowly like the child is lowly to be greatest in the kingdom of heaven he not only means they must submit to God, he also means they must submit to one another. How's that for something missing from our society today?

People say "I'll respect you when you show respect for me." Well think of that for a moment, if someone else's submission is a prerequisite for your submission, can you expect any different from them? If you do, you're a fool. If you expect their submission out of superior force then you had better expect to use that force some day. There is not mutual submission in that relationship. There is no love. There is no God, there is only power.

There is one other thing children have which adults tend to lose, wonder, the magic of the moment. The Scorpions talk about that "glory night where the children of tomorrow dream away in the wind of change." It is only when we remember those days, that wonder, that joy, that we can recover those dreams of the magic of the moment.

Human beings have become too accustomed to living in this crazy world to think that anything else is possible. As long as that attitude is in the prevailing wind we will never know the wind of change. It's time to become like little children and take in the wind of change.

Judgement, then No More Denial

Ezekiel 38:18-23

This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign Lord. In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. The fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground. I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign Lord. Every man’s sword will be against his brother. I will execute judgment on him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’

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Red rain
Ohhhh
Putting the pressure on much harder now
To return again and again
Just let the red rain splash you
Let the rain fall on your skin
I come to you defenses down
With the trust of a child

Red rain is coming down
Red rain
Red rain is pouring down
Pouring down all over me

And I can't watch any more
No more denial
It's so hard to lay down in all of this

"Red Rain" written and recorded by Peter Gabriel from "So"

What in the world has Israel done? They have done something so bad that Magog of Gog has been dragged from his pit by the Lord by hooks in his mouth to lead a great and dreadful army against the nations of Israel. Does Israel have any idea what's coming? Let's face it, if they thought something bad was coming down the pike they had no idea this was coming.

Israel has returned again and again to the Lord. Read the books of Judges and Kings sometime. Good judge or king rules. Everybody's happy. The nation sins. Bad judge or king takes over. Everybody's unhappy. Israel repents. Good judge or king rules. Wash, rinse, repeat. They come with defenses down with the trust of a child and the red rain keeps coming down.

Sometimes, judgement keeps coming down.

And sometimes...

No more denial. When we repent we come to know what we have received, the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ, is real. When we can't watch any more, when we can't deny the devastation that is wrought upon our world, we must turn from it. That is when we are ready. To feel the truth that God's grace has been present all along. The red rain continues to fall, it is hard to lay down in all of this, but it is so much better when we do.

The chaos that overwhelms our lives is the judgement which rains down on us. Is that judgement of God or does it just seem that way? Either way, it rains down. Then in the words of Ezekiel, "Every man’s sword will be against his brother. I will execute judgment on him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord."

In the words of Peter Gabriel, "No more denial."

You Might Think I'm Crazy

1Samuel 21:10-15

That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath. But the servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one they sing about in their dances:

“‘Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands’?”

David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath. So he pretended to be insane in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.

Achish said to his servants, “Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me? Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? Must this man come into my house?”

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And it was hard so hard to take
(So hard to take)
(There's no escape)
There's no escape
Without a scrape
(Without a scrape)
But you kept it going till the sun fell down
You kept it
going

"You Might Think" on "Heartbeat City" by The Cars written by Ric Ocasek

The scene is set, Saul has tried to kill David not once, but twice. David loves Saul. David is all but a brother to Jonathan, Saul's son. Sure, David had more hits than Saul in the war, but he had more at bats too. No problem. Saul's getting older and David's the up and comer from Triple-A. It's the way of life in the Bigs. I guess Saul's throw isn't like it used to be and David could escape.

So David makes his way to Gath, the land of Goliath. He's afraid of King Achish and his guard too. So he does he first thing that comes to mind. He looks like a crazy man. It was pretty effective too. The amount of drool that he must have generated to make it run down and out of his beard must have been impressive. Frothy? Perhaps. What does it mean to "act like a madman?" What did he use to make "marks on the doors of the gate?" It's not like he had a pen or a steele. What could he have used? One guess is a rock. After that it gets crazy... and gross.

He kept it going till the sun fell down. He kept it
going.

Eventually, the King welcomed David into a chamber and gave him the sword of Goliath. He used it to help fulfill his destiny for Israel.

David got what he wanted. David became the ruler of Israel. With the exception of a couple of glaring exceptions, he was the man God wanted and needed him to be. He was the man God wanted. God was who David wanted.

The Cars sing "You might think I'm crazy, All I want is you." Doesn't sound crazy to me.

Freewill

Mark 1:21-27, 40-45

They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching--with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”

A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.

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I will choose a path that's clear
I will choose freewill

"Freewill" recorded by Rush on "Permanent Waves" music by Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee, lyrics by Neil Peart

Here's something that doesn't always come to mind when reading the first chapter of Mark's gospel. Near the end of this chapter, Jesus enters the local synagogue and begins teaching. As he's teaching a man with an unclean spirit came, cried out and told the world who Jesus is, the Holy One of God. Jesus told the spirit to be silent and come out. Jesus commanded the unclean spirit, telling it to shut up and get out. This is important, the spirit knew who Jesus was and the spirit obeyed Jesus like it didn't have a choice.

Later in the same verse, the man with leprosy was healed. Jesus told him to not share what happened with anyone and to go to the temple to complete the cleansing ritual and as a testimony to the temple priests. The man didn't do this. He did the exact opposite, he told everyone but the temple priests.

So what's at stake here between the unclean and the cleansed? The unclean spirits are controlled. They are subjugated. They are discarded. In the cleansed man the disease is lifted and his response is a choice. Sure, he makes the wrong choice, the exact opposite of what Jesus tells him to do, but he makes a choice.

Jesus gives freewill to those he loves. To the unclean, to the evil, to that which cannot be redeemed, there is no choice. To those he has come to redeem, to restore, to cleanse; to us he has given a choice. We can do as he asks or not.

So if it's a difference between being forced into submission and being led into a love relationship, I'll take the choice. I'll take what Jesus offers, I'll take freewill.