Battle and Death

2Samuel 1:25

How the mighty have fallen
in the midst of the battle!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.
How soft your fields so green, can whisper tales of gore,
Of how we calmed the tides of war. We are your overlords.

On we sweep with threshing oar,
Our only goal will be the western shore.

So now you'd better stop and rebuild all your ruins,
For peace and trust can win the day despite of all your losing.

"The Immigrant Song" written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, recorded by Led Zeppelin from "Led Zeppelin III"

Edwin Starr and later Bruce Springsteen sang the song "War." It carries the chorus, "What is it good for/Absolutely nothin'." Well, many wars are good for nothing. Most wars have a tendency to kill young boys for the indiscretions of older men. Some wars are fought because someone can't leave well enough alone. More and more, wars are fought not for noble reasons, but only for wealth and power; both only fleeting blips on the radar of history.

Saul had fallen out of favor with the Lord. David is rising in stature. It doesn't help matters that Saul's son Jonathan and David are like brothers together, Saul's line is threatened because the people hail David, the conquering hero.

Philistines attack the Israelites at Gilboa and Saul heads into battle with his sons, but it is not to be his victory. Saul and Jonathan with Abinadab and Malchishua, two of Saul's other sons, all die in the battle. It is a horrible day for David.

How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle!

How soft your fields so green, can whisper tales of gore.

War is horrible, war is a terror; especially the wars that are fought for the wrong reasons with weapons and tactics that are devastating to the armies that fight them and the nations that wage them. (Yes, I am saying that war, when engaged poorly, can harm the very soul of a nation.) It is highly likely that there are people who feel this way of every war, without regard to whether it is just or not, and maybe this is what we need to remember, there is just war.

Perhaps even more important than the war itself is what follows. Is there justice in the peace that follows the war. The leading cause of World War II was the Treaty of Versailles. The way WWI ended, the penalties placed at the feet of the Germans, laid the groundwork for the next world war. The Marshall Plan rebuilt Europe after World War II. Europe is stronger today because of it. American reconstruction was another matter after the assassination of President Lincoln. This is an example of winning a war and losing a peace which America still pays for today.

It is time to remember Robert Plant's plaintive cry in "The Immigrant Song," "So now you'd better stop and rebuild all your ruins, For peace and trust can win the day despite of all your losing." In battle the mighty will fall. It is how we follow the fall that matters to the end of days.

Winning poorly only lays the way for the next generation of war victims.

Wanting and Being Wanted

2 Peter 1:3-11 (NRSV)

His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For anyone who lacks these things is nearsighted and blind, and is forgetful of the cleansing of past sins. Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I want you to want me
I need you to need me
I'd love you to love me
I'm begging you to beg me

"I Want You to Want Me" by Rick Nielsen from "In Color" by Cheap Trick

There is a praise song called "People Need the Lord," and it is true enough, but imagine this, the Lord needs people too. It is important to understand that if the Lord did not desire a relationship with people then people would not have been created. The Lord is a loving God who created humanity because of a want to share grace with the creation. Humanity did not have to be created, God wanted to create humanity.

Yes, it is our call, our vocation to sing to the Lord, "I want you to want me," but before we could ever do this, it was the Lord who sang us into existence singing those same words to us. The Lord wants us to want God.

We are called to pray without ceasing because God wants us to need something greater than ourselves and our own devices. God wants us to seek-beg if you will-because in seeking we reach for things that are greater than ourselves.

God loves us in grace and peace. God loves us and creates us by a love as abundant as an overflowing stream. God's love is without end and it is in this love that humanity was created. Yes, God wants us to love in return--and love not just the Lord but all that the Lord created.

Creation screams I want you to want me, not I want you to use me. In this way, the words of Peter's letter are affirmed. As we respond to the call, the vocation, the election of the Lord our God we will not stumble, we will not fall. "For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you."

This kingdom not only waits for us on the other side of this life, but by responding to God's call to love in this life, the kingdom of God can be made known and shown in our lives too.

Trusting the Vehicle?

Isaiah 31:1-3

Alas for those who go down to Egypt for help
and who rely on horses,
who trust in chariots because they are many
and in horsemen because they are very strong,
but do not look to the Holy One of Israel
or consult the Lord!

Yet he too is wise and brings disaster;
he does not call back his words,
but will rise against the house of the evildoers,
and against the helpers of those who work iniquity.

The Egyptians are human, and not God;
their horses are flesh, and not spirit.
When the Lord stretches out his hand,
the helper will stumble, and the one helped will fall,
and they will all perish together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, I'm the friendly stranger in the black sedan
Won't you hop inside my car
I got pictures, candy, I'm a lovable man
And I can take you to the nearest star

I'm your vehicle, baby
I'll take you anywhere you wanna go
I'm your vehicle, woman
But now I'm sure you know

That I love ya
(Love ya)
I need ya
(Need ya)
I want ya
I got to have ya
Great God in Heaven you know I love you

"Vehicle" written by Jim Peterik and recorded by the Ides of March from their self-titled album.

Who do you trust? Often people tend to pick the flashiest, most powerful looking people or thing to trust. Back in the day of the prophet Isaiah when the terror from Assyria wasn't far off, the people could have come to the temple and prayed for salvation from the Lord God. But as history shows, the people don't always look to the Lord first.

A quick scanning of the historical books of the Bible show us that people usually did what they thought was wise before calling upon the Lord. This is one of the overriding themes of Judges! And Kings! And Chronicles!

This reading from Isaiah shows us is that when the Assyrians were threatening God's chosen they did not seek first the counsel of God. Some of them went to Egypt and sought defense in the form of horses, chariots, and charioteers. You could just see the Egyptians making promises too, pictures, candy, they would even take them to the nearest star. "Great God in Heaven you know I love you!"

There's the creepy promise, but it's not so creepy if you think you're the one taking advantage of the one driving the chariot. But the Lord promises one thing, in the end God is God and people are people. If you place your faith in horses and Egyptians and vehicles you will surely all perish together.

This is tough to hear in our day too. We all want the latest security system. Nations work out treaties with nations. As the old saying goes, "Politics makes strange bedfellows," and when we try too hard to use our wits and wiles to create our security we make some very strange bedfellows.

In times like this it is actually difficult to place faith in God because we don't now how or (worse) when God will act. But this is our issue, it's the nature of sin that has us trusting more in the vehicle to bring peace than in the one who created peace in the first place.

More's the shame, because the only place to look for peace is to the one who first created peace, shalom. We have to look only to the Holy one of Israel. Faith in vehicles, whether they are bombers or chariots, may bring "victory," but they can never bring peace.

Future, Love, Paradise

Start the video at 2:25 because for some reason it restarts from there. Thanks.

Matthew 5:3-12 (NRSV)

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But if only you could see them
You would know from their faces
There were kings and queens
Followed by princes and princesses
There were future power people
Throwin love to the loveless
Shining a light 'cause they wanted it seen

Well, there were cries of why
Followed by cries of why not
Can I reach out for you
if that feels good to me?

And the riders will not stop us
'Cause the only love they'll find is paradise
No, the riders will not stop us
'Cause the only love they'll find is paradise (paradise, yeah)

Future, Love, Paradise, by Seal, from Seal (1991)

The image of the grand procession is one of the greatest glory in the Kingdom of Heaven. Imagine the Kings and Queens followed by Princes and Princesses, who (and this is so wonderful) shine the light because they wanted it seen.

These good Kings and Queens don't shine the light for their own glory, they shine the light for the benefit of their subjects. They shined the light to throw love to the loveless. What a wonderfully glorious image-love to the loveless. This is what the Lord wants us to do with the light given in Jesus Christ-to share it with others, others in need. God wants us to share love with the loveless.

This call is given for one simple reason, those who face adversity receive blessings in accord with what they faced. The poor in spirit will receive the kingdom. The mourners comforted. The meek will inherit the earth. Those starved for righteousness will be fed--and filled. The merciful will receive mercy. The pure will see God. The peacemakers will be God's children. Those persecuted for righteousness’ sake will receive the kingdom of heaven.

The light shines--because the Lord wants it seen. And when the light is seen, those who have held it in the name of God's righteousness will bask in the glow of God for all to see. They will bask not so that those who oppress and abuse others may be condemned by it, but so that they too may see it, and know to follow.

This is how God's grace spreads throughout creation, one light at a time being shared with someone who needs to see the light.

That's Not Funny

Philippians 4:4-9

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As I walk through
This wicked world
Searchin' for light in the darkness of insanity.

I ask myself
Is all hope lost?
Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?

And each time I feel like this inside,
There's one thing I wanna know:
What's so funny 'bout peace love

"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding" by Nick Lowe performed by Elvis Costello

There is something terribly odd about the Gospel in our day and time. The Gospel was written for a band of God Fearers who were outside of Roman and Pagan society and not really a part of the Hebrew society, not anymore. They really didn't fit into any niche that existed at the time.

Now it's all different, or is it.

It wasn't written for people generally like me, an affluent (certainly by the world's standards if not by American standards), man of Northern European descent. In our world, this makes me one of the "insiders."

The Church as it began had no legal status and little protection. The Apostles, those who were first sent with the Word of the Good News were easy targets. Other followers of Jesus paid the ultimate price of their faith too.

The faith we know became generally accepted at the time of Constantine when he had a dream that his army would be victorious if they painted crosses on their shields. This was affirmed by his wife who was a baptized Christian. Of course, this wasn't enough for Constantine to live wet, he was never baptized. He still knew which side of fame's toast the butter went on, he might have believed-or he might not have, but he surely knew that there was power in the blood.

From there, the church began to exercise its own power and authority until it was so entwined with the government that the empire came to be known as the Holy Roman Empire. Separation between church and state? It never existed before the United States. Christian rule over the politics of the Empire started so long ago that to us it never seems out of place.

In less than 500 years, the church went from being an outlaw and outcast group to the rulers of the "modern, civilized world."

Funny thing about power, power corrupts, even the church.

That's a lot of history to say only one thing, in a world that values power and stuff, we need to take a page from Paul's letter to the Philippians. Rejoice! How often do you hear of peoples in world capitals (or in the power structures of the church) scream and rejoice!? As much as this oversimplifies power and faith, it does not seem a stretch at all when reading what comes from the power brokers of either the government or the church.

People concerned with getting and keeping power never let their gentleness be known to anyone. Nor do they seem to want to bring anything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Supplication? Please.

It's time again to ask the musical question asked by Nick and Elvis and Paul and Micah and the prophets and the apostles: What's so funny about peace, love, and understanding?

It's not that we can quit asking the musical questions "Is all hope lost? Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?" Surely there is, but we need to ask, what is the cure of these ills. Where is the salvation that cures the world?

"Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you." We need to get back to the basics.