December 27, 2009: The Importance of Faith
Posted on : Dec 25th, 2009 | By office | Category: This Sunday's Service
The Importance of Faith when Plans are Upended
An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to kill him.”
~ Matthew 2: 13
Wow, what a year 2009 has been. Couples have come together and couples have split up. The stock market began the year weakened, fell to a record low and has risen beyond anyone’s expectation (or rational expectation!). Many, too many, of us have lost their jobs or are fearful of becoming the next person to lose their job. And many, especially those living in the Inland Empire, have lost their homes.
We began the year on an historic high celebrating the inauguration of the first African American President in our history. Many of us had high hopes and were anxiously awaiting the “Change You Can Believe in.” After two years of non-stop campaigning with promises coming from candidate Obama, that he would end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, make college affordable for all Americans and usher in national health care that included everyone, many of us are asking “what the heck went wrong?” President Obama has not only extended the war in Afghanistan, he’s committed even more troops to fight it. The Board of Regents governing our California University system just raised tuition 32% for next year on top of an already hefty increase at the beginning of this year. And our national health care legislation though not final yet, is a train wreck if there ever was one; or at least, “not what we were promised.”
Such is life. There are many times in our lives when what we expect is not what we get. That’s why I believe it’s important to have faith when our plans are upended.
Last Sunday as Kobie was “telling” the story of the birth of Jesus from the perspective of a mother who has actually given birth, it was both humorous and painstakingly (excuse the pun) obvious that we’ve made this story much more serene than it actually was. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the agony of “the bumps in the road” in getting to the hospital. And yes, there are a lot of “bumps in the road” in this story and in our lives. For Mary and Joseph, Cesar’s decision to have everyone travel to their place of birth to be registered and taxed was not what they had planned. Nor was it expected. Giving birth in a barn in the middle of nowhere was not part of Mary and Joseph’s travel plans. And then just when Joseph thought things might be getting back to normal, another of those pesky angels appeared with more unexpected bad news: “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to kill him.” Matthew 2: 13
As we’ve heard from personal faith-sharings these last four weeks of Advent, angels come in many forms and the unexpected happens. But one of the most important things for us to remember as we celebrate this miraculous story of God coming to us in human form – in human life – is the importance of having faith when our plans are upended.
Blessings to you today and throughout the New Year!
Dan and Kobie
This Sunday’s Scriptures:
Micah 5: 2-4
Micah foretells the coming of a ruler who will bring peace.
But you, O Bethlehem, who are little among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.
Therefore God shall give them up until the time when she who is in travail has brought forth; then the rest of the ruler’s kindred shall return to the people of Israel.
And the ruler shall stand and feed the flock in the strength of the Holy One, in the majesty of the name of the Holy One, the ruler’s God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now the ruler shall be great to the ends of the earth.
Matthew 2: 1-16
Matthew describes the visit of the magi to the child.
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.” And hearing this, Herod the king was troubled, and all Jerusalem as well; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told Herod, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet:
‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will govern my people Israel.’”
Then Herod summoned the magi secretly, ascertained from them what time the star appeared, and sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” When they heard the king they went their way; and the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered the child gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
After the Magi had left, the angel of God suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph with the command, “Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you otherwise. Herod is searching for the child to destroy him.” Joseph got up, awakened Jesus and Mary, and they left that night for Egypt. They stayed there until the death of Herod, to fulfill what God had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I have called my own.”
Herod became furious when he realized that the astrologers had outwitted him. He gave orders to kill all male children that were two years old and younger living in and around Bethlehem.