February 2, 2020: Dear God
February 2, 2020 Rev. Rhonda Blevins, DMIN
Dear God
Micah 6:1-8
Hear what the Lord says:
Rise, plead your case before the mountains,
and let the hills hear your voice.
Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the Lord,
and you enduring foundations of the earth;
for the Lord has a controversy with his people,
and he will contend with Israel.
“O my people, what have I done to you?
In what have I wearied you? Answer me!
For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
and redeemed you from the house of slavery;
and I sent before you Moses,
Aaron, and Miriam.
O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised,
what Balaam son of Beor answered him,
and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal,
that you may know the saving acts of the Lord.”
“With what shall I come before the Lord,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
______
Dear God, or, uh, do you prefer me to call you by a different name? Like, “Holy One?” Maybe “Father?” Or what was it that churchy girl called you that one time? Oh! I remember: “Daddy!” That’s just weird. Let’s stick with “God” if that’s ok with you? (waits for a response from God.) Nothing? Ok. “God” it is.
Dear God, I want to be a good person, I really do. I want to please you—I want to make you proud. But sometimes I’m not sure what you want from me. I’m not sure what you require exactly.
Let’s start with church. So I go to church, well, most of the time. Ok, some of the time. Alright, I never miss Christmas and Easter. But how much church do you require, really? Is Christmas and Easter enough? Or maybe once a month? I could probably do once a month. Does that sound alright with you? Nothing? Ok. Once a month it is.
And when I go to church, do you want me to sing those songs, er, hymns? I mean, I don’t want to be like that woman that sits behind me and thinks she’s Whitney Houston. The good Lord knows, er, I mean, you know she is NO Whitney Houston. So do I sing out loud, or sort of quietly? Or maybe just mouth the words and pretend to sing. I see lots of people doing that. I don’t really want to be like that guy who just stands there looking around. That’s just . . . awkward. So how about I just mouth the words and pretend to sing. That seems to be the most socially acceptable thing to do. Does that sound ok with you? Nothing? Ok. Mouthing the words it is.
And what am I supposed to do when the offering plate comes around. I mean, I NEVER carry cash. Who carries cash these days? I know there’s text to give, but wouldn’t it seem rude for me to pull out my phone in the middle of a worship service? Then I remember the church where I grew up used to talk about tithing . . . a whole 10% of income! The big debate in Sunday school one day was whether we should tithe our pre-tax income or our post-tax income. Those folks were hard core! You don’t want me to be hard core like that, do you God? So, what if I put whatever cash I have on me in the plate and call it good? Not coins, that would be embarrassing. But bills. Ones, fives, tens. If I don’t have cash on me it’s not meant to be. Does that sound ok? Any cash on me goes in the plate? Nothing? Ok. Cash goes in the plate.
And how often am I supposed to read the Bible, God? Back when I was a kid in Sunday school we had to fill out a little slip of paper that asked us if we read the Bible every day that week. Oh, uh, sorry for lying on that slip that one time, or, you know, those couple of times, or, ok, every time. Daily? Really? There are so many interesting things to read out there! So daily seems like a lot, but I could probably read the Bible once a week. Is that enough? Or, I could make a stretch goal to read a couple of times a week. Read the Bible twice per week. Does that sound ok? Nothing? Ok. Twice a week, read the Bible.
Then there are all of those service projects, but I don’t want to be one of those “do-gooders.” I did Beachwalk yesterday—I did my part to raise funds for a worthy cause. Is that enough? There’s a Habitat for Humanity build coming up, and the monthly meal serving the homeless through Peace Café, and there’s all those committees at the church. I mean, I wouldn’t want to spread myself too thin. So how about we mark down my participation in the Beachwalk, and call it good. Are you good with that? The Beachwalk and no more? Nothing? Ok. Beachwalk and nothing more.
And then there’s prayer. Like, what I’m doing now. How’s it going, by the way? This is my longest prayer in a while, huh? So I usually pray when I’m anxious about something, or worried about someone in my family. I pray when I come to church on Christmas and Easter—and now once a month I suppose. I know some people who pray before they eat. Is that what you want? Do you want me to pray before I eat? But then, what if I’m at a restaurant. People will think I’m some kind of a Holy Roller! So maybe I could say the prayer in my mind with my eyes open, so as not to be weird. Then there’s that new meditation class at the church. What’s all that about? Ooooohhhmmm—yeah, not my cup of tea. So, what if I pray in church, when I’m anxious, and before I eat, but not every meal, just supper. Supper, anxious, church prayers. Does that sound ok? Nothing? Ok. Supper, anxious, church prayers.
And speaking of prayer, you know God, it would be so much easier if you spoke too. Sometimes it feels like I’m talking into the wind, and that my prayers don’t make it past the ceiling. I mean, it would be nice if you spoke to me like you did to folks in the Bible, like you did to Abraham when you told him to go to a new land, or like when you spoke to Moses, “Set my people free!” Or how you spoke to Jesus, “This is my son, in whom I am well pleased.” Or even to Paul on the road to Damascus, but, er, without the going blind part.
You’ve never spoken to me like that. How am I to know what you want from me if you never tell me? It’s frustrating to say the least. Nothing? Ok. I guess, I’ll read in the Bible, so I can check that off my list. How often did we decide I should read my Bible? Christmas and Easter, right? Well, I’ll read a little right now and you’ll be super proud!
With what shall I come before the Lord,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, [yuck!]
with calves a year old? [moo]
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, [ok, that’s just weird]
with ten thousands of rivers of oil? [is that, like crude oil, or extra virgin olive oil?]
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, [hmmm, that’s tempting sometimes!]
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” [but maybe a little extreme]
He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you [interesting! I was just praying about that!]
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
Do justice. Love kindness. Walk humbly with God. What about church attendance and tithing and reading the Bible and all of that?
But to do justice, and to love kindness
and to walk humbly with your God?
It’s almost like you’re speaking to me through your word. And it’s been here all along, but I’ve missed it. You may not speak to me from a burning bush or in a blinding vision on the road to Damascus, but you speak to me through your Word!
“Do justice.” That’s what I am to do. My actions.
“Love kindness.” That’s what I am to love. My affection.
“Walk humbly.” That what I am to live. My attitude.
What do you require of me? It’s not about how often I go to church or how much I put in the plate or whether I read my Bible daily . . . it’s about my actions, my affection, and my attitude. And that’s, well, EVERYTHING! You want all of me.
Do justice. Love kindness. Walk humbly. Wow.
I feel like I should start over. Let me try this again.
Dear God (we’re still good with that?) Dear God, help me to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with you. (Which sounds a lot like everything.) Everything? Ok. Everything it is.
Amen.