God Invites Us

Grace and Peace, be with you, siblings in Christ. Amen.

The journey starts tonight. Or rather, it continues tonight! The question we ask ourselves at this time of year, as disciples of Christ is: Will I answer the invitation God is giving? Lent, this season we are starting with a greater focus on, is a season to pursue and enrich our relationship with God. It is a time in which we can intentionally set our hearts to know the love of God. It is a time when we can process and consider just how deep God’s grace is. And it is a time in which we can surrender ourselves into the loving embrace of God. The invitation is extended; will you seek the journey God beckons you from?

Our Gospel reading is a portion from the Sermon on the Mount. In the first section Jesus shifted the crowd from ‘true blessings are not what the world defines them as’ and ‘You’re not trampled salt that was thrown out’ to empowerment like, ‘You ARE God’s people who were created and chosen to be God’s light to the nations of what the Lord is like!” Tonight’s section begs them to consider what true worship is like. Alms giving, prayer, and fasting are all good things. Jesus is encouraging those. What he begs the people to consider is the motivation behind it: Are your faith practices for others, or your relationship with God? And he’s not alone in this call. Many of the prophets also raise this question, like Joel! Do you want attention from others through your actions that connect you with God, or would you still be doing it even if no one ever knew what you were doing?

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Perhaps a better question for us to consider is: Who are we trying to make known; God, or ourselves? Independence and personhood is a good thing! We are wonderfully made, blessed, and loved by our God! And because of that, every person deserves the dignity there due. And when I say, every person… I mean every person! The question then is who do we want the attention on? Do we want the eyes of all to focus on us with a trumpet blast, a loud voice, or some crazy action? Or, do we care about giving the attention to God from us? We must note, not all practicing or faithful Pharisees, Rabbis, and scribes at Jesus’ time did the actions the calls hypocritical. They were, after all the pastor’s of their time trying to encourage people to have a relationship with God. However, where is the line between ‘look at me connecting with God’ and seeking to connect with God regardless of any attention that it might bring us?

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The journey Jesus is on, that we follow in these forty days is headed not to his own glory; though he certainly has it. His focus is on the glory of God alone. Jesus’ focus is on doing the will of the father, regardless of what it will cost him! Giving his all, losing his whole self in God, so that God may be given glory for all that God is: ‘gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, relenting from punishing’ as Joel tells us! Who is there to behold him being crucified? Not many! It could have been a private execution and the impact would still be the same; the love of God shown FOR the world to know what God is like!

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And we, we are invited into that! We were created to fit into that relationship with God. In this season, we are invited to say to God, “Here I am.” We are invited to search deeper into God for who and what God says we are. We are invited to explore our relationship with God for God’s sake! That could mean, starting a devotional schedule, or daily prayers, or allowing ourselves to openly speak to God with tears, cries of angst, or shouts of anger; or even sobs of thanksgiving. Then, then when we grow in God, we will hear our response to God turn to our response toward other people, “Here I am, with you and FOR you so you may know/experience God for yourself.” To start them on their journey too! Amen.