Hi and welcome back to my home. I’m Rev’d Jane Bearden, Priest in charge of Trinity Episcopal Church in Haverhill MA. In these short videos I will offer meditations based on our lectionary readings for those of you who might be seeking a closer relationship with God. I hope that you find some insights or inspiration in my words and that more importantly it is God’s word that finds its way into your heart. I invite you to join us for worship at Trinity. We are located on White Street in Haverhill and our principle service is at 10 AM on Sunday mornings.
My text today is from Genesis chapter 12 verses 1-4. Let me read it for you. Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’* 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Genesis 12:1-4
Let us pray. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be pleasing to You O Lord our strength and our Redeemer. Amen
Let’s talk for a minute about journeys. Journeys are invitations to discovery that are packed with layers and layers of meaning. Sometimes a journey involves travel, sometimes it is an inward journey of discovery where we open our hearts to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Here at trinity we are on a journey of discernment. Where we are invited to imagine together how we as a church might continue to thrive here in Haverhill – worshipping, working, playing together with God. Lent is a journey. It is a journey from Ash Wednesday when we reminded each other that we are mortal beings - to the pageantry of Palm Sunday - to the walk with Jesus to the Cross, the tomb, and finally to the exultant joy of the Resurrection. Each of these experiences is journey on top of journey on top of journey. If there is one thing in this life that is a constant it is that we are all in a state of change, of movement, of journey.
In our lesson this morning Abram sets out on a journey. Abram went as the Lord had told him. This is one of my favorite stories in all of scripture. In Church School when I tell this story I use a sand box. I trace my hand over the sand and wonder with the children about the things in the desert that might be frightening to them – things like isolation, temperature extremes, blinding wind storms, thirst, and hunger. I talk with them about fear of the unknown or reticence to leave the comfort of a known universe. And then I tell the story of Abram whom God called from the comfort of Ur to go into the desert.
This time last year I was in that neighborhood. Ur is the land in what is present day Iraq. It was somewhere between modern day Baghdad and Basra, in the fertile and oil rich southern part of Iraq. Abram’s family had traveled north to Haran- probably along the Euphrates River to somewhere south of Turkey. From there Abram was called to travel south toward Jordan and Israel, into the desert. It is a mountainous region. Long stretches of flat desert floor and then large plateau like mountains rising up. It is not a people friendly environment, but it is one of the most magnificent places I have ever seen. It was truly a place where the distance between God and me felt very small.
In those places of isolation and fear, Abram found that God was present with him – just as God had been present with him in Haran and Ur. Interesting part of this journey though – it is a journey that comes with a promise of blessing. The blessing that Abram received was not a life free of pain or suffering, the blessing he received was God’s presence and the opportunity to live life to the fullest. In Hebrew to be blessed has to do with flourishing. Abram or Abraham as God renamed him, was not perfect – he made terrible mistakes – but he kept plugging along. He rarely knew where or why God was calling him, but he knew at the core of his being that God had laid the foundations of the earth. He doggedly sought God’s will for himself and his family and when faced with his own human failures he kept returning to God in faith. He knew that being in relationship with God meant stopping to offer thanks and praise as well as articulating his needs. God makes a decisive move in casting his lot with Abram. Through Abram God has chosen humanity, Abram’s people – even as imperfect as we are to flourish and grow – but we do not have the option to sit in one place. We are called to journey with God.
In Psalm 131 that was also part of our readings today the word used to describe our relationship with God is that God is our Keeper. In Medieval castles there was an area usually in the center of the castle that was the most fortified. It was where the rations were kept, where the most important stores were protected from invading armies – the place of ultimate safety. This source of protection and nurture was called the Castle Keep. When all of a kingdom’s defenses had broken down and there was no place to run, no strength to fight anymore – the people took shelter in the Keep.
Sooner or later we all get to that place where we realize that there is nothing left in our bag of tricks. All of our defenses are exhausted. God is our last - in fact our only hope for life - our Keep. When we get to that point of absolute dependence on God there is this promise. God will not abandon us, but God does call us to action. Unlike those who cowered in the Castle Keep, – God calls each and every one of us to move out of our comfort zones with faith that God will guide and protect us and that we will be blessed, we will flourish under God’s care.
This Lenten journey that we are on is a time of opening our heart to God’s invitation to us. God’s blessing is given to all of creation to be nourished under God’s care and to flourish and grow as God’s people. God promises us vitality and vigor, the ability to be creative and to discover the wonders of places that seem to be barren, but in fact are bursting with life – both inside us and around us. We are a church, a family of faith that is blessed with energy and creativity. This journey that we are on is one of discovering how and where God is leading us. Out of the darkness of night and into the light of day. Out of the desert of Lent and into the blessing of Easter. We are journeying. I wonder where God is inviting us. I wonder what blessings we will receive. I wonder how we will serve.
Thank you for taking the time to listen and to pray with me. And now may the blessing of God, Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier be you and those you love this day and always. Amen
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