Jack Hardaway
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If I do and say the right things then God will like me.
It is hard to escape from that kind of thinking.
And by extension the idea that God doesn’t like those who do and say things differently from me.
That is how religion usually seems to work.
There is fire and water, there is the choice of which we will reach for.
It’s just that the fire isn’t what we thought it was.
Its just that water isn’t what we thought it was.
Destruction, and Life are the choices we always face, every moment.
But they aren’t what we thought they were.
The scripture readings for today are about that.
There is a deep God intended pattern to the universe, and to relationships.
But what is it?
Fire and water.
The Gospel lesson today is often understood as Jesus making the commandments even more strict, even more difficult to do and say the right things, so that God will like me.
Tending not just to our words, and actions, but also our hearts and intentions.
I think it is something deeper and simpler than that.
What if my thoughts and actions and words were not controlled by what other people do and say to me?
What if I were free to choose for myself?
What if my thoughts and words and actions came from somewhere else? From what God is doing? From the life, the cross, and the empty tomb of Jesus?
Fire and water then aren’t about getting it right.
They are about choosing to live in ever deepening communion with God.
The commandments, and Jesus’ deep focus on the heart of the commandments are then about that freedom to choose communion, to choose love.
We are shown God’s freedom in the commandments to choose love rather than be controlled by others.
God’s freedom.
And that freedom is love.
The deep God intended pattern in the universe and relationships is love.
Only in love am I free to choose the water of life over the fire of using others, and everything for my own benefit.
The freedom that is love.
That is the choice.
Fire and water.
We stretch out our hand for which ever we choose.
God’s hand has stretched out.
God has chosen water.
The water is poured out from Jesus side.
The font of every blessing.
Freedom is only freedom when it is love.
God is that love.
Be free as God is free.
Be free indeed. Be free at last.
Choose freedom. Choose love.
Fire and water.
Choose love.
Love has chosen you.
That is the message of scripture.
The Law, the Prophets, the Writings, New and Old and Apocrypha, the Gospels, the Acts, the Letters, and the Apocalypse.
Love has chosen you.
You have heard it said that you will never measure up.
But I say to you, Love has chosen you.
To quote blues artist John Hiatt,
“Down here the river meets the sea…
Love comes out of nowhere, baby, just like a hurricane, and it feels like rain, and it feels like rain.”
Let is rain.