“Checking In”
Jeremiah 23:1-6
Psalm 46
Mark 4:35-41
This morning I’m going to invite each of you to do a little spiritual-emotional check-in with yourself, to notice your reactions and listen to your heart for a sense of what your spirit most needs in these times.
Let’s begin by considering the three different scripture lessons we just heard. First, some background: The first two readings—the ones from Jeremiah and the psalms—come from next Sunday’s Reign of Christ lectionary, but since we will be observing Thanksgiving Sunday, I decided to use them this week. The gospel reading I chose myself.
Now, let’s quickly consider some of what each reading is about:
The Jeremiah passage is part of a longer section that is, essentially, God’s harsh judgment on the kings of Judah for how they have treated their people. Instead of embodying God’s love and care for the people, instead of being shepherds who take to heart their responsibility for the welfare of the people, the kings have abused the people. Their corruption, self-serving policies, and disregard for others has all but destroyed the nation, leaving some people forced into exile in Babylon and others running to Egypt for safety.
I will punish you for your evil ways, God says to the king, and I will do what you should have done. I will gather up my people and bring them home, and I will raise up good shepherds who will take care of them. Eventually, I will raise up a good shepherd who will be execute justice for all the people.
God is angry at how God’s people have been treated by their rulers but also determined to take care of the people and set things right.
Where does your mind go when you hear that?
Moving on to Psalm 46, we have a beloved song of faith and strength. The psalmist notes the violence and chaos happening in the world, but finds comfort in God’s presence, God’s strength, God’s goodness and steadfastness. Yes, things are horrible, the psalm says, but we can find safety and hope in God because God will set things right.
“Be still,” God says, “and you will see that I am God. You will see that I’ve got this. I’ve got you.”
How does that reading make you feel?
Finally, we have a well-known story from the gospels, one of a few that finds Jesus and his disciples crossing the Sea of Galilee in a boat. The journey was Jesus’ idea, but seemingly as soon as they set out, Jesus grabs a pillow, goes to the front of the boat, and settles in for a nap. And then a storm hits. Waves crash over and into the boat, the water is rising, and the disciples are panicking.
And when they see Jesus sleeping through it all, they are resentful. They shake him awake and say, “Hey! Do you even care that we’re sinking?”
Jesus rubs his eyes, looks around, and then calmly tells the storm who
is boss. “Be silent!” he commands the wind. “Be still!” he tells the waves. And suddenly, the story says, there is a dead calm.
The shocked disciples turn to each other and say, “Who is this guy?”
What do you think?
So, to summarize, our three readings give us glimpses of at least three different aspects of God:
In the first, we see Mama Bear God promising to take out the bad guys and take care of her people.
In the second, we find Strong-and-Steady Refuge God encouraging us to let go and let God.
And in the third, we see the Chill God-to-the-Rescue who comes to our aid when we ask for help.
So, again, I invite you to notice your reactions to these readings. Notice how—or if—your heart responds to one of these portrayals of God more than the others. Consider whether, at this moment on this day, you are drawn to one of the readings more than the other. Which, if any of them speaks to you?
There is no right or wrong answer, so take a moment to notice and listen. Take a moment to connect with your hear Before we consider what your responses say about your spiritual needs and longings in this time, I want to say something about where I’m coming from.
As you may know, the major roles of spiritual leaders are often classified as prophet, priest, and pastor. The prophet emphasizes our calling to be makers of justice and peace, and calls out those who act unjustly. The priest is concerned primarily with teaching the tenets of the faith and administering the sacraments. And the pastor, or shepherd, is devoted to matters of spiritual care and formation.
These readings had me cycling through all the callings.
The Jeremiah passage brought out the prophet in me, and I considered preaching on both the dangers and the evils of the politics of divisiveness. Psalm 46 had me thinking about how hard it is for us to trust God, to be still and try to discern what is God’s to do and what is ours to do. And the story of Jesus in the boat made me wish that, as your pastor, I could still the storms of your lives.
Unfortunately, none of those roles or messages seemed to fully meet the moment.
And so it is that this morning I come to you as your pastor who is also a spiritual director, someone who—instead of telling you who God is or what these passages suggest we should do as followers of Jesus—invites you to discern for yourself what your spirit needs in this moment. A spiritual director makes space for you to connect with the Holy in the way that is most authentic to you right now, recognizing that your spirit might need or want something different tomorrow, next week, or next year.
If your strongest reaction was to the Jeremiah passage, I invite you to acknowledge your anger at various individuals and systems of political and economic power. I invite you to acknowledge feelings of discouragement and even despair. I invite you to also consider whether the people of our nation are truly deeply divided, or whether the powers that be have simply done a great job of dividing us by appealing to our fears, anxieties, and insecurities. I invite you to consider looking for, raising up, and even becoming a shepherd for these times, someone dedicated to caring for the least of these, someone who would help bring people back together and restore a sense of community. How might you turn away from anger that tears down and toward compassion that builds up?
If you responded most strongly with any aspect of Psalm 46—especially the God is our refuge or “Be still and know that I am God” parts—I invite you to honor your need for stability and safety in these times. Consider what it would mean for you to “be still” when so many people need so much. Ask yourself if trusting God and following Jesus might also help you to rest, realizing that everything is not up to you. Consider how you might open your eyes and heart to see where God is in your life and how God is moving in the world.
And if you were most drawn to the story of Jesus in the boat in the storm, I invite you to consider who you are in the story. If you identify with the panicky and resentful disciples, reflect on the storms—in your life, the world, or both—that are making you anxious. Or have you fallen asleep? Do you need to awaken to the suffering within yourself and among God’s people? What actions could you take to help settle the storms that threaten? Who could you awaken to addressing the suffering of others?
Wherever you find yourself this morning, may you know that God is with you. Whatever weighs heaviest on your heart, may you know that God’s Spirit is working in you and through you, others, and our church and all creation to heal, uplift, restore, and bring home all who are hurting. Whatever makes you afraid, may you know that the God who does not slumber or sleep longs to give you peace.
Beloveds, may we all be grounded, may we be awake, may we be ready, and and may be still, that we might all see and know that God’s love and justice are with us. May God give us hope, strength, faith, love, and joy for the journey.
