So for the last few weeks, we have had readings from the Prophet Amos. And let’s be honest – they haven’t felt like good readings… as God seems to be tricking Amos into describing something good (the tin, or the summer fruit) – only to say how the people of God will be destroyed.
Awkward is an understatement.
Because we don’t have the context: very briefly, that the people have been dividing themselves into two groups: the rich, who have been unfaithful to God, and have profited off of the other group – the poor, though more faithful, are actively the oppressed – and God is showing the power of faithfulness, and the destruction of being faithless.
Still: awkward.
…and then this week, we jump into Hosea.
Which again – not feeling good. This is – as it is presented – as horrible reading. Is it a metaphor? Is it a historical accounting? Is it exaggeration?
Whatever it is – without context, it’s not helpful.
Because it presents a cruel and punishing God; speaking to a prophet to be a cruel and punishing husband and father; almost encouraging unhealthy relationships and normalising gender inequality and domestic violence. Even after we read the passages beyond what we receive this morning – which try to be a symbolic teaching of the pain of sin and the potential for faithful redemption – this is a difficult passage.
It’s the kind of reading that some refuse to read altogether, and often preachers like to ignore.
And who can blame them.
These passages, as stand-alone pieces, are painful. We don’t want to come to church for pain.
And this is why having a deeper dive into the contextual meaning is so important. And that takes study, and more study, and prayer, and more study. (bible study will tell you I have some thick, heavy books to reference!)
Amos is a scripture that is full of Hebraic word-play – of puns and irony and local, time-sensitive, cultural references. Hosea is a scripture full of hyperbole, of going to extremes to make a point; of going that over-the-top dichotomy to really drive the point home: where the dysfunctional marriage and home life is meant to demonstrate the community’s present degeneracy and movement away from the proffered love and grace that God offers.
Still though: awkward.
And dated: the language, the themes, the dysfunction, the allegory, the context.
But the teaching: we can stay firm in the teaching that we are being invited into reflection of our own lives to the place of comfort and connection in healthy, fulfilling ways – relationship with each other and with God.
Our Psalm today is almost a roadmap to journey from the place of faithlessness toward the place of restoration and revival: all being granted not by people or earthly goods, but by God. Through God we are reminded of the eternal promise of mercy, forgiveness, righteousness, and peace: “I will listen to what you, Lord God, are saying, for you are speaking peace to your faithful people and to those who turn their hearts to you.”
The Colossians hear a letter about the proven benefits of this faithfulness; of true freedom coming through life in Christ. Guarding against false teachers and being strengthened by what has been given to us already by God: “continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
And of course, we are then offered the grace and blessing of the Lord’s Prayer: being given, not ironically, to the disciples: folks who already knew how to pray, but who were always open to learning more about ways to connect with God and to communicate with God – and to listen to God.
For at the heart of it, the Lord’s prayer invites us to listen- to discern – and ultimately to act.
Each line of the prayer, each petition, inspires us to keep the faith, as we seek new ways to live our faith. To make the name of God holy – extending honour to all that God loves.
To aspire to the coming of the kingdom – meaning to behave in ways that do not serve ourselves but the community of God’s beloved.
To request daily bread - to recognize what nourishment we have received, from our opportunity to be contributing within society, and to have abundance to share.
To seek forgiveness means to be adequately self-reflective and self-aware to know we’re not perfect and are not self-reliant – and also to acknowledge we are committing ourselves to doing better…
Then in recognizing our acts of forgiveness, being humble enough to apply that same promised grace and mercy to someone who has caused US harm.
And the request to be spared from trial – knowing this doesn’t mean we’ll have a perfect life, but that we are hopeful for ways to mitigate the challenges we do face – and subsequently to do what we can to minimize challenges for others.
Grace. Beauty.
And… persistence?
With the parable, we seem to be back to somewhat awkward phrasing in what our scriptures tell us about the man who is asking for some bread from his friend – not for his own gluttony, but to offer his unexpected guest with the most basic hospitality.
Because at first glance, this seems to suggest that Jesus is telling us we need to be persistent because God is oblivious to our please, or annoyed to hear our prayers, and reluctant to respond… which we know from all other readings is NOT the case. God hears all our prayers, and answers them as is best for us.
The word that we hear as “persistent” when it describes the friend who needs bread is not a common one in the scriptures – and scholars suggest it could be better translated as “shameless” – or disgraceful - a lack of awareness about what is proper. As the late Prof. Walter Liefeld suggests -
The man knocking on his friend’s door, persistently, is shameless in the effect of rousing his friend, that person’s children, and likely the whole neighbourhood. And the sleepy neighbour has a choice to make – opting to respond to that shamelessness in a way that will bring honour to them both.
So applying this to Jesus’ teaching: God will act to honor God’s name even when we act in dishonourable ways.
So our prayers – persistent as they may be – can then reflect how we understand how prayer works – (mainly that we are not central to making prayers ‘work’) – it allows us the freedom to leave it to God’s will, and to then determine how we respond to what the outcome is.
For God hears our every prayer: our persistent cries, our door-knocking seeking, our out-of-context awkwardness, our whispered pleas. God hears them… and God answers. And God invites us to be faithful in all we pray.
And Jesus reminds us of the prayer that will always be answered – whether we’re ready to accept it or not: Thy will be done.
