Psalm 17:1-7, 15

Proper 13 (18) - Year A


All who acknowledge G*D’s right hand will find refuge there. Those who don’t, won’t. This is very convenient when we are convinced that our cause is just, our good looks quite sufficient, our perspective on any given issue at hand—accurate down to the last detail.


Because of our special relationship, G*D is as good as a trained hunting dog—ready to sic our point and fetch whenever we identify our prey, our enemy.

This is so comforting to us and so dangerous to others.

After catching on to this dichotomy we might listen to Eugene Peterson phrasing the last verse, “And me? I plan on looking you full in the face, when I get up, I’ll see your full stature and live heaven on earth.”

Whether or not there is a plan for our lives or a purpose to be aligned to, there is a meaning to be participated in—living heaven on earth. Regardless of external/internal mechanisms, we are called to “live tomorrow, today.”

It is this that leads us, again and again, to a deserted spot where we don’t have to give directions to G*D (as per this psalm) or receive some eternal answer to every question. When we simply are able to let circumstances be what they are and to stretch into a new way of being with others and with our self, we are (paraphrasing Holly Near) angry and gentle people, singing for our lives, doing what we can to live heaven on earth.

 

As found in Wrestling Year A: Connecting Sunday Readings with Lived Experience

 



 

Two questions:

What is the difference between "Wrestling with G*D" and "Praying to G*D"?

How do you weight these on a continuum of prophetic/progressive to priestly/orthodox?

progressive----------------------------------------orthodox

http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2002/august2002.html

= = = = = = =

Psalm 17:1-7, 15 or Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21

Are you afraid of making a misstep and having that be the end-all and be-all of your existence? By such-and-such a mistake will you be known? By such will judgment be made upon you?

That is pretty scary. Having lived a pretty good life, can we be sure we have not transgressed some boundary unconscious to ourselves? Have our feet really held fast to our ideals and not slipped?

Perhaps we have it backwards. It is not that if we do everything according to Hoyle the game and meaning of life will reveal a satisfactory ending of at least being in the presence, seeing the likeness, of our G*D-partner. But, it is that seeing ourselves in G*D's likeness we travel a path we know to be guarded, never will we get so far away from G*D that we can't return, and so we are free to cry to be seen under light.

Having seen that G*D is gracious and merciful we are free to be gracious and merciful, to be a source of upholding all who are falling around us and to lift those currently bowed down.

We are called to risk our satisfaction in order to find satisfaction. What an interesting place is life. Enjoy and participate.

http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2005/july2005.html

 


 

Psalm 17:1-7, 15 or Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21
Genesis 32:22-31 or Isaiah 55:1-5
Romans 9:1-5
Matthew 14:13-21

Jacob wrestles with an angel; disciples wrestle with a crowd. In both instances they learn something very important.

For Wrestling Jacob (in the Wesleyan Tradition) G*D is identified as Love. The disciples learn their perceived limits are not so - an ordered method allows folks to sit together and look at one blessing and see within it an abundance not previously glimpsed.

In the midst of everyone looking every which way (searching for their own best advantage), two loaves (loves) and five fish seem mighty puny. When, together we look (and see them identified as a blessing) - things change.

- - -

when we awake
we shall see righteousness
and be satisfied

when will that be
that steadfast love
will be recognized

how do we help one another
perceive grace and mercy
as ever present

so often there is such need
hungers are so high
we can't spare the time

we anticipate a zero-sum game
driven by competition
and miss compassion's presence

attend to our night cry
wrestle with us
til day breaks

love dawns
blessing abounds
we go on together

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html


 

Our alone time, whether with a multitude of others or an internal legion, has a desired outcome. Eugene Peterson, phrases that outcome, "And me? I plan on looking you full in the face, when I get up, I'll see your full stature and live heaven on earth."

Whether there is a plan for our lives or a purpose to be lived up to, there is a meaning to be participated in – living heaven on earth. Regardless of external/internal mechanisms, we are called to "live tomorrow, today."

It is this that leads us, again and again, to a deserted spot where we don't have to give directions to G*D (as per this psalm) or receive some eternal answer to every question. When we simply are able to let the circumstance be what they are and to stretch into a new way of being with others and with our self, we are just what we say we are - We are angry gentle people, singing for our lives, doing what we can to live heaven on earth.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.html

 


 

All those who acknowledge G*D's right hand will find refuge there. Those who don't, won't. This is very convenient when we are convinced that our cause is just, our good looks quite sufficient, our perspective on any given issue at hand - accurate down to the last detail.

Because of our special relationship, G*D is as good as a trained hunting dog - ready to sic our point and fetch whenever we identify our prey, our enemy.

This is so comforting to us and so dangerous to others. Can you imagine Jesus operating in this fashion when he has a great need to get away and can't. Listen to the Psalm through a Jesus lens instead of a Jacob/Israel lens.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2011/07/psalm-171-7-15.html

 


 

Disciples: "Send them away."

Individuals within the crowd being sent away: "Hear a just cause."

Here is a tension from time immemorial. Those who have theirs will find a way, one way or another, to keep and expand what they have. If they need to build walls to protect their investment, they will. If they need to hire guards to protect the walls, they will. If they need to design surveillance to watch the guards, they will. Simply, they will do what they need to do.

Here early disciples and later church live and move and have their being-control of resources and people are but one resource.

On the other side stand those who have been harmed in one way or another. Everything they have tried has been thwarted by themselves or others, usually others (whether the other of culture and society or the other of one or more individuals). There is nothing left but an appeal for justice and when mercy has not been active and justice is a last appeal there is usually not a good outcome.

When things finally come to this place of last resort we do put all our chickens in one basket: "As for me . . . I will have to trust some unseen future because there is nothing that has been left untried here."

The question that has been bequeathed to you and me is which side of this dynamic we find ourselves.

Usually it has been a mixed bag for us. On one divide we are on one side and on another we are on the other. The old "seamless garment" ideal doesn't easily get put on. Our little privileges keep poking through.

Nonetheless, what's a disciple to do these days but to recognize their own limits, put down their institutional protections, and join a prayer to be freed from deceit, their own as well as that of their church, nation, family, or other privilege generating body.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2014/08/psalm-171-7-15_1.html