Richard (Dick) Anderson preaching at Bloom in the Desert Ministries,
Sunday, 3/27/2011
Palm Springs
(Recorder did not work properly, so no audio recording)
The invitation to speak came almost a month ago when Rev Kev’s messages based on the sermon on the mount were fresh in my mind. And especially one of the hymns we sang that touched me so deeply.
Early in my Christian experience when I was a young Marine, I became a Methodist. One of the elements in the Methodist liturgy that spoke strongly to me was the Methodist hymnal that included those wonderful songs of John and Charles Wesley and others who communicated the joy and challenge, and comfort of being a Christian through the powerful message of song. You all know some of those songs whether or not you were ever a Methodist – All Hail the Power of Jesus name; A Mighty Fortress is our God; Amazing Grace; and the one that spoke to me that Sunday, God’s Eye is on the Sparrow.
As my understanding of God developed it became clear the deity was not some bearded old man living in the clouds directing events on earth with a flick of his finger. If the deity was a loving being, and involved in human affairs, as so many preachers said, how do you explain the Holocaust? How explain slavery? How explain the innocents who perish in floods and earthquakes and hurricanes? Are all those evil people who deserve punishment? Some preachers on television say so. Or do you believe in collective punishment – that the sins of Wall Street bankers justify the loss of homes and livelihoods of millions of ordinary people, many of whom were Christians. But, those same Wall Street bankers continue receiving multi-million dollar bonuses. One might be tempted to ask, is God really in charge? If God is in charge, what is God’s plan?
I do not know all of God’s plan. But, I am aware of some of it.
I spent many years with my young family in churches where people felt their religion. We sang praise songs, waiving our arms in the air and dancing in the aisles; lots of Bible verses, lots of preaching, 3 hour services. But, instead of making people free, instead of respecting the inherent worth of every person, they wrapped people with the chains of guilt, and fear, and condemnation. If a person was prayed over for healing for an illness or infirmity and they didn’t get better, it was because they weren’t right with the holy spirit. If the family was having money problems it was because they were not giving enough to the church. “Be more dedicated to the church and everything will turn out right”, was the message.
Oh yes, they knew all the words – love, grace, forgiveness, compassion – they just didn’t know the meaning of the words.
How about the daily struggle with those who condemn gays and lesbians? Or those who want to make criminals of women who have to make difficult decisions about carrying a fetus to term. Or people who are happy to see the poor, disabled, aged, and sick bear the brunt of budget cuts, while the richest 10% get to keep their tax breaks and special treatment in all things. Where is God’s plan in these issues?
How about the hatred expressed toward others, especially against American citizens because they are of a different religion or because their culture is different. Kay and I left the church and were away for 15 years because of the mean spirited religious people we saw in church, and their unwillingness to extend God’s grace to others.
If God was inclined to get directly involved in daily affairs, surely one major initiative would be to have all churches, all religions, change their doctrine to encourage the use of contraceptives and condoms – think what a positive impact that would make on reducing abortions and disease worldwide. It would give positive meaning to the right to life movement. Currently the right to lifers seem to lose interest once the child is born, with no concern for the child’s health care, or security.
I counsel with Medicare beneficiaries who receive wonderful benefits in their retirement, but who resent people whom they suspect are unworthy because they don’t speak English well, or who have a Hispanic heritage. You’ve seen the emails that go around arousing anger and fear because people who are not citizens get Social Security benefits and Medicare. They ignore the fact that you don’t get Social Security or Medicare unless you and your employer have paid 40 quarters into Social Security. Kay and I have a good friend, college educated, otherwise intelligent person, who was against non-citizens receiving Social Security retirement benefits and Medicare, until I reminded her about Pam Mildwater, who came to this country as a young war bride, but who remained a citizen of the UK. (I'll tell about the young girl falling in love with the handsome soldier...)
It seems like many people who think of themselves as Christians because of their stand on social or political issues have forgotten to let the teachings and spirit of Jesus penetrate into their everyday activities. They have forgotten that God is watching.
The thing that cemented Jesus in my being was the ongoing experience of mercy and grace, and the feeling that God, the Father and Mother of all peoples, while distant, was still watching over me, encouraging me to become a better person. Many times I’ve thought of a line from one of Rev Kev’s messages, I'm not who I'd like to be; I'm not who I'm going to be; But, Thank-you God, I'm not who I was. For me, that is part of God’s plan.
It was here, in Bloom, that Kay and I participated in an outreach program with Penny Sipes and others, to count the homeless a couple of years ago. We met and talked to about 20 homeless people, and it changed my attitude toward them. Then, one day, I met Jesus in a Stater Brothers parking lot. He was wearing a dirty blue shirt and had a straggly beard, but he didn’t fool me. It was a sweet experience and I was blessed much more that he was with the dollars I pressed into his hand. I learned something here, at Bloom, that made me so much more aware of the opportunities to meet Jesus face to face.
Here I learned that God’s plan means living out those instructions Jesus gave to feed the hungry, and visit the sick, and be the person who helps fix the flat tire, or make sandwiches, or whatever is needed. So many opportunities come your way that give you a chance to meet Jesus face to face. It may not be obvious at that moment; you may not realize until later, but then it hits you – you were the person who carried out God’s plan for the day. Then you realize God was watching.
I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
God’s eye is on the sparrow,
and I know God watches me.
We get a chance to carry out God’s plan every day.
God is watching to see what we do..