“The Blessings of Now”

First Congregational United Church of Christ

January 30, 2011

The Rev. Sharyl B. Peterson

Scripture Readings:  Genesis 12: 1-3, Psalm 103, Matthew 26: 20-38, 1 Peter 3: 8-12

Last Tuesday night, just as I am sure many of you did, Bob and I watched the State of the Union address on television.  As we watched and listened, I couldn’t help but be struck by some of the parallels I anticipate between what happened in Washington, D.C. in that gathering and what I expect might happen today as we gather after worship for a potluck and for our church’s Annual Budget Meeting.

            For one thing, and the commentators made a strong point of this, in that chamber you could see people of very different backgrounds, with very different priorities, and very different interests, sitting side by side.  Not unlike us, as we gather here for worship, and as we’ll gather in a little while to eat, and to reflect and dream together.

            For another thing, you saw a huge number of people who are deeply divided among themselves about many issues, but who were also united in their grief for their badly-hurt colleague Sen. Gabby Giffords.  Not unlike us, as we gather here for meetings, divided about some issues, but united in our care for one another, and our love of God. 

            And for a third thing, seated in Washington the other night you could see a huge group of people who want very much to do the “right thing” for our country, but have widely varying ideas about what that “right thing” might be.  Not unlike us, as we try to figure out whether the “right thing” to do in the coming year is to tighten our belts and spend less, or to trust God and commit to finding the money we need; as we reflect on whether we want to get serious about adding another worship-service, different in style and tone and format from our usual Sunday morning service, or stick with what “works for us” (whether it “works” for others or not), as we explore whether we want to go forward with new projects like a Community Garden, or pull back and serve just our own members, for fear of “overextending ourselves.”

And there was yet another parallel I saw and heard on Tuesday night, one that I – and you – see and hear practically every day, in almost every setting we end up in.  And that is the abundance of “if-only” thinking.  For example, as we listened to some of the commentary after the State of the Union speech, we heard things like:  “If only those Democrats would just (do this or that).”  “If only those Republicans would understand (this or that).”  “If only business-owners would (do this or that).”  “If only international leaders would (focus on this or that).”  “If-only” thinking suggests that if only something was different from the way it is now, then things would be better … perhaps even perfect.  And certainly, all our problems would be solved.

            I’ll honestly confess, I do it too.  “If only I made more money, I could take better vacations.”  “If only I was taller, I would be (a better tap-dancer, more elegant looking, etc.).”  “If only my parents were healthier, I would feel (less worried, happier, etc.).”

            And not surprisingly, that kind of thinking – so pervasive in our current culture (if you don’t believe me, consider this:  advertising is based on the premise of if-only thinking) has made its way into the churches as well.  Not just here, but in ever-so-many church gatherings, you hear things like:  “If only we had more young families, we could (do or be whatever).”  “If only we had a bigger endowment, we could (not worry about money, do more mission, etc.).”

            But friends, despite its prevalence – everywhere – from a faith perspective, that kind of “if-only” thinking is a problem.  And it’s a problem because it means we have either forgotten – or are intentionally ignoring – one of the central proclamations of our faith:  and that is that we don’t need whatever it is we think we need (the if-only part of the equation) in order to be whatever it is we want to be – successful … more active … happy … or whatever it is we’re longing for.  Because one of the central proclamations of our faith is that we are already blessed … that God has blessed God’s people in the past, and that God blesses God’s people today, and that God will continue to bless God’s people into the future.  Listen to that again:  One of the central proclamations of our faith is that we have been blessed, and that we are blessed right here and now.

            That doesn’t mean that we don’t need to do our part.  Because we do.  God isn’t a magician, or an other-worldly vending-machine, but works hand-in-hand with us to make things happen.  And it doesn’t mean that we’re always going to get whatever it is that we want.  Sometimes, we won’t.  Sometimes, we’ll get something else.  Sometimes, we’ll wonder where God really is in what’s happening in our lives.  But it does mean that all those “if-onlys” we let get in the way of being faithful people, of truly following Jesus, are meaningless.  And unfaithful.  And not very helpful in trying to “walk” the faith that we “talk.”

            If we look at the Bible for some help on this issue, we find that from the very beginning of our faith story as it is recorded in the Bible, writer after writer tells us very clearly that joy – or justice-seeking – or being loved or being loving – is not conditional, is not contingent on something else that we don’t yet have.  In the first two chapters of the story – in the book of Genesis – we hear that we have what we need, right here and now.

            In those stories in Genesis, we hear that God creates – brings into being – the world and all it contains.  And every time God speaks (remember the “word” from last week?), God blesses the cosmos, and God blesses all living things.  You remember:  “And God said, “let there be light,” and there was light, and “God saw that it was good.”  And God said “let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky,” and all the living creatures that fill the seas and all the birds were created, and “God saw that it was good.”

Every time God creates something, including human beings, the theological and spiritual affirmation of our faith is, “it is good.”  It is a blessing.  The Creation stories remind us, my friends, that we have been blessed, and that we are blessed right here and now.

            If we turn to the Psalms, the original hymn-book of our Jewish foremothers and forefathers in the faith, we find numerous Psalms like the one we prayed together this morning.  Psalm 103 starts with a reminder that we are to bless – to thank God – for all of the ways God has blessed us.  And in case the traditional language from the New Revised Standard Version, like “forgiving our iniquities” or “redeeming (our) life from the Pit” doesn’t make all that much sense to you, let me review part of the blessing-list in this Psalm according to The Message version of the Bible.  “(God) forgives your sins – every one.  (God) heals your diseases – every one… (God) wraps you in good – (in) beauty eternal… “God makes everything come out right, puts victims back on their feet, doesn’t endlessly nag and scold, nor hold grudges forever, doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve, nor pay us back in full for (the) wrongs (we do).”  “God’s love is forever and always, eternally present to all … making everything right for (us) and (our) children as (we) follow (God’s) covenant ways.”

            Notice there is not one single “if-only” statement anywhere in there!  The Psalm-writers make it clear, we have been blessed, and we are blessed right here and now.

            And as Christians specifically, another central affirmation of our faith is that God sent Jesus Christ as the ultimate blessing.  That God sent Jesus as a way of making it crystal-clear to all us dense human beings who can’t manage to perceive God’s other blessings exactly what God’s love looks like in the flesh.  What God’s love looks like lived out in the life of an ordinary working-class man named Yeshua – Joshua – Jesus – living in a tiny nondescript town in a small unimportant country.  A person not unlike all of ordinary us.

            And what God’s love looks like someone who takes the time to sit and eat with other people – even the people no-one else wants to eat with.  It looks like someone who takes time to listen, really listen, to someone else’s complaints or concerns.  It looks like someone who offers whatever healing he is able to offer to people who are hurting.  It looks like feeding people who are hungry, and being with people who are lonely, and working for justice for people who are oppressed; in a nutshell, as Jesus put it, it looks like really loving other people as much as we love ourselves.

            Can there be any more beautiful a picture of how God blesses us in and through Jesus Christ than the one from today’s Gospel passage from Matthew?  Jesus is eating the last meal he’ll eat upon this earth.  He knows that in the very near future, He is going to die an agonizing and horrible death.  And in spite of those facts, instead of getting all wrapped up in His own concerns, Jesus’ first and foremost concern is His friends … those men and women sitting there at table, and serving the meal, and celebrating Passover together.

            Even knowing that one of those friends, one of those with whom he had travelled, and shared meals, and shared his life, was going to betray him in a matter of hours, he still focused on the well-being of the people gathered there with him, including that soon-to-be betrayer.  And as a final gift to them – as a final blessing – he takes a piece of bread, and pours a cup of wine, and thanks God for the good gifts, and shares them with those friends of his.  And in feeding their spirits (just as He feeds our spirits today with this same meal), he reminds them – and reminds us – that they – and we – were not and are not alone.

            In this meal, He reminded them – and reminds us – that not only does God love us, but that we are also called into community where other people can love us, too, and we can love them.  Friends – whether you read the Hebrew Bible or the New Testament, the word of our faith is absolutely clear:  we have been blessed, and we are blessed, right here and now.

            So, what do we mean when we say, as the recent country-western song goes, we “aren’t ‘lucky,’ we are ‘blessed’”?  What does “blessing” mean?

            The Merriam-Webster Dictionary On-Line says a blessing is “something that brings you happiness.”  A blessing is “something conducive to happiness or welfare.”  A blessing is “approval or encouragement that helps or allows you to do something”.  A blessing is a “short prayer before a meal, a grace, (usually thanking God).”  And the Cambridge Dictionary On-Line adds:  a blessing is “something which is extremely lucky (undeserved, unmerited)” and a blessing is “to ask for God's help and protection for someone or something.”

            Blessings, then, other than the occasional prayers (like those before meals) that we offer back to our Creator, are gifts from God, gifts that we haven’t done anything to earn or to deserve, but are given to us nonetheless.  They are gifts that make us happy, that are conducive to our welfare, that make it possible for us to live richer, fuller, more meaningful lives.

            Finally, blessings both are – and are not – a totally free gift from God.  Blessings do come from God’s love and grace.  And blessings also come with a responsibility.

            The passage we heard a few minutes ago from the book of Genesis reminds us of that responsibility.  In this passage, God calls Abram and Sarai to leave their home, to leave everyone and everything they know, and to head out to a new but as-yet unknown place that God will show them.  And God promises to bless them richly, with the most important blessing people of their day could receive – a large family – despite the fact that at the time God calls them they are both elderly, and well past child-bearing age.  Even so, God says, “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing… in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”  In other words, God is saying, you are blessed so that you may be a blessing to others. 

            Which is the very same message that the writer of that letter called 1 Peter offers us this morning:  “Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble.  That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm.  Instead, bless—that’s your job, to bless.  You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing.”

            Does that perhaps remind you of our “Silver Spoons” message week-before-last?  When Jesus tells the woman in the story – and tells us – “from those to whom much is given, much will be required.”  When the storyteller reminds us that if we have been born with a silver spoon in our mouth, we are both blessed, and we are to use it to feed others.  Or perhaps it reminds you of last week’s sermon, about our call to be God’s creative word – and hands – in the world.  Whatever it may – or may not – remind you of, I encourage you to keep both the promise – that we have been blessed, and that we are blessed right here and now – and the related responsibility in mind as we move into our Annual Meeting.

As we move into a new budget year together, let’s see if we can do away with our if-only thinking.  We have this day.  We have this family of faith, replete with gifts and enthusiasms (remember, en theos = in God) of all kinds.  We are blessed – and we already have everything we need to be and to become the kind of faith community our God yearns for us to be.  In this new year, let’s see if we can be more mindful of – and more grateful for – the extraordinary number and variety of blessings that fill each one of our lives individually, and as members of this church family.  And in this new year, let us find ever new ways in which we can consciously – joyfully – passionately share our blessings with others. 

            My friends, we have been blessed, and we are blessed right here and now.  Thanks be to God!  Amen.