Have you ever walked along a shore looking for just the right shell or a stone? I’ve done this many a time – on the North shore, by a lake, or on the beach. And each time, instead of picking up just one perfect stone to treasure, I come home with at least a pocketful. When our kids were young, they delighted in doing this too and so we would come home with sand buckets full of beautiful rocks. It got to the point where we had to practice catch and release with the rocks.
The scriptures for today have many gems within them. And normally, I follow my preaching professor’s rule to just “pick one scripture passage” and really dig into it. But today, I’m going to break that rule and instead give you three verses to put in your pocket, stick on your refrigerator or your bathroom mirror or, better yet, commit to memory. Because, over the years, I have found that there are times in your life when you need something to hold onto – and I can think of nothing better than scripture or two or three that you know by heart – because then these words are in your heart.
The first gem comes from the book of Genesis. God invites Abram and Sarai to go to an unknown place, and to birth a new people. God promises them, “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.” God hasn’t changed their names yet to Abraham and Sarah yet. God hasn’t even demanded – yet – that they worship only God. But God gives them this blessing and with it, a mission statement. God tells them “I will bless you… so that you will be a blessing” not only to one another – but so that “all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” God tells Abram and Sarai - you have a purpose.
God also promises protection for Abram and Sarai on their journey, saying, “I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse.” This is meant to assure Abram that God has his back. Notice it does not say that God will curse anyone Abram curses. Instead, God is offering protection for Abram for the journey – and promising a blessing through them to ALL the families of the earth.
Jesus is a descendent of Abraham. And are we. As Paul explains, in our baptism we are made brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ and have been adopted, or as he says, grafted onto the family of Abraham. This means that you too are a child of Abraham and so you too have been blessed to be a blessing. And so, in those days you feel as if you have no purpose, no meaning, and you want to give up – or at least put your head under pillow and say, “wake me up when the world gets less crazy,” remember the promise of God: “I will bless you… so that you will be a blessing.” For even in the darkest days – and even when you don’t feel particularly blessed, God is showering you and all the world with everyday blessings. God gives the sun to shine and the rain to water the earth. God gives us food to eat and resources enough to share. And, God also gives us a purpose – to be a blessing to others.
“You are blessed…to be a blessing.” This is a gem. And a good verse to start your morning.
Another verse, or rather pair of verses that I would commend to you are from Psalm 121: “I lift up my eyes to the hills; from where is my help to come? My help comes from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.”
I can’t tell you how many times or at how many hospital beds I have read those verses. Often, the person I am visiting will join me in the response, “My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.” In times of trial, it is good to remember that you are not alone. But these verses are not only for crisis times. We need – and want – God’s presence and God’s help always.
The rest of the Psalm is a good reminder that God is with us. The Lord will not go to sleep on you but will be present, abiding with you always, every day, in every time and place. This does not mean that bad things will not happen. We live in a world that is full of evil, suffering and brokenness. This is the reason Jesus invites to pray: “lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil.” We pray for God’s guidance and protection. And in this Psalm, we are assured that God will answer and will be with us.
The whole Psalm is good – but the desire, the desperate need for God’s help NOW is captured by the first verse: “I lift up my eyes to the hills; from where is my help to come? And the response is swift and sure: My help comes from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.” This is a good verse to have in your pocket for all of the days in which you could use a little assurance that you are not forgotten but that God is with you and is the one on whom you can depend.
There is one more scripture verse or rather verses that I want to commend to you: John 3:16 and 17. John 3:16 is very well known: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” Sometimes you see just the reference in places like football stadiums. This verse has been called the Gospel in a nutshell. For John 3:16 tells the story that it is because of God’s great love for the world that God sent Jesus to be our savior. And that is why it is good to memorize – because it tells the Good News in such few words. Unfortunately, this verse has been interpreted in ways that are exclusionary. And so, when taken alone, it can be read in that way. But there is not better interpretation of scripture than scripture and so I think it is important to read John 3:16 and 17 together. Verse 17 says, “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him.” This is the expansive love of God – and it was given for the whole world.
Sometimes it is good to look at a different translation in order to see the meaning of a scripture more clearly. The Message Bible translates these two verses in this way: This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again.
The hard part about looking at different translations is that it becomes harder to remember – let alone memorize. But memorization is not the only way to hold onto these precious gems of scripture. In fact, it is getting less popular.
There was a time in which memorization of Bible verses was a big deal. Sunday school classes and Confirmation classes worked on memorizing scripture. And there is a good reason for this. The benefit of having memorized scripture is that it is with you – always. And in those times of trial, the words are right there. I only have to begin saying the 23rd Psalm or these two verses, and those who have had to memorize them can join right in. But rote memorization is not for everyone.
When I was in Seminary, there was a push to make sure that pastors knew their Bible. And so, someone decided the best way to do that was to test Seminary students with a Bible Exam and that you had to pass it in order to graduate. We were given a packet of Bible verses, an extensive list of potential questions and an invitation to read our Bible over the summer for the exam in the Fall. We were told that there would be a makeup if we did not pass the first time. However, I was pregnant at the time and knew that I could not afford to fail because not long after the test was given, I would have a baby. And, I had a feeling I would have even less time to study then. So that summer I studied. And read. And memorized scripture flash cards. Finally, it was time to take the Bible Exam. There were about 100 students at the time. I passed! Along with only six others.
The seminary professors who created the test were aghast. Did 90% of their students not know their Bible? At first, they thought this might be the case and so they tried to create classes and adapt the exam. But they finally discovered that many of my Seminary friends actually knew their Bible well and were also well versed in theology and pastoral care and preaching – but they simply could not memorize. Others were simply not good at taking this kind of test. Eventually, the seminary realized that this was not the best tool to promote the Bible and learning scripture.
This is to say, that rote memorization is one way to learn scripture. Another way is through music. All of the psalms can be chanted and some – like A Mighty Fortress and the 23rd Psalm and I’m sure others, have been sung to other tunes. Art is another way. Notice how many scripture verses are written in calligraphy in our narthex. And finally, many of the words of our liturgy are taken from scripture. So, you probably know more scripture than you realize. And, you all have a Bible at your homes and on your phones so you have the scripture close at hand.
Brothers and sisters, friends in Christ, may you hold these and other gems of scripture in your heart or in your pocket. Sing them. Write them on your doorposts or place them on your wall. Keep these gems near at hand so that may be what guides you, comforts you and strengthens you each and every day. Amen.
March 1 – Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran – Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane
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