In our Hebrew Scripture or Old
Testament story this morning, Jacob is on the run. He is fleeing from his
Brother Esau. In an earlier reading from Genesis, Jacob and his mother Rebekah tricked
Esau out of the blessing of his birthright. This is a blessing that rightfully
belonged to Esau.as the eldest son. Now Esau is so angry he is ready to kill
his brother. Jacob, although ostensibly traveling to find a wife, is really
fleeing from his brother’s anger.
Once the sun goes down, Jacob stops for the night. Fleeing danger, weary
and fearful, Jacob falls deeply asleep. God speaks to Jacob in a dream.
Two weeks ago we heard the story of Abraham and the near-sacrifice of
Isaac. That entire event must have seemed like a frightful dream to Abraham.
Yet fearful, and planning to kill his son, God spoke to Abraham as he grasped
the knife. In this week’s story, God speaks to a fearful, fleeing Jacob, in
danger from his brother, in the midst of his sleep.
God spoke to both Abraham and Jacob in the midst of their fear, a fear
that had persuaded them both to idolatry. Their fear persuaded both of them to
worship something other than God. Abraham idolized or worshiped his son,
rather than the God who gave Isaac to him. Jacob idolized or worshiped the
blessing of the eldest enough to steal it for himself, rather than worshiping
and trusting God, the Giver of all Blessings.
What could these two stories say to us at St Alban, at this moment? Some
people have idolized, let us not say worshiped, the previous Rector, or
Associate Priest, or other Priests who have served here. Admittedly, a change
in leadership can be a fearful time; in some of the same ways fear came to
Abraham and to Jacob. It can be a time when the temptation is most powerful to
be fearful because the future seems uncertain. And, when we are fearful, we can
allow our fear to make idols.
It’s perilously easy to make idols in the church. We can make them of
our clergy, of one another, of the building, of the particular programs or
ministries, the way we do things, really, of anything. And, when we make those
things idols we forget with whom we have to deal. We forget the God who blesses
us and guides us and stays with us even in our fear. We forget the God, who is always
with us, the God who continues to love us, even when we are in continuing
danger of worshiping something or someone else and have forgotten the God who
loves us.
God blessed Abraham by giving him back his son. But more importantly,
Abraham refocused his attention back on the God who was the Giver of All
Blessings.
God blessed Jacob with the vision of a ladder connecting heaven and
earth, on which angels moved up and down. But more importantly, Jacob refocused
his attention back to God, the Giver of all Blessing. Jacob heard God’s promise
once more, “Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will
bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I
promised you.”[1] And in
his fearful, fleeing time, Jacob awoke to the presence of God and responded,
“Surely the Lord is in this place – and I did not know it!”[2]
God did not remove Jacob’s fear, nor promise there would be no fear in
the future. Instead, Jacob, with his awareness of God’s presence, transformed
his fear into belief and awe in God. “And he (Jacob) was afraid, and said, ‘How
awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is
the gate of heaven.’”[3]
So today, and in the weeks to come, whether you are relieved, or glad,
or apprehensive (or all of those things or others), about the change in
leadership that will come some time next year, let me suggest something to you.
Instead of focusing on fear, focus on God being in this place. Find the things
here that give the most joy. Those are the things we will talk about when we
begin our parish gatherings to collect information about St Alban’s and the
people here. Of course we will pay attention also to those things we would like
to do better or more of, but we will focus our attention on who God is calling
us to become and that is a joyful process.
Most of all, during this time of transition: avoid idolatry. Focus on
the blessings. Focus on the connections made between heaven and earth, the
ladder of God that binds us to one another through heavenly things. Focus on
the presence of God within this place and outside these walls. Do this, because
what you focus on becomes your reality.[4]
I invite us all to model Abraham and Jacob and become aware of the
presence of God. Transform any fears or anxieties or apprehensions into
awareness of the presence of God. For God is speaking to us all in this time of
transition. God is calling us ever deeper into God’s presence. God is reminding
us, “Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring
you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I
promised you.”[5] AMEN.
The Rev Nicolette Papanek
©2017
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