October 15: Pentecost 20: Chosen

 This week we resume our walk through the Psalms from the lectionary for each Sunday. Today we consider how we are Chosen, just like the Children of Israel and all creation throughout history. We have been Chosen by God, and all too often we fall flat on our face in how we live that chosen-ness.

Does anyone else remember the stress of PE class and waiting and hoping to be Chosen for a team. If you are like me, more geeky than physically fit, it was a stressful time. I knew I'd be the last chosen. God's choosing of us isn't like that. It's not a test of who is most favored or fittest. God choses each and every one of us equally, no matter what our qualifications. In fact, when reading the Bible, it seems God chooses the least likely to do God's will. It's reassuring to know we are chosen. However, it can be far to easy to decide that someone, or some group, could not possibly also be Chosen. Think about what group or person(s) you would say God cannot have Chosen to Love... 

God Choses Each and Every One!

It starts in the Garden, and continues throughout Genesis as our very human faith ancestors stumble along. Sometimes they get it right, and more often they make a mess of their lives and families. Sounds a lot like the current world, doesn’t it? The Hebrew Scripture reading this week is Exodus 32:1-14. It is all about how the people, who have barely left Egyptian slavery, decide they were better off there serving the Egyptians and their gods. They demand that Aaron, Moses’ brother, make gods for us, who shall go before us. Aaron makes a golden calf from their jewelry. Moses meanwhile, is on the mountain with God, who angrily says, I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are and wants to destroy them. Moses intercedes and the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.

The Epistle (Philippians 4:1-9) offers a glimpse of conflict in the early church. Paul has to say I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel. Even though they were chosen as leaders, there was apparently friction. Paul then goes on to tell the community to Rejoice and do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Jesus parable of the Wedding Banquet is all about ungrateful guests. The king rejects these guests saying, those invited were not worthy. The king then invites everyone else to the feast. The initial guests were carefully chosen, but refused the invitation. I found this image on a Bing search so I cannot give it an attribution. However, I love the way it shows all of creation at the Wedding Banquet. 

The Psalm reiterates God’s mercy on the Chosen, even when they defy or fall short. It is good news for all of us. In verse 6, the Psalmist notes, we have sinned as our forebears did; we have done wrong and dealt wickedly. However, the first line of the Psalm gives us all hope. Despite all our failings, we can give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures for ever. The last verses of the Psalm (not included in the reading today, offer even more hope. The Psalmist prays, regather us from the nations so we can thank your holy name and rejoice and praise you. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, “Amen!” Hallelujah!

Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23 1 Hallelujah! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures for ever. 2 Who can declare the mighty acts of the Lord or show forth all his praise? 3 Happy are those who act with justice and always do what is right! 4 Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you have for your people, and visit me with your saving help; 5 That I may see the prosperity of your elect and be glad with the gladness of your people, that I may glory with your inheritance. 6 We have sinned as our forebears did; we have done wrong and dealt wickedly. 19 Israel made a bull-calf at Horeb and worshiped a molten image; 20 And so they exchanged their Glory for the image of an ox that feeds on grass. 21 They forgot God their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt, 22 Wonderful deeds in the land of Ham, and fearful things at the Red Sea. 23 So he would have destroyed them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath from consuming them. (Book of Common Prayer)

Hallelujah! Thank you, Lord! How good you are! Your love for us continues on forever. Who can ever list the glorious miracles of God? Who can ever praise him half enough? Happiness comes to those who are fair to others and are always just and good. Remember me too, O Lord, while you are blessing and saving your people. Let me share in your chosen ones’ prosperity and rejoice in all their joys, and receive the glory you give to them. Both we and our fathers have sinned so much. For they preferred a statue of an ox that eats grass to the glorious presence of God himself. Thus they despised their Savior who had done such mighty miracles in Egypt and at the Red Sea. So the Lord declared he would destroy them. But Moses, his chosen one, stepped into the breach between the people and their God and begged him to turn from his wrath and not destroy them. (Living Bible)

 It is good news that you are Chosen. What does that mean to you?