Our Ways, the Lord's Ways Our Ways, the Lord's
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
January/February 2012 Sermons and Meditations of the Swedenborgian Church Our Ways, The Lord’s Ways Dear Readers, God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; Meditation He plants His footsteps in the sea And rides upon the storm. In his sermon “God Only Knows,” Rev. Julian O Lord, the day is yours, Duckworth opines that “whoever wrote the hymn ‘God and the night; Moves in a Mysterious Way’ has done us all a huge favor” by putting words to the unfathomable workings of God’s You have prepared the light goodness. We agree. and the sun; William Cowper, who authored that hymn, struggled They continue this day mightily with depression; legend has it that this particular hymn was inspired by a particularly dark emotional storm according to your ordinance, and its surprising conclusion. Having de cid ed to com mit for all things serve you. su i cide by drown ing him self, he hailed a horsedrawn cab and headed for the Thames Riv er. A thick fog, however, Blessed are you, O Lord, made them lose their bearings. Disoriented, the cab by Who turns the shadow of death finally stopped and let Cow per out. The poet was stunned to find himself on his own front stoop, returned home safe into the morning and sound despite his best efforts to the contrary. And renews the face of the earth. God’s purpose is ever unfolding, although we are not often privileged to see the larger picture of his providence except perhaps occasionally in hindsight. In this new year, may you - Bishop Lancelot Andrewes feel God’s powerful goodness and know the depth of his abiding love for you, however mysterious his ways may seem. (1555-1626) Many blessings, Leah Goodwin & Kevin Baxter New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, In This Issue Division of Christian Education of the National Council Providence’s Winding Pathway . .4 of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Rev. Dr. David J. Fekete Used by permission. God Only Knows . .8 ISSN: 1056-3296 • Volume 64, Number 1 Rev. Julian Duckworth Jan./Feb. 2012 Published by: The Quality of Mercy . .12 General Convention of the Church of the New Ms. Leah G. Goodwin Jerusalem 11 Highland Avenue, Newtonville, MA 02460-1852 No Rewards . .16 (617) 969-4240 Rev. Dr. George F. Dole Leah Goodwin & Kevin Baxter, Editors 43 Hobart Square, Whitman, MA 02382 Hearts Wide Open to the River . .20 [email protected] • (781) 447-4901 Rev. Kathy Speas www.odb-online.com Issued under the auspices of the Risk Management . .24 Council of Ministers of the Swedenborgian Church Rev. Sarah Buteux USA & Canada: US $15/year Wrestling With God . .29 Rev. Julian Duckworth Glimpsing the Mystery . .33 Rev. Eric Hoffman Interpreting the Present Time . .36 Rev. Kevin K. Baxter Contributors to This Issue The Rev. Dr. David Fekete is The Rev. Eric Hoffman is the the pastor of the Church of general pastor of the Illinois the Holy City in Edmonton, Association. He has served Canada. He also serves as as the pastor of the Virginia the National Youth Chaplain Street Church in St. Paul, and is one of the Swedenbor- Minnesota and the LaPorte gian Church’s delegates to New Church in LaPorte, the National Council of Indiana. Churches, USA. The Rev. Dr. George Dole is The Rev. Sarah Buteux is an Adjunct Professor of Biblical ordained Swedenborgian Studies at the Swedenbor- minister serving the First gian House of Studies. He is Congregational Church also the pastor of the New of Hadley, Massachusetts Church of Bath, Maine. (UCC). She previously served as the pastor of the Cambridge Society of the New Jerusalem. Ms. Leah G. Goodwin is the The Rev. Kevin Baxter is the associate pastor of the First pastor of the Cambridge Baptist Church of Hanson, Society of the New Massachusetts (ABC-USA) Jerusalem in Massachusetts and co-editor of Our Daily and co-editor of Our Daily Bread. She served as the Bread. He also serves as the director of parish ministries Swedenborgian chaplain to at Swedenborg Chapel in the Harvard Chaplains. Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Rev. Julian Duckworth The Rev. Kathy Speas is a is the president of the New hospice chaplain near San Church in Australia. He is Francisco, CA. She also the minister of the preaches at area churches Roseville New Church in and serves on the board of Sydney. directors for the Swedenbor- gian House of Studies. 3 agreed. When some Midianite traders passed by, they Providence’s drew Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him JAN Winding PathWay to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they 1 Rev. Dr. David J. Fekete took Joseph to Egypt. Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 Matthew 14:22-33 Jacob settled in the land where his father had lived Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat as an alien, the land of Canaan. This is the story of and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the family of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When a helper to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to their boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of the wind was against them. And early in the morning his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he came walking toward them on the sea. But when he had made him a long robe with sleeves. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were his brothers saw that their father loved him more than terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, peaceably to him. “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the near Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not boat, started walking on the water, and came toward your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became I will send you to them.” He answered, “Here I am.” frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and brothers and with the flock; and bring word back to caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did me.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron. He you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind came to Shechem, and a man found him wandering in ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, the fields; the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” “Truly you are the Son of God.” “I am seeking my brothers,” he said; “tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” The man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us Sermon go to Dothan.’“ So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan. They saw him from a distance, The story of Joseph is a striking example of God’s and before he came near to them, they conspired to divine providence. While Joseph goes through severe kill him. They said to one another, “Here comes this trials, the result of his journey benefits all the players in dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into his life—including himself. Our journeys as pilgrims one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has in this life may be similar to Joseph’s. We may go devoured him, and we shall see what will become of through difficult times, we may appear lost at times, his dreams.” But when Reuben heard it, he delivered but for those who have faith in God’s providence, in him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his retrospect we can see that all the winding ways of our life.” Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him lives have resulted in spiritual growth. into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him” —that he might rescue him out of their hand and In our Bible reading, things do not look good for restore him to his father. Joseph. Hated by his own brothers, he is sold into slavery to the Midianites and then to the Ishmaelites, So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped who in turn sell him to the Egyptians. In Egypt, other him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; tragedies befall him: he is thrown into prison on false and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was charges. But ultimately Joseph rises to a position of empty; there was no water in it. Then they sat down to power in Egypt. He rules as the pharaoh’s right-hand eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, man.