now and not yet...
Three years ago this week, the Indian ocean Tsunami killed 128,000 people in Indonesia alone. Many hundreds of thousands more were killed, and millions left homeless.
Dr. S.D. Ponraj, Easter 2007, in the pulpit of Trinity church, preaching from Ezekiel’s Valley of Dry Bones, speaking of the increasing hundreds and hundreds in what was formerly known as India’s Graveyard of Missions, who have been found by the one who is the resurrection and are walking in His light.
In November, 2005, an Earthquake in Pakistan killed approximately 75,000. Leaving at least that many homeless at the beginning of winter.
Joyce Ngomo, summer 2005, a nurse and AIDS worker from Malawi, in the pulpit of Trinity church, saying, “Malawi has no oil, no diamonds, no gold, nothing.” And then beaming, with tears, “Nobody wants Malawi.... No one except Jesus, and He makes all the difference!”
Benazir Bhutto 27 December, 2007 murdered along with 15 others- not counting the over 140 killed upon her return to Pakistan from a seven year exile. A political Earthquake, with Tsunami to follow.
I’m struck by the oddities of this world. Oddities concentrated and focused by the lectionary readings book-ending this week, the birth of the Prince of Peace followed by the slaughter of the Innocents.
These contrasts seem to have little discernible symmetry, no grand unifying theory revealing something organic, singular or elegant as a foundation. Rather, they seem to mirror a deep reality in our world, in the human experience, revealing the irreducible chasm that remains between future and present, between hope and, well, this present darkness.
Two irreconcilable realities at war, with no compromise and no peace until one is fully vanquished by the other.
It seems, the world has always hated Jesus, even as a baby.
It seems, God doesn’t so much rescue his people out of the world, as he enters into the world and walks with them through it.
The prophet’s spoke in the past tense of things that were yet to be. The future as past, leaves the present with contrasts and contradictions.
But God’s empowering presence is here. The Holy Spirit is with us. Emmanuel is not only our once and future king, but He is here. Now.
So, a future hope and a present presence, gives courage to walk, in hope, amidst the conflicting realities - showing which kingdom one’s allegiance is to.
Keep walking. Christ is Born.
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Thursday, 27 December 2007
