Faithful Conversations #24

Introduction to Readers: 
Colleague Peter Bushman and I chatted this week about the sequence of readings that comprise the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) and how those have been determined over time — such subjects come up in the balcony as we are working on tech delivery! Anyway, the Consultation of Common Texts Website is a good go-to for this question. It is wonky and may give you more information than you need, but helpful! Recall that our goal here is to build a greater understanding of the Lectionary and develop a regular engagement in scripture by working through these readings. My reflections this week will focus on the readings from 1 Kings and Romans. Thanks for your continued interest in the Lectionary! 

Readings for Pentecost 9

1 Kings 3:5-12
Psalm 119:129-136
Romans 8:26-39
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

First Reading: 1 Kings 3:5-12
⁵ At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I should give you.” ⁶ And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you, and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. ⁷ And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. ⁸ And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. ⁹ Give your servant, therefore, an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil, for who can govern this great people of yours?” ¹⁰ It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. ¹¹ God said to him, “Because you have asked this and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or for the life of your enemies but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, ¹² I now do according to your word. Indeed, I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you, and no one like you shall arise after you.

Second Reading: Romans 8:26-39
²⁶ Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for words. ²⁷ And God, who searches hearts, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. ²⁸ We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. ³⁰ And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. ³¹ What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? ³² He who did not withhold his own Son but gave him up for all of us, how will he not with him also give us everything else? ³³ Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who is to condemn? It is Christ who died, or rather, who was raised, who is also at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. ³⁵ Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? ³⁶ As it is written,

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than victorious through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This Week’s Reflection: “Decisions, Decisions!”
  
J. Robert Oppenheimer has been on my mind this week, in part, because I saw the new film. Roughly 78 years ago this month, President Truman and his national security team were in the throes of making the most difficult decision in modern history — whether or not to use the “once-tested” atomic bomb on civilian and military targets in Japan in pursuit of hastening the end of World War II in east Asia.  We live with the consequences of that decision every day in 2023. As the leader of the top-secret Manhattan Project in the 1940s, “Oppie,” as his friends knew him, was a central figure in the lead-up to that historic decision (sidebar: a renowned professor at Concordia College during my years there in the 1970s, Carl Bailey, worked on the Manhattan Project as a young man). A brilliant physicist and complex personality, Oppenheimer lived with the torturous ramifications of his work — a series of decisions on his part — until his death in 1967, something that is chronicled in the movie.  His story prompts me to think about the centrality of decision-making in our lives, a theme echoed in this week’s readings from 1 Kings and Romans. Young Solomon’s “dream conversation” with God and request for understanding and discernment, reminds us of the challenges leaders (and regular people!) face in making wise decisions.

First, some backstory on Solomon’s epic life. Recall that he was the son of King David and further, the result of David’s adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah (if you want the complete story and sordid details on that, consult 2 Samuel, 11-12!). He became King of Israel in 970 BCE upon the death of his father, and ruled until 922. He is most remembered, perhaps, for the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem (completed in 957 BCE) and his great wisdom. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, we associate Solomon with three books of the Old Testament: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. He is also, by the way, considered a significant figure within Islam.  

Solomon’s request for discernment (verses 6-9) suggests maturity at a young age, and reflects his response to God’s steadfast love and notably, his dependence on God. That word — discernment — comes from the Latin discernēre, meaning to distinguish or judge, and is perhaps a not-so-common skill among those in leadership. It strikes me that discernment often goes hand in hand with humility, and perhaps this is why God was so pleased with Solomon’s request (verse 10)! 

St. Paul echoes Solomon’s dependence on God in his “pep talk” in Romans. We often confront decisions in life that leave us baffled, that require great discernment on our part. Paul reminds us that in those moments we may not even know how to talk to God or what to ask for —  that we may not even know our own minds — but that the Spirit will intercede for us (verse 26). That’s powerfully reassuring! In those moments, we must assume a posture of humility and rely on God. Further, we are guaranteed that “all things work together for good for those who love God” (verse 28), and that NOTHING can separate us from God’s love through Jesus Christ (verses 37-39). That’s a word that we need to hear today!        

Soli Deo Gloria

Prayer (inspired by Psalm 119:129-136)
Lord God, Your unfolding words light our path. In our weakness, you provide great understanding and give us steady steps as we make difficult decisions. We pray for discernment today, Lord. Shine on us with your love. Amen.