Under God’s Wings
September 13, 2009
David Brubacher
Psalm 91
Luke 4:1-13
As a young boy, one of my jobs on my grandfather’s farm was helping to look after the chickens. I remember being afraid of the roosters. I was pecked by one, actually breaking my skin. The chickens could also be nasty as I had to dig under them to gather the eggs from the nests. This was before the modern chicken barn of my friend where the eggs are brought on a conveyor to a counter to be placed in cases.
But I also remember watching a mother hen sitting with its newly hatched chicks. These seemingly mean creatures were transformed; gently caring for their young. With the slightest hint of danger the mother hen would reach out a wing and gently gather the chicks back to safety.
Psalm 91 introduces similar images. Being gathered under God’s wings is one image used in giving assurance of God’s protection in the face of danger. The Psalm is a classic, expressing the ways God gives strength for the challenges of life.
Before I get too far into the Psalm, however, I want to acknowledge the context of this day. At TUMC I believe today is typically referred to as “Gathering Sunday.” It is the first Sunday after the summer break when we gather for the beginning of a new church year. We celebrate the beginning of a new Sunday School year, mark transitions and acknowledge those giving leadership in this important ministry of the congregation.
We have already heard of some challenges being experienced. TUMC is not alone. A question we face is whether to lament the situation and try to make it happen regardless, or to receive it as a sign to explore new ways of achieving the desired objective of nurturing our children in the way of Christian faith. Perhaps the challenges are also new opportunities.
The scripture texts read this morning provide an excellent context for a few comments I want to make later on congregational programming for nurturing people of all ages in the way of Christian faith.
The central theme of Psalm 91 is God as a source of strength in the face of life’s adversities. While this Psalm has been looked to for strength and hope in both Jewish and Christian devotion, I think there should also be a sign attached that says something like, “Handle with care!” Or maybe, “Handle with prayer!” The Psalm oozes with religious assurance coming in the form of divine promises and pledges. So much so in fact that it almost expresses elements of faith ready-made for over confidence and pious extravagances. There is a danger that we seek to employ these expressions to achieve our own objectives rather than growing in our trust of God’s guidance in the challenges of life.
Luke 4 demonstrates this danger. The devil quotes several lines from Psalm 91 seeking to convince Jesus to throw himself from a high tower in the city of Jerusalem. “Go ahead,” the devil says, “draw attention to yourself and your powers.” Then quoting Psalm 91 says, “After all ‘God will command his angels concerning you to protect you, and on their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” As we will see in a closer look at Psalm 91 the writer did not intend these words as a blank cheque assuring that God gives what we want, but rather as a word of encouragement in the face of life’s difficulties. It is saying, “I will be with you. You will not be alone.”
Clearly the first eight verses suggest the worshipper is facing some type of danger. Perhaps it is the king preparing for battle or a person preparing for a dangerous journey. The type of danger is not as crucial as the response offered through the words of a temple priest.
In a second section the priest speaks directly to the worshipper offering assurance that God will be present, including the words missed quoted by the devil in Luke 4.
In a final section the dialogue shifts from human to human speech to the priest speaking a divine blessing on God’s behalf: “Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name. When they call on me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honour them. With long life I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation.” Continuing in a relationship with God is the key to experiencing the hope and security offered in the Psalm.
Experience tells us it is easier to face life’s challenges when we are not alone. I was reminded of that twice this past week. At our nieces wedding in Manitoba last weekend they chose a text from Ecclesiastes 4, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if one falls, one will lift up the other; … A threefold cord is not quickly broken.” I recalled this text when listening to scary canoeing stories told at our pastors’ lunch this week. Maureen told of a venture on rough waters with her brothers when they stopped to lash their canoes together to provide more stability on the swelling waves. Together with God and God’s people we draw strength for the challenges of life.
Obviously I am not suggesting the challenges congregations face in programming for the nurture of Christian faith are of the life and death type as in Psalm 91 or in the canoeing stories. The questions congregational leaders face are rather like those faced by Jesus in being tempted by the devil. After being alone without food in the wilderness for forty days Jesus was tempted to be one of three types of Messiahs. To turn stones into bread Jesus was tempted to be a prosperity giver. To bow down to the kings of the world Jesus was tempted to be a political leader. To throw himself off a high tower Jesus was tempted to be a miracle worker.
Each of these is a temptation congregational leaders face when seeking to continue significant programs while the contexts of life seem to be shifting. Do we simply provide what people want? Do we give into the loudest most persistent voices? Do we seek to be miracle workers and make it happen the way we always have no matter what? Clearly there is another way.
Psalm 91 encourages us to begin by placing our trust in God. At TUMC I have experienced a profound sense of not being alone on our journey of faith. We are on this together. We seek to support and encourage each other through prayer and
other more tangible means; giving strength in the challenges of life.
Based on some reflections in my report to the Board I will conclude with three suggestions for embracing the opportunities presented in the challenges congregations like TUMC face in nurturing Christian faith for people of all ages.
Trust in God and a shared core understanding of v ues and identity are foundational for a worshipping community. The latter is particularly important in face of many levels of diversity. In spite of obvious differences what are the faith convictions we share and how will we make them life giving like the air we breathe? In our visioning process we drafted a document titled, A Statement of Identity and Purpose, which articulates the core values of our shared faith as expressed in the mission of the church. To date that document is largely words on a page. I make a final plea for the visual and sound artists within the congregation to find artistic and creative ways to breathe life into those words on the page. Write poetry and music. Paint pictures. Sculpt shapes. Dance. Let God’s spirit move with creative expressions of the faith in God that gives strength for the challenges we face beyond these walls.
Second, on gathering Sunday we focus on what has typically been referred to as Christian Education. I suggest, rather, that we begin to think of spiritual formation. And that spiritual formation is not simply one program of the church, but that it is the umbrella that gathers all we do as a congregation. Yes, Christian education is spiritual formation, but so are worship, mission, and congregational life. Even the administrative work we do together on various leadership bodies offers the potential for spiritual formation. When seen this way spiritual formation – the nurture of Christian faith for all ages – not only rests on those we call to lead Sunday School, it becomes the focus for all we do. It provides opportunities for creative integrated and intergenerational activities. I am delighted to see how some of these opportunities are being explored.
Finally I acknowledge that it is difficult to find strength for the challenges we face with in the swells of life. Sometimes we need to get off the swelling waters to lash our canoes together in order reenter the water with a renewed sense of strength. TUMC has been an innovative congregation involved in many local and broader mission initiatives. As we seek to juggle these many commitments while also considering new opportunities there is an understandable sense of tiredness even as we are eager to move forward under new pastoral leadership. To that end I have floated the idea that sometime in the next year or two TUMC take a sabbatical from all but that which is deemed to be essential program and committee work. During that time worship, prayer and discernment initiatives might be the primary focus of congregational life. Innovative ways to engage children in the ministry and mission of the church might also be considered. Several congregations within MCEC have done this as a way to create a calm space for hearing the voice and call of God for the future.
Being the church in the midst of the societal shifts of our day has its challenges. But each challenge is also a new opportunity. Psalm 91 encourages us to place our trust in God. As a mother hen stretches out a wing to gather in her chicks in the face of danger, so God places us in community to care for each other. Even as I will conclude my work among you in the next week, know that my prayers will continue to be with you and Marilyn Zehr as she begins her ministry at TUMC. Amen.