FIRST READING 1 SAMUEL 3:1-10 (11-20) / GOSPEL JOHN 1:43-51
Eli clearly had made some mistakes in life . . . But you have to give him one thing: The man was honest. Honest about who he was and who God is . . . And he trusted Him implicitly. Even to the point of his own detriment.
Eli already knows that he has made a big mistake – he has not raised his children up “in the fear and admonition of the Lord” but rather has allowed them to live completely free of God’s commandments and scripture says they have become “worthless and profane” and “knew not the Lord.” Eli’s sin is poor parenting and the result is they have no respect for their father, nor his office as the priest of God. They were idle, loose, and indolent. And in lieu of correcting them – he sloughed off the responsibility and in apathy said, “Well, – they’ll go where they will go . . .”
Have you seen that happening more and more in our day? I know I have. And if I am honest with myself I have to worry that in many ways I am no less guilty. It’s hard not to raise children of “entitlement” who have come to expect so much in a world that provides for their needs at the touch of a button and demands so very little in return. It can be hard to know. I am sure there are some who would say I am too authoritarian and demanding – and others (including probably scripture) that would say I am far too lax. Oh the joys of parenting!
Of course the one thing that I can do and MUST do is simply hold my children in prayer – and TRUST God with the outcome of their lives as they seek their way through them. Will they be perfect in response to His guidance? Probably not, I know I wasn’t. But as long as I remember that Jesus promised that God hears our prayers – and they remain open to His presence and leading, there is great hope isn’t there . . . And thanks be to God for that.
But back to Eli’s faithfulness in light of – and in spite of – his sin – and his children’s.
Three times this ministerial boy prodigy (Samuel) comes to him insisting that he is hearing a voice calling in the night – and each time Eli sends him back saying that it isn’t him – until the third time when Eli discerns that it must be the Lord calling upon Samuel. Eli has a very good idea what’s coming but instead of directing him to ignore it or not listen, he tells Samuel exactly what to do: “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel goes back and lays down in his place.
And when Samuel hears the voice again he does exactly as Eli has directed him and the Lord “came and stood there” and in Samuel’s presence tells him: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering forever.”
And then the Lord departs and Samuel lays there wide eyed until morning – assuredly afraid to tell Eli any of this. But when Samuel opens the doors of the Temple and greets him Eli says, “What was it that the Lord told you last night? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more, if you hide anything from me.” And not wanting to suffer the terrible fate that awaits his mentor, Samuel immediately tells him everything.
And Eli’s response? “It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.” No wailing. No pleading for mercy. No “this isn’t fair!” Just those unequivocal words of faith and trust and reliance in the face of deserved correction: “It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.”
Do we have that kind of faith? Faith that trusts God to correct and guide and yes, even punish us? Faith that allows HIS will to be accomplished in spite of our past decisions that have oriented us (and others) in a direction that is not of Him?
That’s a rather tall order isn’t it? For we want to determine things for our “selves.” We want recognition and status, as well as safety and security and above all “comfort.” (Which we sometimes call “peace” – defining it as “freedom from struggle.”) And besides all we really need to do is follow the important rules as defined by the latest formulaic interpretation of scripture by church leaders that will surely put us on a blessed path that will lead to God’s will. Right?
WRONG! If you take ANYTHING away from a complete reading of the scriptures – outside of the fact that Jesus came into the world to save us from our sin and his single command to love God and one another as ourselves – it should be this:
“My Ways are not your ways and they will not be known! I am a not a God that will be pre-subscribed. What I tell you in this moment – may well not apply at all in that one! In fact, if nothing else, your own experience should tell you that! So have a little humility – check all of your preconceptions and assumptions at the door and open yourself up to my Spirit. So that I can guide you through the difficult path that is life! Stop guessing and start listening for me – and then BE obedient to what I have put before you. TRUST Me with Everything. Will you do that?”
Ah, the joys of parenting our Holy Father must also know all too well.
So what allowed Eli to Trust even in this incredibly difficult moment of correction? Well for one thing, he KNEW God – he knew that God’s will was better than his own – no matter what. He also clearly knew (beyond any shadow of a doubt) that God knew him – even in his most secret and hidden places. That outside of time and space as we experience it, God dwells fully in ALL moments and that we need to rely COMPLETELY upon His providence – even when we know that from a worldly perspective it is going to wind up costing us a lot.
Our second scripture from the Gospel of John details the calling of the Disciple Nathaniel – and it too speaks of God knowing us in every way – even (and perhaps most especially) in our most secret places . . . Here now the word of the Lord : (GOSPEL JOHN 1:43-51)
43The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.”46Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” 48Nathanael asked him, “Where did you come to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 49Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”50Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” 51And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
Well – Nathaniel is clearly taken aback. His friend Phillip, who has come to know as someone he can rely on, has told him that the most amazing thing has happened – that he and Andrew and Peter have found the Messiah and that it is Jesus – the carpenter’s son from Nazareth. But Nathaniel is skeptical – as well he should be – I mean after all, false prophets and messianic claims are as common as new diet plans and “half off sales.” So he ponders this a moment and then utters the first recorded quip against Jesus: “Nazareth? Really? Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
And Phillip replies with the same three words that Jesus said to them: “Come and see.” And apparently it’s enough. When Jesus sees Nathanael coming towards him, he says, “Ah – here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Now there is no way of knowing whether Jesus’ comment was in earnest – reflecting something of what he knew of Nathaniel or whether he was actually quipping right back – offering a response that indicated he already knew of Nathaniel’s “Nazareth comment.” Thus calling him out on it by saying “Well, there’s certainly no deceit here!”
Personally, I think this is the case – for Nathaniel has already been deceitful by offering the jab before he has even met him! Plenty of Jesus’ other remarks to the Disciples show no shortage of frustrated sarcasm in response to many of their decisions. But whatever the case Nathaniel is clearly more than a little rattled. So he asks him, “Where did you come to know me?”
And Jesus replies, “I saw you under the fig tree – just before Philip called you.” And Nathaniel can’t contain his shock, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Wow – now there’s a quick change of outlook! From “What good could this man possibly be” . . . to “YOU ARE THE VERY SON OF GOD!!”
What could have possibly brought that on? My guess is that our dear friend Nathaniel had been in one of his own “secret places.” That underneath that fig tree – wherever it was – was his place quiet solitude that NO ONE KNEW about. But here this man (who Phillip claimed to be the Messiah) had just shown he not only knew what he had said, but also named the very place where he had gone for perhaps years in order to be alone and to worship the Father.
And once again it is enough. Realizing that he is known in every way, Nathaniel is ready to trust this Jesus with his future entirely. (No less than Eli) And for that great gift of trust and obedience Jesus offers yet another gift in return – telling Nathaniel that he will see far greater things than these: “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
So – our secret places are – in the end – only really secret with each other aren’t they? For God sees all. God hears all. God KNOWS all: The self-serving act behind would be closed doors . . . The lie told to protect our own agenda . . . The shallow and misplaced thoughts that fail to trust how HE might work in the world . . . The sarcastic comment made at another’s expense. Yes – God sees and must endure them all.
But thanks be to Him that he also receives the hidden acts of kindness, tenderness and mercy: The charitable gift made in great sacrifice . . . The surrendering of the will that does not insist on its own way . . . The mother and father that would do ANYTHING for their child . . . The small sanctuary in the woods or that place by the window where our most heartfelt prayers of gratitude are offered.
There are no secret places hidden from God – God knows and sees everything – and, who knows, maybe in the end everyone else does too. It’s a good question: Would you be willing to share every secret you have with everyone else in the world?
Perhaps that’s not such a bad thing to contemplate. Maybe, as we stand before eternity, those that have the least secrets to tell are the ones that find it easiest to go to the light of God’s love. And perhaps even those who carry the very deepest and darkest secrets imaginable – the one’s we dare not utter – are, by the acceptance of what Christ has done for them, able to go into the light and be received there as well . . .
Yes – the power of Jesus’ sacrifice can overcome anything – ANYTHING – if we will but simply trust him. Thanks BE to God – who in him has made all things new.
– Stuart Revercomb
Benediction:
PSALM 139:1-6, 13-18
1 O LORD, you have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from far away.
3 You search out my path and my lying down,
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
O LORD, you know it completely.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is so high that I cannot attain it.
13 For it was you who formed my inward parts;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
that I know very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.
In your book were written
all the days that were formed for me,
when none of them as yet existed.
17 How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 I try to count them — they are more than the sand;
I come to the end — I am still with you.
