Have You Heard?

Isaiah 40:27-31; Mark 1:35-38

 

        The other day I looked up the word “Sabbath” in my Andrews Dictionary for Theological Thought. This is a book rarely known or consulted by anyone yet it has become my source to confirm information I have already decreed to be sacred. Sabbath is defined accordingly. “Since every day should include time to celebrate God, Sabbath uniquely gives us a break from the daily grind that enslaves us. It is God given time to free the body and the mind from a stress filled world.”

        For you, today is Sabbath. You have put aside your daily routine to come and gather with friends, to listen to some exceptional music, to lift your hearts to God, and be given a 15 minute break called the sermon where your mind can wander anywhere it likes without the interruption of a cell phone or  loved one. Praise Be To God.

        But for me the words Sabbath and Sunday are not interchangeable. Contrary to the country song, “I want to be a preacher so I no longer have to work”, I do actually labor more than one day a week. I have tried to make Friday my Sabbath.  My congregation of believers is a group of 12 to 16 guys that faithfully gather for the call to worship at the first tee at Stoney Creek. It is a time I turn off my brain, forget about church, and spend four hours recharging my soul. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

        A few months ago on a beautiful October morning I placed my tee in the ground and prepared to hit a drive that hopefully would skirt the tree on the right, fly over the sand trap and safely land 125 yards from the green. Before I could begin my back swing a member of my foursome yelled, “Louie, HAVE YOU HEARD the joke about the minister who played golf on Sunday.” I stepped away from the ball, grimaced at the thought of another worn out preacher joke, took a deep breath, redressed the ball, and promptly sliced my Titleist into the woods.

        I had no shot. As I prepared to chip the ball back into the fairway my partner said, “HAVE YOU HEARD if you place the ball back in your stance and open your club face you can slice it back toward the green.” I changed my stance, opened my club, took a mighty swing, hit a tree and watched the ball roll back between my feet. I then chipped it back into the fairway.

        As I prepared to hit my fourth shot the remaining member of my group teased, “Louie, HAVE YOU HEARD the news this morning.” I promptly shanked my shot back into the woods, retrieved my the ball, put it into my pocket and following the advice of Jesus, found a quiet place to pray.

        Can you imagine how many times Jesus must have encountered the words, “Have you heard?” Disciples, family members, even strangers were always saying, “Have you heard what they are calling you?” “Have you heard what they want you to do?” “Have you heard who wants you to come for dinner?” Have you heard that it might be dangerous in Jerusalem?” “Have you heard, have you heard? Is it any wonder Jesus headed to a deserted place to pray?

        The general assumption is when Jesus went off by himself to pray, he encountered the voice of God.      After all Jesus did have an inside connection. But how do we know that to be true? I went to an installation service for a friend of mine last Sunday. The preacher told us he experienced the presence of God after a week of hiking thorough canyons in Death Valley. First, it sounds to me like he was suffering from dehydration. Second, if that is the requirement to hear from God, I doubt many of us are going to be privy to any kind of divine inspiration.

        Besides, what if Jesus prayed, not for answers, but for a restoration of memory? All day long people pressed upon him for responses, for miracles, for a holy touch. I suspect each morning he needed to be recharged to meet the dawning of the new day.  I like to think when Jesus prayed he seldom if ever asked, “Tell me what to do.” I imagine his prayers began, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” I imagine his prayers continued, “The Lord is my rock and salvation, whom shall I fear.” I believe with all my heart when Jesus was weary and perhaps searching for inspiration he remembered these words. “Have you heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. God does not faint or grow weary. God’s understanding is unsearchable. God gives power to the faint and strength to the powerless. Those who wait for the Lord will find strength. They shall mount up on wings like eagles.”

        With a renewed sense of purpose revived not through a once in a lifetime journey to Timbuktu but rather a walk down memory lane Jesus prepared to greet the day. His tranquility was disrupted by a frantic disciple. “Jesus, where have you been? Jesus, everyone is searching for you.”

Now this is where we might expect Jesus to lose his cool and say, “Peter, can’t you see I am about my Father’s business” which translated literally means, “Peter, can’t I have a moment to myself.” But instead Jesus said, “Peter, you are right, we have things to do.” Then a short time later, surrounded by the same folks who were driving him crazy just 12 hours before, Jesus softly asked, “Have you heard the one about the guy traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho? Have you heard what may happen if open up your heart? Have you heard that God not Caesar will show you the way to righteousness? Have you heard that God will lift you up on eagle’s wings?”

        How amazing it is that when the chatter of this world sends us running toward solitude, God’s word reminds us of a unique phrase that offers comfort to the soul of anyone overcome by fear, or pain or disillusionment. “Have you heard? God will lift you up on wings of eagles.” How can we possibly keep that good news to ourselves?

Our mission is not to constantly retreat to the desert in hopes of discovering God but staying in the fairways and woods of life where God’s work really matters. This is where God has always expected us to be, perhaps not on Sabbath, but every other day of the week.

This is how we truly glorify God.  Amen