God is in Traffic on 280 – May 24

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 101, 109:1-4(5-19)20-30; PM Psalm 119:121-144 
Ezek. 11:14-25; Heb. 7:1-17; Luke 10:17-24

I had an exchange yesterday morning that I think can be described as holy. A white SUV merged in front of me onto Highway 280, and the driver reminded me of a parishioner from Saint Stephen’s. At that moment, I decided to call his wife to check on their family, even though I thought she might be at work. The woman answered the phone. She told me she was at the hospital with her husband. He had a medical event the evening before and was now being prepared for surgery. She asked if I had heard from a church staff member…and I told her of my odd traffic experience. We were both wowed by God in that moment, as our eyes were opened to the Lord’s care and faithfulness.

In Luke’s gospel for this morning, the Lord has appointed seventy faithful people to go out in pairs on mission to share the peace of God. Jesus gives them directions about what to bring and how to conduct themselves. When welcomed in a community, they are to share table fellowship and build relationships with the people. They are to cure the sick and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” When rejected, the disciples are to proclaim widely in the streets, “Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.”

This bunch of faith-filled people swirl back into town after an undisclosed amount of time, joyous from their evangelistic endeavors. Practically swooning, they say to Jesus, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” The 35 pairs are fired up by doing ministry. I can imagine their whoops and feel the fervor as they share their stories.

Jesus makes sure that they remember the purpose of their mission – which is heavenly permanence, rather than seeing the success of their prayerful actions. He says, “See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Then, Jesus prays in the Holy Spirit words of thanks to God. He says thank you to the Lord of heaven and earth for the gift of revelation…hiding knowledge from some and revealing it to others. Jesus prays words of gratitude for divine revelation: “All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

In ministry, whether as ordained clergy or empowered laity, we do not always know at what or whom we are looking. Our eyes are not always opened to those holy WOW! moments of healing and wholeness. While it would be great if the demons would submit to our prayers as they did to the 70 missioners of Jesus, sometimes we meet people in the messy middle. The pain continues. The anguish and fear refuse to recede. The abuse and hardship get worse. The disease spreads.

Sometimes, the WOW comes when we realize God puts us in just the right spot, or God uses our voice just when someone needs it. For those moments, let us say, “Thanks be to God!”

-- Katherine+

Questions for Self-Reflection: When have you felt God opening your eyes to understand more deeply or see more clearly? How do you pray for this to happen more intentionally?

Daily Challenge: This was last week's challenge...and it applies to today, too. Prayer continues to be a living discipline, and the results are sometimes a mixed bag. Sit with this prayer from St. Francis de Sales today.