Spiritual Resources: Alive in the Spirit

This morning’s scripture from the letter to the Ephesians sounds like a call to arms. The images of armor, swords, helmets, belts, and breastplates to protect us in our life’s journey are straightforward.  But there’s more.  Even beyond the fears of mortal life and the need for armor, the scripture talks about “threats from cosmic powers of this present darkness” and “spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places.”  Wow, we live in a risky world. 

Just this week I read an article about how scientists have discovered a comet, far out in space, that “may well be the source of life on earth,” said one respected scientist.  This is somewhat hopeless, really.  And all this time I thought the reason my heart sings is because God is the source of life on earth, and we were created in the image and likeness of God, sustained by the Presence of Jesus Christ, and energized by the Holy Spirit. Now I am told I may well be a hunk of mud or dust from a distant planet. Do you think our hearts sing because we are lumps of coal? I sense there is more to our story.  We are fortified by spiritual resources given to us in creation, by the hand and Grace of God.

While this call to arms may have been thought to be more literal in the days of Paul and this letter to the church in Ephesus, we can read it as a call for us to develop the security of more existential armor, which helps us carry on when we are threatened by life’s issues. Such protection allows us to keep putting one foot in front of the other, even in the midst of great challenges. Sören Kierkegaard says that the first step in receiving God’s Protection is accepting the fact that we cannot completely safeguard ourselves.  He says” we arrive at the highest pitch of our perfection when we become suited to God through nothing ourselves.” In other words, God gives us God’s strength when we can accept our essential weakness. It’s interesting how strong some of us get when we are the most vulnerable. We are alive in the spirit …living fully in our spiritual resources.

Some of us are facing serious issues in our own lives and those of our families. It’s a reality we fear, and we sometimes struggle to be ready for the fight.  Paul suggests two resources we might tap into are our Christian identity and the roots of our common faith. If we know who we are as followers of Christ, and we allow our strength in this community to support us, chances are we’ll be ready.  Just like we are called to turn our swords into ploughshares, Paul gives us the images of belts and shoes and helmets and swords, and calls us to relinquish these defensive devices and transform them, through our faith journey, into truth, peace, salvation, and the spirit that is the Word of God.  He tells us to put on the breastplate of righteousness, designed to protect our hearts, so they can, in fact, sing. 

Probably the most powerful of all is the image of taking the sword, an offensive weapon of power, strength, and destruction, and converting it to the Word of God, which is in fact, the most powerful resource we could imagine.  We have examples in our lives of several people who have done this well – Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, Dietrich Bonheoffer, Mother Teresa, and Dr. Martin Luther King come to mind quickly as we consider those we know who stood firm in faith, humble in spirit, protected by the armor of God’s Presence in their lives. I’m sure we all know many others who relied on their spiritual resources to stand firm in their faith.

Just last week a man died at 81 years old. His name was Burl Toler. He was an official for 25 years in the National Football League, after a career-ending knee injury in the College All-Star Game in 1952 cut short his football playing days. But there is far more to the story of how Toler stood firm in faith. He was a member of the fabled University of San Francisco football team that became known as the “Unbeaten, Untied, and Un-invited team” that, despite its 9-0 record, was denied a bowl bid because the team refused to leave behind its two African American players – Toler and one of the greatest pro players ever, Ollie Matson – as mandated by the bowl selection process in that day. You really have to be strong to stand together behind Toler and Matson as that team did in 1951. You also really have to be strong to be Toler or Matson and be the focus of such a divisive issue. In fact, after this debaucle, the University of San Francisco dropped their football program.  Toler credits a surety of faith that he said was always present in him. At his funeral, everyone was singing their hearts out, said his daughter.

My heart really sings when I experience the depth of faith and trust in so many family members here at Dennis Union. Whether it’s Gayle, or Ann or Mim or Hans and Mary, Sybil or Edie, Vera, Art or Page or Elsa or Ed or any of the many delightful members of this church family, there is something spiritually real in their hearts that they use to steady their efforts. Their hearts sing in their trust in God’s Presence. In a similar way, there is a young girl here in our church named Jillie who is so special that her very presence makes her mom and dad’s hearts sing loudly as their needs are met in Jillie’s smile and giggles. God doesn’t promise us greatness, but we are offered the opportunity to make life great in how we live out our days. We do it by standing firm in our faith.

We all have experienced struggle in some way. Our faith is often developed in the midst of deep and shallow struggles. Most often the result is a strengthened faith that emerges out of the struggle. We learn to pray more, nurture each other more, and be more inclined to consider possibilities than be held hostage by our fears and failures.  One authentically unpretentious but elegant lady who is visited by one of our Caring Visitors said, “oh I don’t look back much; I am looking forward to the next bright spot for me.” I admire how, at 95, she rests in the reality of her life. She is fortified by her faith; nurtured and supported. She didn’t say it, but I will – her heart sings how her faith sustains her.

God has infused our human bodies with spiritual resources that help us to navigate our struggles and look to the light of God’s comfort and Love. These resources are present in the authentic followers of Jesus here in this church family. You could see the glow this year as a group of dedicated men and women worked endless hours and days to prepare for the Annual Auction and Bazaar. This was my first year for the auction….I am still impressed and thoughtful about how we make it happen, working in faith, tapping our spiritual resources to make it a success. Thank you again, to all the folks who worked so long and hard, with nothing but faithful commitment to guide you.

You can feel these spiritual resources come alive with every breath of the spirit you take…you know the moment…you know when you are feeling God’s Presence.  You can see these vital resources in the living expressions of people. Ideally, God keeps us all together in community, even when we don’t know it or don’t particularly feel like it. Our spiritual resources are developed in each of us and in our relationships of all kinds.  Spiritual growth emerges in hope and resiliency, in faith and in doubt, in prayer and in play. Our worship, our remarkable music ministry, and a host of other ministries, are a wellspring of Spiritual Resources. Here is where we find bold faith for today’s life and challenges, and the bright hope for tomorrow, just as our elegant lady friend here at Dennis Union said.

Emily Dickinson wrote this about hope, “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all.”  I take more comfort in Emily Dickinson’s perspective on Hope much better than I do the scientist who feels he may have discovered the source of life on earth. There are many ways for us to be alive in the Spirit.

On August 9th, we celebrated a baptism here at Dennis Union. Nash Ten Hagen, the great-grandson of Dorothy Arlanson, was baptized. Beyond the absolute endearing charm of this 4-month-old boy, his parents, his sister Greta, and the rest of the family, they were alive in the Spirit for every word and turn of the ceremony. I loved it, too. My heart was singing, loudly, about how our relationship with Jesus Christ is affirmed, renewed, and vibrantly alive in these beautifully mysterious sacramental moments.

I went home and decided to cut the lawn on that nice Sunday afternoon. In the middle of the job, I began to think about the Baptism. In a moment I realized I had tears in my eyes. I stopped mowing, and I thought about the Baptism. I realized I love my faith; I love my ministry here with you all. I am alive in the spirit of Jesus Christ. My heart was pounding and singing in Joy. I was, and am, alive in Jesus Christ. No matter where we start or where we think we are on our faith journey…we are in this community together to share and develop our spiritual resources for the benefit of all.

Retired Bishop John Shelby Spong says:  “Security is always so seductive and insecurity is so frightening.  But security is always false and insecurity is always real.  No religion can make anyone secure…though it can give the illusion of security.  True religion enables us to grasp life with the radical insecurity and live it with courage.”  None of us can do any of this alone.  We are not a collection of random debris from a comet.  There is a plan for us.

In the face of an insecure world, let’s be radical followers of Jesus Christ. Radical about peace, and commitment to one another; radical about truth and the power of the Word and Presence of Jesus Christ.

Forty years to the week later, let’s reinvent and redefine Woodstock, be spiritual radicals, and let our hearts sing a new song.