I am following up last week's Hosea story with this week's.When I read the NRSV version of verse 4, this jumped off the page at me:
I led them with cords of human kindness, with bands of love.
I have been doing word studies all morning on the "bands of love". I've come to the conclusion that they must be bungee cords.
How else could we have a Divine Parent who welcomes us back, no matter how far away we roam?
But, boy, that ~SNAP~ when the cord loses slack is surprising!
What are you pondering this week?
So right now i am thinking about the Colossians passage my three ideas are as Follows-
ReplyDeleteWe live in a society of out with the old and in with the new That is exactly what Jesus is calling us to a new life with God
Setting your mind on things above does not simply mean disregard your life here instead make your life here closer to life above
We can not simply do Christian things we must BE Christians...
I'm interested to hear what others think on this and other passages
Cheesehead,
ReplyDeleteUR---brillant.
I love the bungee cord idea. Can't wait for a chance to preach it
If I really wnated to be a cool, I would even have someone do a bungee jump from teh balcony, you knw just for effect.
I just had to tell you that you are billiant.
I'm still in the beginning stages of tinkering, but I'm thinking about taking advantage of the lectionary order w/ Luke. Last week we talked about prayer, this week Jesus is telling us crazy stuff about bizarre, counter-cultural priorities. How can we possibly engage with this idea? By going back to last week, and starting with prayer.
ReplyDeleteI'm with the Hosea passage.
ReplyDeleteThat's all I know at this point. Mu brain is still struggling to get out my exhaustion from last week.
I, too, love the bungee cord image! That should make for a great children's sermon! Thanks for the idea! I'm also going with the Hosea text, but, like rainbow pastor, that's all I know at this point. The pressure is on, though. The seminary professor whom I work for is planning to come see me preach. I had her for worship class, and I love her, and really respect her, so I want this to be one of my exceptional weeks.
ReplyDeleteOK-not preaching, but I have to share that when I went to scroll down to read what all the brilliant RevGals are thinking... my Explorer got hung on the picture, stretching it out about 8-10 inches. Talk about a bungee cord image!
ReplyDeleteI love that concept. Will definitely add it to the tickler file!
Not preaching either but doing my regular "pretend sermon prep" meditation.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Hosea this week for sure, the Mother images for God there are too, too good to pass up, beautiful.
love the bungee cord illustration- brilliant!
ReplyDeleteI thought I was preaching on Luke- but now I'm beginning to wonder!
I preaching the Luke passage.
ReplyDeleteKim, having a preaching prof come to hear me preach is a re-curring nightmare for me...
Bungee cords of love? I'm scared of heights and being dropped. Does that work into your image?
Interesting image. SO who decides when the bungee loses slack?
ReplyDeleteOr more to the point, who determines how far the cord can stretch before it can go no farther and pulls us back.
Great questions, Gord!
ReplyDeleteOoh, how I love that bungee cord image!
ReplyDeleteI'm preaching Colossians, and adding verses 12-17 to the reading. We are confirming one of our youth - a bright 18-year old young woman whose faith has truly been nourished and nurtured by her family and the congregation, and been shaped by worship, sacred music, and prayer. Her belief in God has a delightful breadth and depth to it.
Because this is a reaffirmation of the baptismal covenant, I'm focusing on all of the putting on new clothing language - and that's about all I've got at this point.
I'm kind of an interloper here, so who really cares what I think, but I'm a clergywoman who'll be preaching on Colossians and Hosea this Sunday, and I'm a little surprised by how taken several commenters are with the bungee cord image, which sadly makes me think of that awful bouncy carnival ride that people keep dying on. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteHey lambsoup-- we do care what you say/think. I'm a lurker too, and I read all the posts. You'd (all of you) be amazed at what kick starts I get out of our Tuesday/Saturday posts. Alas I'm doing Eccl. and not Hosea..darn. I really liked the bungee cord thingy. But help on Eccl/or Luke would be in order....gail
ReplyDeleteOh by the way cheesehead you are brilliant, but so are many of you. If I have not yet said thanks, thanks many thanks prgrl (pastor girl...what a three year old called me in my first parish)....Gail
ReplyDeletelambsoup, I'm not familiar with the ride you're describing, but I can certainly see why that would be an upsetting association.
ReplyDeleteI'll be at a church camp, awaiting the campers, this Sunday, so I won't be preaching. Wish I could check in next week, though, because I'll be preaching the day after I return!
lambsoup I was talking with a colleague who is in my lectionary group, and we agreed that you could think of it as a lateral bungee just as easily!
ReplyDelete(We are both scared of heights!)
I am trying to cobble together a sermon about missional living using the lectionary readings. I am guessing the Colossians reading will be the easiest to use, but could use some help. Any ideas?
ReplyDeletelove your intro Cheese :) Bungee jumping ... mmmm!
ReplyDeleteoh and lambsoup welcome ... I don't know the ride you talk about (or the deaths) but what I do know is that if this bungee jump is of God, then He is the spring that pulls us back to Him.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't mean I wouldn't be scared XXXX when I jumped though. Is that what we call a leap of faith ?
blessings all!
Hmmm... I don't know the ride either, but I know that a woman did die bungee jumping at some Christian festival a couple of weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteI'm preaching Luke. Currently grappling with how natural it is to want to protect and store what we've got. How, by our standards of "wealth management" and retirement planning, the man in the parable is doing just right. Struggling with my own tendency to plan (and worry!) about the future (when, as in the parable, any night my life could be demanded of me) instead of living gratefully in the present and holding lightly to everything about life (incl. possessions).
This parable hits me right where I live. Ooof.
I was on a discussion forum where a poster -- a tentative Christianity returnee -- was afraid that s/he had somehow alienated herself from God by "going AWOL"; I linked to the bungee-cord image and commentary. Thank you! Perfect timing.
ReplyDelete