Mail Archive of the old Santa Clara Valley Lutheran Parish

Subject: July 13 Devotion

Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:55:09 -0700 (PDT)

From: David Bonde <pastorbonde@gmail.com>

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Subject: July 13 Devotion
From: David Bonde <pastorbonde@gmail.com>
To: SCVLP <scvlp@googlegroups.com>
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=93Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here,
when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God,
and those who hear will live.=94
(NRS John 5:25)

John does not give us the name of the paralyzed man who lies at the
pool of Bethesda.  This is not a story about one specific person, this
is also a story about all of us.

We have water in our homes.  We do not have to go to a public pool to
get water for cooking and cleaning; it is always at hand.  Safe.
Potable.  Abundant even here despite the droughts: we may not wash our
cars, but we can always wash our hands.

Water is work for most human beings.  And the place where water is
gathered is a public place.  So it makes perfect sense that the lame
would lay there hoping for the kindness of strangers.

But this particular pool in Jerusalem is not just about the kindness
of strangers; it is a place where people hope for the kindness of God.

Every now and then ripples fan out across the waters of this pool.
Jerusalem is an earthquake zone like ours, but where we would assume
some minor tremor has stirred the water, they saw the hand of the
divine.  For a moment, for a brief shining moment, those waters
quivered with the power of the transcendent.  For a flash in time,
heaven had touched earth, and all the radiant glory and power of
heaven was there to be received.  For a brief moment the door was
opened to healing.

But it is a thin hope: it is healing only for one, only for the first
=96 healing for the quick and the strong or those with a team to help
them.  For the man Jesus meets mercy always happens to someone else.
He has lost hope.  He has lost faith in the possibility that he might
know heaven=92s touch, that he might find new life.

This is the danger of grief and guilt and shame and all life=92s
misfortune =96 that we might lose faith in the possibility that we might
know heaven=92s touch.

But we are witnesses to the empty tomb.

Hope is not ephemeral.  It is not the morning dew.  It is carved out
of rock and has no door.

Hope is not built on sand; it does not depend upon us.  It is not the
fruit of our strength or skill, our ability to think positively, our
ability to negotiate the trials of life.  Hope is not built on our
plans and preparations but the discarded grave cloths on that empty
rock bench.

And hope is not the privilege of the few. The five loaves fed 5,000.
The wine at Cana lightened the hearts of all.  The mercy of God is
scattered abundantly without regard for what may fall upon the path or
get eaten by birds.  The open tomb bespeaks a prodigal God.

Before us stands the Son, crucified and risen.  Before all who live in
death=92s shadow he stands.  And he speaks. And those who hear are
grasped by that life which never perishes.