For Sunday, November 13, 2016 – Luke 21:5-19
Part of the trouble with us—and Jesus sees this clearly and calls us out—is that we prefer to place our hope in the things of this world, to seek our fulfilment from the powers around us, rather than from the eternal. We can see evidence of God’s love being freely given, God’s beauty abundantly evident, God continually pouring out grace upon grace. Yet we hesitate to let our roots go down too deeply into these truths because we also see dangers all around. We see how quickly trouble arises, how impermanent are the structures and people we have trusted in. What we have built up begins to fall, and we feel disappointed in ourselves, one another, and in God.
The disciples point out the beauty of the temple, the seat of power in which they have trusted. As long as the temple stands strong, their hope can be strong. Jesus reminds them that even the most solid elements of our lives will one day fall, will be broken and ruined. Thinking only of the physical building before them, they ask him when this will happen. Jesus is not interested in dates and times; he is interested only in them, in us. “Beware that you are not led astray,” he says. “Many will come who distract you. Do not follow them. You will hear and see terrifying things, but don’t be terrified. Much devastation lies ahead—wars, earthquakes, famines, and plagues. You will be brought up on charges, handed over and persecuted. So many opportunities you will be given to discover in whom you trust, to learn what can be ultimately depended upon, to remember whose you are.”
During recent months some of us, too, have fallen into distraction and distress, trusting in what is not ultimately trustworthy. Jesus says, learn the moment by moment ease of my friendship. Stop worrying and chattering. Be still, and I’ll tell you when to speak and what to say. Devastation, destruction, disappointment happen. The times in which you live are not, have never been, and will never be, easy. You keep thinking humanity should “be there” by now, living in peace and contentment, but even with all your efforts, things don’t go as you want. Hold on. Don’t panic. God alone is worthy of hope. The pain of our world is beyond our understanding. This does not mean it is beyond God’s.
