Saturday, 11 July 2015

THE HIDDEN PLAN

THE HIDDEN PLAN
At least three big rounds of talks are going on at the moment: The Greeks are trying to reach an agreement with their European Union partners on a way of meeting their debts; the Iranians are trying to achieve a deal with “the big powers” over their nuclear programme and the Colombian insurgents are continuing to seek a peace agreement with their government that will end 50 years of civil war. All these talks are an impressive sign that the days of bullying people into submission seem to be passing. Force, in these cases, is no longer military but rational. Logic and wisdom is pushing the parties towards agreements.
Resolving issues by listening to the grievances of people and seeking a peaceful solution together is happening more and more, despite the many instances where brute force is still used. Closing one’s ears to others has a long history and when the prophet Amos tried to alert the Jews of Israel’s Northern Kingdom to their danger he was told, “Go away, seer. We want no more prophesying in Bethel; this is the royal sanctuary.” They wouldn’t listen. And Jesus warned his followers the same thing would happen to them, “if the people refuse to listen to you, shake the dust from your feet as a sign to them.”
I am reading of the early missionaries in Zambia and the incredible physical hardships they faced in travel, supplies, sickness, loneliness and colonial opposition. But the people welcomed them. They listened to the message whether it was about ploughing, health care or the actual message of the gospel. All the churches have grown. A map of the church centres a hundred years ago would have half a dozen dots in the whole country. A map today would be crowded with dots.
And the message is that, “before the world was made he chose us to live through love in his presence. … He has let us know the mystery of his purpose, the hidden plan he so kindly made in Christ.” This hidden plan is for our well-being in this life and the next. It is a spiritual message, yes, but it has a practical side too – whether we are Greeks, Iranians, Colombians or citizens of our own country. We look at South Sudan in dismay. Mrs Garang herself said yesterday, “we have failed. We have tried to drive a car without wheels.” We look at Burundi with foreboding. Surely they have “listened” to their past. The signs are not good that they have.
And then we come to our own country. When will we learn to listen? For how much longer are we going to say, “Go away, seer. You are not wanted here”? And when will our “young professionals” stop shaking the dust from their feet and boarding planes for distant places?      
12 July 2015                           Sunday 15 B

Amos 7:12-15                         Ephesians 1:3-14                                Mark 6:7-13

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