Word of God -- Delayed
2/7/2017
Early one cold and blustery Pittsburgh January morning, I was listening to the school closings and delays on my car radio. The list was long. Some schools on the northern tier of our area were closed for the day. Most were delayed or “modified.” It was a particularly nasty weather morning for traffic, even though scenic and attractive in many ways.
Suddenly one school announcement caught my immediate attention: “Word of God—delayed.” Located somewhere in Western Pennsylvania is a school named “Word of God.” And it was delayed on this day!
My mind raced to the theological implications of this announcement. (It is instinctively what preachers do!) I thought of Isaiah 55:12:
“So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth…it shall accomplish that which I purpose and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” That text could easily be modified and re-translated, “The word of God will not be delayed.”
Our sacred story is always at hand. Contained in that story is the revealed Word of God – Jesus. Jesus is the definitive Word of God in human history. The story begins with an amazing birth narrative and seems to end with a cruel crucifixion and death. All hopes seem dashed, cancelled, or—perhaps—delayed. Then comes the most amazing story of all. He lives. He is alive. And our life takes on a whole new meaning and purpose,
The word will not be delayed. We are in that story. We lead others into that one story. We re-tell the story multiple times with increasing conviction and assurance.
Occasionally, we all find ourselves with our own shattered or delayed expectations and hopes for our world. Then, we remember that each
Sunday is a ‘little Easter. Therefore we take courage. And the story compels us toward a valiant struggle and leadership on the side of peace, justice, and love.”
Jesus is the revealed Word of God with us and for us in multiple ways. We see that Word illuminated. We see ourselves illuminated as well.
The Word of God will not be cancelled, delayed or modified. This is our salvation story. It begins with Angel choruses, moves through and amazing brief earthy ministry to agony and death, and ends in an Easter alleluia. Don’t miss any part of that story.
Tell our story on the mountains tops and in the darker valleys. It is a durable, eternal Word that is never delayed or thwarted
