Advent Reflections, 2007
Saturday, December 22 – Scripture Readings:
Psalm 55; Zechariah 8:9-17; Revelation 6:1-17; Matthew 25:31-46
When I read Zechariah this morning I was taken by two references to strong hands:
Thus says the Lord of hosts: Let your hands be strong – you that have recently been hearing these words from the mouths of the prophets…(9) and
Just as you have been a cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you and you shall be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong. (13)
I looked up “strong” in Hebrew (chazaq) as it is used in both verses and this is what I found:
To be strong, grow strong
a) to prevail, prevail upon
b) to be firm, be caught fast, be secure
c) to press, be urgent
d) to grow stout, grow rigid, grow hard (bad sense)
e) to be severe, be grievous
a) to prevail, prevail upon
b) to be firm, be caught fast, be secure
c) to press, be urgent
d) to grow stout, grow rigid, grow hard (bad sense)
e) to be severe, be grievous
These are certainly qualities that I long to have as true about and for me. And I find it curious that they are applied to hands – particularly in reference to having listened to the words of the prophets. That’s what we’ve been doing all throughout Advent – listening to these oft’ scary and relatively disconcerting passages that reveal God’s voice through the prophets and Jesus himself. Strong hands? What difference do they make in the midst of such?
I think Matthew gives the answer this morning:
Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Com, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I as a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you? And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ (34-40)
Remember two days ago when I used Debbie Blue’s perspective on the 10 virgins waiting for the bridegroom? She spoke of how in God’s economy it is those who are least aware of their actions, and certainly their readiness, that are acting in the most profound ways and are, in fact, the most ready. The message there? Here is what I wrote in that post:
What if Debbie Blue is right? What if these prophets we’ve been reading throughout Advent, and the voice of Jesus himself, are really talking to us about the oil; about “living a life full of deeds of love and mercy.” And ultimately, about just being. If the ones who don’t even recognize themselves as ready are the ones who Jesus sees as ready, then all the preparing, worrying, working, and striving won’t make a bit of difference. What does this mean?
I don’t think the message is any different in Jesus’ words about the sheep and the goats. You see? Those the king honors are not even aware of how or when they’ve done any of the things for which they are being rewarded…just like those who had oil in their lamps, who were lighting the way just by being, who were affirmed by Jesus without even being aware of their own readiness or actions. Clearly, if nothing else, the prophetic call is about who we are – every single day – in our truest sense. Not the efforts we extend to be ready. To refer to even yesterday’s blog, it’s about joy and gladness, kindness and mercy.
Now, what about the strong hands? Well, as I read through the definition for “strong,” I’m aware that these qualities are required in order to just be; and certainly to be about offering light in dark places; caring for widows, orphans, and aliens; giving food, drink, clothing, and care to those who need it. We need strong hands in order to just persevere in life, I think. And we certainly need strong hands in order to be in meaningful relationship with and for others.
Gratefully, God doesn’t see it any differently. There’s no sense, at least in my reading of both scripture and the narratives of my life, that God designs any other life than one that will call for strength, for strong hands, for the ability to prevail, to be firm, to press onward, and even to severely grieve. These are the realities of life I have known and the qualities necessary in which to persevere while at the same time caring for others, being light in dark places, inviting and longing for joy and gladness while extending kindness and mercy.
Maybe this makes no sense to you, but it does to me. As I’ve read through all these prophetic texts these past 22 days, I’ve found myself both wishing for something else and resonating with that which has felt familiar…just like life: longing for the day when all tears will be wiped away and knowing what is required just to persevere and be.
With three days remaining in Advent I feel like I might just now be getting, at least for me, what this season has been about: not some amazing, other-worldly sense of God’s presence as experienced in a miraculous “fixing” of my life; rather, strong hands – my own: prevailing, firm, secure, pressing on.
And strong hands – not my own: Emmanuel, God-with-me. Strong hands on my behalf, right in my midst, enabling me to take comfort and joy in Zechariah’s words:
Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.
