Monday, July 20, 2020                      (today’s lectionary)
Walk humbly with your God
Sunday afternoon, chasing the clouds all the way to Tuesday.
Marc and Myranda are coming over for a cookout. We have been getting ready all afternoon, partly because we love them and partly because we so rarely have a party anymore. The grill is ready, the charcoal is in the chimney, the steaks are brined and dry, the corkscrew is ready to screw. But it’s raining.
It will stop raining soon, right?
In Andi’s great memory, which has transferred its magic to all of us, we eat the steak in the rain. Makes it so much better. Even when it’s not raining she has been known to drip a drop or two of water on her steak before she cuts it.
Our chickens aren’t deterred by the rain unless it pours. Now in the afternoon’s leftover drizzle they wander around searching for grubs and worms driven to the surface by the rain.
Mostly I love getting wet. My birthday is November 17, smack in the middle of Scorpio the blessed water sign. I love to swim underwater and pretend I’m a dolphin. The paper routes our kids had for at least ten years had to be delivered in the rain, of course. Once in a summer downpour we took off our shoes and socks and splashed through every puddle we could find. The papers, in plastic bags, did not get wet. Wonderful day that was.
At least that’s how I remember it. I rarely pray for rain to stop, although today it would be nice.
Arise, present your plea before the mountains
Let the hills hear your voice
Pay attention, o foundations of the earth!
Of course Micah is not praying for rain or for rain to stop.
The Lord has a plea against his people:
What have I done to you, that you have turned from me this way?
Old Micah knows better than to bring offerings, burnt or otherwise, to appease the God who Loves Them. His God is better than that, and He will have none of it.
He has shown you, O man, what is good.
What indeed does the Lord require of you,
But to act justly
And to love mercy
And walk humbly with your God?
How quick we are to anthromorphize our God. But he is not like us. He is the Maker and we are the Made.
Or do you think that I am like yourself?
I will correct you on that.
There is only one way, always only one, to approach God, please God, love God.
He that offers praise as his sacrifice glorifies me.
Such a simple thing, this gratitude and praise. God is alive, magic is afoot. We are his children before becoming his servants, and we are loved. What manner of men must we be to forget the praise and thanks and take ourselves for granted?
Harden not your hearts.
Come and listen to the wisdom of the Father
For there is something greater than Solomon here.
The rain did stop, the charcoal burned at 600 degrees, and the steaks, even without the benefit of rain on their seared brown crust, tasted wonderful. We prayed, we praised, we gave thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
On this day we heard his voice.
      (Micah 6, Psalm 50, Psalm 95, Matthew 12)
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