Today's Sermon

 

"Witnesses"

 

Psalm 139
Hebrews 12:1

When Rob asked me to preach, my first response was flattery and my second was terror.  I told him I would think about it.  What weighed heavily on me was fear that I couldn’t say anything meaningful or important enough to constitute a proper sermon, especially of a quality we are accustomed to in this sacred place.  When Rob and I subsequently met to further discuss things, something interesting happened.  When I asked him how to even go about determining a topic, he said he would send me the suggested lectionary for this day, and perhaps that would spark something. Then he asked me what some of my favorite scripture passages were, and I instantly quoted a verse from my favorite Psalm – Psalm 139.  I’ll get to that favorite verse in a bit. 

My decision to stick to Psalms 139 was further solidified when I learned that the suggested lectionary for today included the scripture passage about Sodom and Gomorrah!  I’ll leave that to the experts!

There are many reasons this is my favorite Psalm. Knowing it was my favorite and why, I was curious to do some research about what others had gleaned from the passage. And I found a sermon from the pastor of First Baptist Church in Gulf Shores, Alabama - whose lessons and interpretations of the Psalm best matched my own.  For example, in the first six versus the psalmist writes:

O Lord you have searched me and known me – when I sit or stand – know my thoughts from far away – know the words on my tongue, etc. All the words in these verses convey different levels of how GOD KNOWS US.  God knows us more completely than is humanly possible to know another human being. I think it’s both comforting, and perhaps disconcerting at the same time, to think that God knows our hearts, thoughts, motives, dreams, frustrations. But mostly it’s comforting to ponder that EVEN knowing us to the CORE, which isn’t always pretty, God loves us still.

Another lesson is that God actively pursues us. Versus 7-12 - Where can I go to escape your spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?  Even the darkness will not hide me.  This sentiment is all over the Bible.  We all know the verse in Romans “Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus”. I love God’s determination to be involved in our lives. He won’t let us go. 

Finally, my absolute favorite verse in this Psalm is the one I quoted to Rob.  Given my Baptist upbringing, I memorized LOTS of scripture over time.  But the absolute one verse that stuck after all this time is the last. I think that verse has really been my spiritual north star.  And that’s what I want to dwell on today. 

Verse 24 in your pew Bible reads: Search me O God and know my heart, test me and know my thoughts.  See if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. But when I quoted the verse to Rob, I realized I was quoting from the Bible I grew up with – THE LIVING BIBLE – circa 1962, which is a paraphrased edition of the King James version. And it reads: Search me O God and know my heart, test my thoughts. Point out anything in me that makes you sadand lead me along the path of everlasting life. 

The imagery of this paraphrase really spoke to me and has obviously stayed with me.  It’s part of a north star imagery for me – that of trying to live a life in which I avoid making God sad.  And the end of the verse - “lead me in the way everlasting” - has taken on broader meaning for me over time.  My Southern Baptist roots interpreted this to mean making sure you did nothing to jeopardize your salvation so you can get to heaven.  But I now think it means just staying on the right path – the path that optimizes God’s knowledge of me and his pursuit of me.  The realization that God wants to be part of our plans for living. God wants me to be the best version of myself.

As I have reflected on this verse in preparation for today, I started focusing on HOW God points out things that make him sad. My interpretation of the “how” has historically centered around the “still small voice” theory. That niggly feeling, pangs of doubt that I need to listen to.  But what about when I’m not listening?  When God can’t get through to me.

I recently had a thought-provoking conversation with a friend of over 40 years about people who have been pivotal in our lives. It was a fascinating exercise and part of the inspiration for my message today. A pattern emerged in my memories -- many of the pivotal people in my life were people whom God used to get through to me to help me stay on the right path.

When I was in college, I was very active in the Baptist Student Union – BSU’s. They are all over campuses around the country, mostly in the South where the denomination is the strongest.  After graduating, I applied for a pilot program whereby I would intern at a BSU somewhere in Texas, shirt-tailing the BSU director and do things like lead Bible studies, plan student events and outreach activities, etc. Lucky me, I got sent to Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.  And if you’ve ever been to Lubbock, you will understand why they say, “it’s not the end of the world, but you can see it from there”. 

While there, I was swept off my feet by my first serious relationship. After only a few months of dating he proposed to me, in front of a bus full of students. Swept away in the moment I said yes. I was completely caught up in the romance.  Occasionally a little seed of doubt would creep in, maybe I was too young, etc. But I assured myself everything would work out just fine. 

A few months later my boss asked to see me.  When I went to his office, he closed the door, sat down and said, “You’re not going to like what I have to say”. He got right to the point and told me I would be making a big mistake in marrying this young man. He said I would outgrow him intellectually, spiritually and emotionally. That we would be, in Biblical terms, unequally yoked. That I deserved better. Rather than being upset at his words, I remember feeling relieved! In that moment, I realized I had been deaf to the still small voice. God used my boss to reach me that day through him. Pivotal person. Bad decision avoided. Back on the right path.

I’m reminded of proverbs 12, verse 15: The way of the fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to counsel. Maybe I should add this verse to my North Star constellation.

Another example from my story dates back to the mid-1980s. I was single, living in San Francisco, recovering from a failed, long-term relationship, and I needed a new job. I’d been working in the nonprofit world, and my government funded position was being eliminated. I was looking for a new career and wanted to try to get into the private sector. While at Texas Tech I had taken a master’s degree, but it wasn’t in a field that would be very marketable to the private sector.  So I decided that I needed to go back and get an MBA in order to be more attractive to the corporate sector. In order to apply for an MBA, I had to do some leveling work in accounting and economics. I did so but was really struggling. I was hell-bent on getting through it and getting it done, but it was very hard.

At the coffee hour one Sunday, a good friend listened to me vent (again!) about how frustrated I was. He said, I have an idea for you. Maybe you don’t need that MBA. I have a friend who is in a profession that she loves. I don’t know much about what she does, but you remind me very much of her, intellectually and personality wise. Let me introduce you to her. 

A week later, I met this woman Chris who was a consultant in an executive search firm. I listened with great interest as she talked about the nature of her work, what skills are required for it, etc. She seemed to think I might be a good fit and encouraged me to pursue things further. As it turns out, I didn’t have to do much pursuing at all. By the time I got home from meeting her I had two voicemails from two executive search firms asking if I would be interested in coming in for an interview. Turns out, Chris had gotten calls from the same two firms that day, trying to get her to jump ship to their companies. She had no interest in moving and gave them my name and number. Two weeks later I was working for an executive search firm and loving it. I went on to spend 30 years in a profession where I flourished.  And I loved every minute of it!

I guess some would say all of that was coincidence, dumb luck. But given how low and confused I was at the time; I believe it was divine intervention! I think it makes God sad when we struggle to find a path forward. I’m not suggesting that we will not be faced with challenges, tough decisions.  Getting through such things makes us stronger and more resilient. But think about the times where you just COULD NOT get SEE what you needed to do next. Even when prayer comes up empty. I think he used my fellow congregant to help me find a better path. Another pivotal person for me.

Perhaps some of you have seen the movie “Shall We Dance” with Susan Sarandon and Richard Gere. They are a married couple, seemingly happy.  But Susan Sarandon becomes suspicious when her husband starts working late A LOT. Suspecting he might be having an affair, she hires a private detective to spy on him. The detective ultimately reveals that Richard Gere is taking ballroom dancing lessons! And definitely NOT having an affair.  At her last meeting with the detective, when she tells him she no longer needs his services, the conversation turns to marriage.

Susan:  Why is it, do you think, people get married? 

Detective:  Passion! No? Interesting. I would’ve taken you for a romantic. So, why do you think people get married?

Susan:  Because we need a witness to our lives. There’s a billion people on the planet and I mean what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage, you’re promising to care about everything --- the good things, the bad things, the terrible things, all of it. Every day. You’re saying your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go unwitnessed because I will be your witness.

Being a witness to another’s life doesn’t just apply in marriages. The pivotal people in my life have been active witnesses of my life.  We are active witnesses to each other in this wonderful, caring congregation.  Just think of our “Joys and Concerns” part of worship. 

In Hebrews 12:1 Thereforewe also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Or in my paraphrased Bible: Since we have such a huge crowd of people of faith watching us, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and run with patience the particular race that God has set before us.

I believe, as Christians, we are called to be witnesses to each other’s lives. Active, caring, courageous observers and sometimes interveners.  Or maybe just someone who makes an introduction on a hunch!  We can be vessels through whom God can communicate perhaps a critical message to those we hold dear. To those who are struggling, or who are about to make a bad decision. 

Because you never know when you might wind up as a pivotal person, a critical witness to help someone on stay on the path to becoming the best version of themselves. The version that optimizes God’s knowledge of them, God’s pursuit of them, and God’s determination to be a part of their life journey.

May it be so.

Amen