“Remember”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Meditation – Friday, April 28, 2023

Psalm 105 (Forward, p. 89) CEV p. 619

Not everyone is comfortable with Israel’s story, especially with its possession of the Promised Land and its dispossession of its earlier inhabitants. And yet it is Israel’s story, and its people love to tell it year after year in the Passover Seder celebration. For them, it is the story of God’s faithfulness and trustworthiness, of God ‘coming through for them’ even when ‘the cards were stacked against them.’ And indeed, it is quite a story. The story begins with the Hebrew people being homeless and wandering from place to place and then moves on to a widespread famine both in Canaan where they were presently living, but also in Egypt. But God had already made provision for them in terms of this eventuality and had sent Joseph on ahead of them. And though it was incredibly hard on Joseph, he was powerfully used of God to save His people.

But the story doesn’t end there. Joseph, indeed, was favoured by the rulers of Egypt but this wasn’t to last. Another pharaoh feared this class of foreigners, these aliens, and tried to subdue them, subjugate them, by making them his slaves. But, once again, God raised up a protector, a deliverer, in the person of Moses, and after a series of disastrous plagues was able to lead them to freedom. And even once out of Egypt, God continued to assist them in so many ways, guiding them and providing food and water. And yes, eventually He did lead them back to what had once been their home, the so-called Promised Land, and placed them there. Now, of course, this is their story, their ‘glory’ you might say, their story of how God was ‘there’ for them. It is not, of course, the story of the nine nations that they dispossessed there in Canaan. For them, it was anything but glorious!

But then, that is the nature of ‘story’: it is individual and personal, and really, when it comes down to it, it is only meaningful and powerful to those who are intimately impacted by it. So, it is a reminder that we, as Christians, need to tell our story, need to remember what God has done for us as His people. It may not be the story of anyone else, and indeed, they might not be interested in it—or even like it. Too bad. But then, on the other hand, they might just get caught up in it and see—and experience—a connection. And whether this happens or not, it is still important for us to know our story, remember our story, and tell our story—both for ourselves and for our descendants in the faith. Amen.

Forward notes: “To teach his elders wisdom” (verse 22b).

“When I served as a hospice chaplain, many of my patients were elderly. Sometimes I would read scripture or play music; other times, we would talk.

“One gentleman was an avowed atheist who let me visit him anyway since he loved to talk about his work as a scientist. We agreed that the way he spoke of the universe, with such awe, was the way I spoke about God. I spent many hours bedside as he shared all he had learned in his life and career.

“In Native cultures, we rely on elders to pass on cultural knowledge to the next generation. The most sacred teachings are not written down but shared through telling of stories and sharing ceremonies. Many Indigenous languages are at risk of dying with the passing of elders. Unfortunately, much of our larger society views elders as expendable, as not contributing, as not worthy of our time and attention. What if instead, we considered our elders as treasures, as resources to teach us their wisdom gained over a lifetime? Being old does not confer elder status; being wise does.

Moving Forward: “Sit with a wise friend—and listen.”