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Today’s readings are from Genesis 8:6-13, Psalms 116:12-13, 14-15, 18-19, and Mark 8:22-26. In Genesis, we are told about the end of Noah’s journey on the ark, and his offer of gratitude to the Lord. We also read of God’s promise “Never again will I doom the earth because of man since the desires of man’s heart are evil from the start: nor will I ever again strike down all living beings, as I have done. As long as the earth lasts, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” In the Psalm, we respond to the Lord’s goodness offering “a sacrifice of praise.” In Mark, Jesus restores the sight of a blind man. On first pass, each of today’s readings tells us of the power and the goodness of God toward the people of God and encourages us to offer our God praise and gratitude. As I read and re-read Genesis, I kept thinking of the current state of the world economy. Analogous to Noah and his ark, we are currently adrift on a sea of economic uncertainty, and like Noah’s ark, all manner of human- and animal-kind occupy the ark. We hope for an end to the uncertain waters that cover the earth, but for us, the end is not an easy forty days away. And, while we hope that there will be clear signs of an end to the uncertainty, those signs may be a long time in coming. I am wondering how we will feel when the uncertainty ends and our economy is strong, again. I also wonder to what we will attribute the turn-around. Will we assume that human-kind is responsible for the end to uncertainty? Or, will we believe that the Lord has renewed the commitment made in Genesis? Will we be build “an altar to the Lord” and offer a sacrifice in gratitude? Or, will we “offer a sacrifice of praise?” Perhaps our feeling at the end of the uncertainty will be governed by our level of faith at that moment. During these tough economic times, our faith is likely to be challenged when we and our loved ones suffer job-related, and other, uncertainty. The readings for today remind us that our God is committed to us and our well-being, and that “as long as the earth last, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” May God bless you and yours with faith and well-being. |