God's nature

We have heard parts of the Matthew passion story this morning. 

I am aware that at times on Good Friday we are encouraged to think about ways in which we have failed God. I can remember being in services hearing about how I had hammered the nails into the hands and feet of Jesus.

 

I confess, I find that understanding of God, and Good Friday, difficult.

 

yes, we sin, we fall short of what God desires for our lives, we don’t live in ways that honour God or Gods creation.  We sin, and that pains God.

 

We live in a world where betrayal, violence, oppression, fear, anxiety and sorrow all exist. We live in a  world where people hurt each other, and the world we live in.

 

Today we reflect on the worst of humanity, as seen in the torture and death of Jesus; and we reflect on the best of God.

God didn’t leave us to our own devices, God didn’t give up on us or the world. God in Jesus stayed true to who he was and is.

 

A story: The Old Man and the Scorpion

One morning, after he had finished his meditation, the old man opened his eyes and saw a scorpion floating helplessly in the water. As the scorpion was washed closer to the tree, the old man quickly stretched himself out on one of the long roots that branched out into the river and reached out to rescue the drowning creature. As soon as he touched it, the  scorpion stung him. Instinctively the man withdrew his hand. A minute later, after he had regained his balance, he stretched himself out again on the roots to save the scorpion. This time the scorpion stung him so badly with its
poisonous tail that his hand became swollen and bloody and his face contorted with pain.

At that moment, a passer-by saw the old man stretched out on the roots struggling with the scorpion and shouted: "Hey, stupid old man, what's wrong with you? Only a fool would risk his life for the sake of an ugly, evil creature. Don't you know you could kill yourself trying to save that ungrateful scorpion?"

The old man turned his head. Looking into the stranger's eyes he said calmly, "My friend, just because it is the scorpion's nature to sting, that does not change my nature to save."

http://www.ic.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/story/oldmanscorpion.html

 

 

Good Friday reminds us of the nature of God.

God doesn’t rely on our faithfulness, goodness, obedience or love.  God doesn’t turn away from us, or from the world, in the face of rebellion or degradation or violence. 

We see God’s nature for what it is.

God is love,

God brings grace and forgiveness into our lives

because that is the nature of God.

 

Today, as we reflect on the cross, we see two sides, we see the inhumanity that people are capable of, and we see the great love of God.