Cost and Clay

this week a short reflection on Luke, before the Prayers of Confession

Luke 14:25-33 

This section is part of the hard sayings of Jesus.

I can’t imagine living without God in my life, and at times I have, and I know I don’t want to do that again. But it does mean giving up some things – not because they are ‘bad’, but because God calls us to live in ways that are about life.

My parents didn’t go to church, and struggled with their ‘born again’ teenage daughter. I admit I look back now and see I was like many new converts – long on enthusiasm and short on grace. But I think even if I hadn’t spoken about religion, it would have still altered my relationship with my parents, and particularly my father. He didn’t want a religious daughter, so me going to church meant that I was different. I had changed. At times I had to choose between pleasing my parents and doing what I thought was right in my relationship with God. Those decisions were not easy.  

A few weeks ago I was listening to an interview with one of the Olympians. The athlete described how being an elite athlete was a very selfish thing to do, missing holidays, birthdays and being overseas, training and competing, much of the year. Family and friends came after training and competing. To be an Olympian you need to be that focussed.

This is what Jesus is saying here. There was the risk that the people who followed Jesus would only see the ‘high points’ of faith. They witnessed healings and miracles, yet if they did not think about the cost of being a disciple, it is like thinking being an Olympic athlete only involves the race and medal ceremony.

“Discipleship is not just one more hobby or extra-curricular activity.”[i] Following Jesus has to be more important than anything else in our life, and requires the focus of an elite athlete. That doesn’t mean we can use discipleship as a reason to neglect family or work responsibilities. But there will be times when we need to make a choice because of our decision to follow Jesus. And those choices will not always be easy or popular.

Jeremiah 18:1-12

This reading from Jeremiah lends itself to thinking about the ways in which we are shaped by God. I usually think of this as a gentle, loving process. Of being made into something unique and beautiful. But reading this passage this week, I sense another side to the image God as the potter.

Clay in hand

“People of Israel, don’t you realise that I can do with you just what the potter has done with this pot. Watch the way the potter works, people of Israel, and remember that you are like clay in my hands. If I speak to a corrupt nation and threaten to tear it out by the roots and crush and demolish it, and it takes note of what I have said and mends its ways, I will change my mind and give them a fresh start. If, on the other hand, I tell a nation that I am planning to build them up with strength and life, and they turn around and become callous and cruel and take no further notice of anything I say, then I will abandon my plans to do anything good for them.
So then, Jeremiah, go now and give the people who live in Judah and Jerusalem this message from me: I, the LORD, am taking you in hand like a potter taking clay, and I am planning to flatten you; to crush you completely. The only way to persuade me to change my mind is to turn around right now; to mend your ways and clean up your act.”

©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Before clay is fired, it is able to be made and remade many times.  The more clay is handled the more flexible it becomes. But at the beginning, it is hard work getting the clay to move and take shape.

The prophet Jeremiah is not speaking to individuals, but to the nation. Clean up your act! I can build you up or destroy you.

And the basis that God will make that decision on?  When is a nation evil?  

Matthew has a story of the judgement of the nations in chapter 25 [25:31 – 46]. Do you remember what was judged?

‘I was hungry and you fed me,

I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,

I was homeless and you gave me a room,

I was shivering and you gave me clothes,

I was sick and you stopped to visit,

I was in prison and you came to me.’ [The Message]

As a nation do we live up to this standard?

Do we provide for the hungry and thirsty, here and internationally?

Do we provide homes, clothing and shelter for those in need?

Do we work to make health services available to all?

And do we make prisons safe and appropriate?

In recent weeks we have seen the mistreatment of teenagers in youth detention in the Northern Territory,

we have seen the high percentage of indigenous youth in prison,

we have seen the reports of the abuse of people in detention on Nauru

and there are the continuing stories of violence and war

of women being forced into marriage or becoming sex slave

of teenagers and children being kidnapped and made to fight.

At times it seems like we live in a very messed up world.

There is some signs of hope:  

In the last generation, humanity has made great progress in shaping a more just and equal world:

·    global poverty has been cut by 50% in the last ten years

·    the number of people who have access to clean water has doubled

·    the number of children dying every year has been dramatically reduced and

·    the number of women dying during childbirth has nearly halved

Together, through Australian Aid, we’ve all played a part in this story.^[i]

Where does this leave us today?

A beautiful image in the psalm of being known and loved and valued by God

The image of a potter, a reminder that we can work with, or against God,

And the Gospel that tells us that while grace is free gift, discipleship is costly and will demand us to make choices.

Shortly we will participate in Holy Communion, we hear again that on the night he was betrayed, Jesus took bread and wine and shared it with his disciples.
We are part of that ongoing tradition,
of hearing the story,
of giving thanks,
of taking the bread and the cup,
of being renewed and refreshed,

Of giving ourselves over to God, again and again.

Prayer: The Clay of Our Lives

Take the clay of our lives and shape it to love
Take the clay of the church and shape it to grace
Take the clay of the world and shape it to peace
Take the clay of today and shape it to hope

And then breathe your spirit into all
again

For ever and ever
Amen

~ written by Cheryl Lawrie, and posted on [hold this space]. http://holdthisspace.org.au/

---

[i] https://www.oxfam.org.au/what-we-do/aid-and-development/campaign-for-australian-aid/australias-aid-effort/

[i] David Schnasa Jacobsen, Working Preacher