This
morning I have good news for you … there IS a balm in Gilead .. it makes the wounded
whole, and it can heal the sin-sick soul.
In
September 2004, these were the words I greeted you with one Sunday morning. I looked
back on wisdom from that day and am sharing a revised version of that sermon;
call it throw-back Sunday.
One
of my favourite hymns is There Is a Balm in Gilead – sung earlier in the
prelude music. The verses of the hymn describe exactly how I feel, as a servant
of God; albeit in a slightly less morose way than Jeremiah’s expression.
The
hymn laments: sometimes I feel discouraged and think my work is in vain … but
then … the Holy Spirit revives my soul again. The hymn reflects and
encourages: if you can not preach like Peter, if you cannot pray like Paul ...
you can tell the love of Jesus and say, he died for all. Don’t ever feel
discouraged, for Jesus is your friend; and if you lack for knowledge he’ll ne’er
refuse to lend.
Isn’t that true for all of us? Jeremiah, myself, you?
We get discouraged. Perhaps prayers
appear not to be answered, others do not love God or care for church the way
you do, family has chosen another path or no path, or maybe your own faith
wanes, you get discouraged by circumstances and lack of love/kindness in the
world.
We
get excited too. After engaged council meetings, enthusiastic studies, and a
wealth of participants in faith/community activities; the times when the Holy Spirit
comes and revives our souls again.
There are times we feel inadequate, like we can’t preach like Peter – who converted hundreds at a time; or pray like Paul – all night in a jail cell, through an earthquake, that released him and brought a man and his family to Jesus. The Holy Spirit comes and revives us again to remind us the message is simple, three powerful words, Jesus loves you.
And have you ever felt not smart enough,
lacking knowledge? Then thank to God who lends, you have just the words to say,
or the ears to listen.
There
is a balm … not a bomb BOMB, the sort that explodes, but balm, BALM as in
ointment.
In the final two weeks of my last call, as I was on vacation and supposedly packing, somehow I -at 32 years of age- broke out in chicken pox. What a treat – a high fever, couch bound for 7 days, with blisters, pain, and an itch that would not go away. With little relief from oatmeal baths and covering myself in pink calamine lotion, I wished there was a balm in Gilead!
Jeremiah
asks if there is a balm in Gilead; a rhetorical question considering the balm
is made from storax tree resin found in the north Transjordan region of Gilead.
The balm was sought after, throughout the known world, for its miraculous qualities
to relive itching, heal wounds, and its antiseptic nature. If you remember the
story of Joseph and his brothers, the brothers sell Joseph to a caravan of
merchants, coming from Gilead – a caravan laden with gum, resin, and balm. So
Jeremiah, … of course there is a balm in Gilead.
Why
then are the people in today’s reading, hurt and sick?
I
once read somewhere that modern day Gilead is the church, a now rugged place. Once
a mighty forest, filled with people, influencing politics and social norms, having
a voice in the public square – now trampled, deforested, abundance looted as
buildings fall apart and funds no longer cover program expenses. The people are
left in a rugged landscape. There is no balm except for the tears of God
mourning for the hurting people.
In
2004, I officially start in ministry with you, at my installation service,
where you and I recommitted to being participants in God’s ministry through the
church and in the world. Rev. Guenter Dahle preached a sermon on Matt. 4: 23. Jesus
went throughout Galilee teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good
news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the
people. Rev. Dahle, more or less, emphasized that there is a balm in
Gilead, it is just that we forget. An installation service (or when we
look back to remember) is the perfect time to remember and slather ourselves in balm and then share it with the world; to get on participating in God’s ministry.
This
balm – is Jesus. The balm is Jesus’ teachings, preachings, and healings.
Today
we may be sick, diseased, troubled, or discouraged. Today, despite our
infirmities, we are also meant to be a balm for the neighbourhood and community.
September 2004, we promised to work together to share this balm – Jesus- to the
neighbourhood.
I
promised to create a place where you could find ‘a balm in Gilead,’ through
preaching and teaching the Word, in receiving sacrament, and participating in
liturgy. With God as our helper we committed to lives of prayer and gratitude,
and being a community that is a healing balm for the hurts of the world around
us.
Sometimes
we will feel discouraged, think our work is in vain … but thanks be to God the
Holy Spirit will come and revive our soul again.
We may think that we can not preach like Peter, that we can not pray like Paul … but encouraged here we are refreshed to take the healing balm of Jesus and proclaim good news to others. Jesus loves you. Jesus died – for you.
As
we go to be Jesus in the world, to bring God’s comfort, God’s peace, God’s
healing – do not be discouraged, take heart! You will not be left with a lack knowledge.
You carry an unending supply of healing ointment in the forms of forgiveness,
grace, and kindness.
Go
people of Gilead, go people of Resurrection … be God’s healing balm, preaching,
teaching, and curing all forms of disease. Remember that you are Christ in the
world today, and it is only through you that Christ touches many of the people
around you. Be a sweet balm of healing.
There
is a balm in Gilead! Thanks be to God!
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