To the Church in Exile,
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today’s meditation is from Marisa Gronholz:
2 Corinthians 4:16-18; 5:6-10 (THE MSG)
4:16-18 So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever….
5:6-10 That’s why we live with such good cheer. You won’t see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don’t get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It’s what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we’ll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming.But neither exile nor homecoming is the main thing. Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that’s what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions….
Several years ago, I was leading a Bible study on 1 and 2 Corinthians. For a group that only met every other week, getting through two long books filled with Paul’s words (ranging from admonishment and heartache to encouragement and grace) to the complicated and broken community of Corinth felt like it was taking forever. By the middle of 2 Corinthians we were all more than a little tired of Paul. In an exasperated and unfiltered moment, one of the participants raised her hand and asked, “Is it okay if I kind of want to punch Paul in the face?”
I don’t remember how I responded (other than laughter), but I do remember absolutely “getting” why she felt that way.
You might be feeling that too after reading this passage. In this season of deep loss, Paul’s encouragement might seem disingenuous at best—a Pollyanna-ish call to the hope of heaven, or cruel at worst. “Um, Paul, I’ve lost a loved one, I’ve lost my job—these are not “small potatoes” to me. And, um, actually, these cramped conditions ARE getting us down, Paul!”
But here is the danger of eisegesis—reading our situation into the text, as opposed to exegesis—reading the text for what it is, in context, and then applying what we’ve learned to our lives. Paul did not have our community, Covid-19, and this quarantined world when he wrote these words. These words were addressed to the church at Corinth and are part of a larger discourse on life and death. But they still have something to say to us. Because they were addressed to the church, they were addressed to believers in Jesus…to Resurrection people—of whom we are a part. So what does it mean to be Resurrection people in this time?
This text is about the hope of the resurrection. But this is not simply a pie in the sky hope—a “someday” in heaven as if this earth does not matter. We hope for an eventual resurrection because we experience a taste of that resurrection here on earth. Our hope is present in our longing. We experience an inbreaking of God’s kingdom here on earth and we want more. We pray this every time we pray the Lord’s prayer…”thy kingdom come, thy will be done…on earth as it is in heaven.”
Where are you experiencing an inbreaking of God’s kingdom in these days? What is giving you hope? Where are you experiencing God’s unfolding grace? What practices are helping you pay attention to where God is making new life?
Lord, remind us that we are Easter people—Resurrection people. Help us to remember that we aren’t stuck at the foot of the cross, forever lamenting death, but are people of the empty tomb, looking for resurrection life all around. Help us to pay attention—to keep our eyes open and attentive to the working of your Spirit and the inbreaking of your kingdom here on earth. Make us ready to exchange ”exile for homecoming.” In the name of the Risen Christ Jesus, Amen.
Peace in Christ,
–Marisa
______________________________
Marisa Gronholz
Director of Outreach Ministries
Bethany Presbyterian Church
marisag@bethanypc.org