Blogging Backwards towards Sunday
July 22, 2007

Faith Formation and Coming Home

I'm a day late (plus a week) in getting this post up. I think I'm already on vacation. Anyway...these passages are so meaningful and rich that I couldn't resist.

At church yesterday we celebrated Homecoming Sunday, a worship idea from the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (in particular Kenya). The passages from the Lectionary and meant to compliment the gospel selection (my choice) were Psalm 1 and Luke 10:38-42.

I was and am struck by the word of God in these passages.

Psalm 1 talks about faith growth. It's the opening Psalm to the entire collection of Psalms, a sort of introduction to a larger group, the first thought in a theological relfection on the relationship between God and us - the human community. It's about faith education and spiritual formation - but through a different world view. The poet proclaims that we learn faith not in a school room, nor in a lecture hall. We learn about faith - about the desires of God's heart - the divine project or pasison for creation - through study of God's Law the Torah and through relationships with God and God's people. The Gospel selection in Luke 10 echoes and affirms the same thing. We often think that Jesus is shaming Martha for spending time cleaning the house and offering hospitality. He's not. Jesus is saying that relationship - time in community - with him is the essential aspect and foundational experience of Christian faith. Jesus isn't criticizing hospitality, showing love, social action, or doing works of justice and compassion, rather Jesus is saying first and foremost be in relationship with me and then let everything else flow from that.

In the midst of a culture and world view that portrays education and growth as based upon content, presenting and acquiring the correct information these ancient scriptures offer a totally different worldview and pedigagocial approach. Faith growth is like the growth of a tree - the tree in Psalm 1 planted near a stream. It continually is fed and strengthened by its relationship with the source - water, earth...the gifts of God meant for the gift of life.

In church I've often heard that you have to read the Bible, have a daily quiet time, and pray in order to grow as a Christian. I think it's true - but it's often been packaged and proclaimed to me in an all-too-easy package. We also need each other. I think about the times, places and things that I've learned about God - Sunday School, Worship, Sermons, Personal Reflection, Mission Experiences....what sticks with me is the example, mentoring and words of other people..the way in which they incarnated faith in God through Christ for me, to me and with me. That's what Jesus is calling us to - first and foremost to testify to our faith by being in relationships with God through Christ, to demonstrate that (to make our walk mirror our talk) in what we do, say, decide, how we spend our money, how we articulate our feelings, and in our relationships. Who has modeled faith for you? What do you remember? I'd bet that it's most likely similar to my expriences, memories and reflection...much more about relationship than content, yet relationships that mirror, integrate and reflect the content-matter of deep faith. How are we doing that as individuals and as a faith community?