Word for Word 9/23/20


Rev. Grant VanderVelden

COVID-19, political division, and civil unrest are among the current events making it feel like the world as we know it is unraveling.

So, for the past several months of Sunday worship, my congregation and I have been exploring Bible stories from the Old and New testaments that speak to the unraveling of life.

These stories and their leading characters experience the unraveling of their identities, their dreams, and their expectations. Unsettling circumstances back in the day are speaking to unsettling circumstances in the here and now.

So far, in the Scripture and sermon series, “Unraveled: Seeking God When Our Plans Falls Apart” –

We’ve met Sarah, who carries the pain of infertility into old age. But God surprises her by sending her a child. Sometimes, God turns your unraveled plans into unexpected joy – if you’re willing to receive God’s gift. (Genesis 21:1-7)

We’ve met Peter, who takes one step onto the water and promptly sinks. His confidence unravels right there amid the wind and the waves. Fortunately for Peter — and for you and me, Jesus is there. When you’re swamped by doubt and floundering in uncertainty, remember the Lord’s outstretched hand always reaches out with rescue. (Matthew 14:22-33)

We’ve met Rizpah, whose public expression of grief spurs the righting of a wrong. Her sons are murdered, but instead of receiving a proper burial, their bodies are left to rot on a mountaintop. Rizpah publicly laments their deaths by staying with the bodies for months. When King David hears about Rizpah’s public display of grief, he retrieves the men’s bones and buries them properly. (2 Samuel 21:1-14)

We’ve met Zacchaeus, the wealthy and corrupt tax collector who perpetuates and profits from an economic system that robs and defrauds those on the bottom to benefit those on the top. Jesus flips the script by inviting Zacchaeus to offer him hospitality. That unravels public expectations, because people deem the sinner Zacchaeus an unworthy host. Jesus then invites Zacchaeus into repentance, community and belonging. And Zacchaeus responds with generosity by vowing to share his resources equitably. (Luke 19:1-10)

We’ve met Moses and his brother Aaron, who stand up for what’s right in the eyes of the Lord. The hard-hearted Pharaoh of Egypt is holding the Israelites in slavery, and he refuses to let them go. Pharaoh’s stubborn denial attempts to unravel God’s desires for justice and freedom. But Moses and Aaron follow God’s plan. They stand up for justice, don’t give up the fight, and won’t take no for an answer. (Exodus 5:1-2, 7:8-23)

We’ve met Saul, whose conversion from a persecutor of Christians to a devoted follower of Jesus points Saul’s life in a new direction. Sometimes, God calls you into uncharted territory, and your unraveling is what the Lord uses to grant you a holy, fresh start and give you a new way of seeing others – even those whom you consider enemies. (Acts 9:1-20)

We’ve met Jeremiah, who tells God’s people in exile to bloom where they’ve been planted and seek the welfare of the entire community. That includes the Babylonians holding God’s people captive. How definitely different do our lives unfold when we trust and follow God – maybe even to the point of letting go of our own dreams to make way for the fulfillment of God’s dreams and the flourishing of others. (Jeremiah 29:1-7)

We’ve met the Samaritan woman who’s spent a lifetime living with deep emotional and spiritual wounds. When she encounters Jesus at a well, he meets her at her lowest point and unravels her shame and isolation. The living water that Jesus offers always finds your lowest point. It always flows to your original wound – the very thing you spend so much time and energy trying to cover-up and heal through insufficient and ineffective means. (John 4:1-29)

In the coming weeks, we’ll meet some additional characters: The apostle Thomas, whose life unravels when the unimaginable happens; Moses’s mother, who acts boldly when her plans for her son fall apart; Job, who searches for understanding when everything in his life goes wrong; and a man named Legion, whose mind is deeply disturbed.

In the end, these stories of unraveling all point to what the apostle Paul tells the Romans: God works together unto good in all things – even when your human plans, hopes and desires fall part. (Romans 8:28) When life comes unglued, the Weaver of Our Lives will always work to stitch things back together in keeping with the Lord’s always-good purposes.

Oftentimes, when it feels like life is flying off the rails, God surprises you with unexpected joy, love, and hope – with a new beginning you never could have imagined! And sometimes, you need God to unravel you, for that is the start of God’s answers to your prayers for transformation and renewal.

Reverend Dr. Grant M. VanderVelden is pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Waukon. Sermons from his “Unraveled” series are available at FirstPresWaukon.com.

Rev. Dr. Grant M. VanderVelden
First Presbyterian Church
Waukon