Wednesday in the Fourth Week

Isaiah 49:8-15; Psalm 145:8-19; John 5:19-29

If you think Lenten transformation is about fear, spend some time with these readings.  It seems that Lent is about promises, reconciliation, hope, faith.  It’s about turning back to God, not with fear but with anticipation.

I admit that John doesn’t make it easy to hear that.  He talks about Jesus judging and the resurrection of condemnation, and centuries of vengeful preachers have made that their message.  But tucked in here is a promise.  “Whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise.  The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished.”  In fact, the Son can do “only what he sees the Father doing.”  Behind the patriarchal language we can hear Isaiah’s message: God can no more forget you than a woman can forget her nursing child.  Prisoners freed!  Travelers fed!  Roads built!  Heaven and earth singing!  Paralyzed people healed!  This is what God does.

Like Jesus’ accusers, we can look in another direction.  We can look with fear of judgment, and we can watch one another for signs of failure or treachery.  We can check to make sure everyone is obeying the laws.  And when Jesus comes, the judgment comes: you get what you ask for.  You wanted condemnation, rules followed, judgments carried out?  That’s how you will be treated.  You wanted release, forgiveness, jubilee, even at the cost of some confusion and mistakes?  That’s how you will be treated.

We can read these passages just as we live our lives.  When I focus on the logic of the words, I get lost: the Father doesn’t judge, but Jesus does; but Jesus only does what the Father does; but . . . .  I’m like the people who miss the healing for the carrying of the mat.  But when I focus on the love, on the promise, on the hope, I can hear that Jesus is the face of God, the action of God.  And I can hear that God loves me like a mother loves her child.  I hear that “The LORD is loving to everyone” (Ps. 145:9).  When I do that, I notice the signs of hope and healing.

What will you notice today?  Where will you focus?

A lot of people think God is love.  What if they’re right?