Willie

Scottish audio version here

Romans 9:23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory (NIV)

I had a friend in High School who was called Willie. He was a good guy, who never caused any trouble nor brought any harm to anyone. We used to meet every morning on our way to school and as we walked the mile long distance, we would talk about football, television, and, sometimes, girls.

Willie was fascinated with machines. He wasn’t very academic, but in woodwork and metalwork classes, he outshone the rest of us. I liked him and enjoyed his company, and looked forward to walking to and back from school each day.

Well, one morning Willie didn’t appear and I just presumed he was sick. It was influenza season, so I just naturally supposed that Willie was back home in bed, suffering from the ravages and discomfort of the flu. But when I reached the school yard, I could tell that things were wrong. One of my other friends came up to me and said, “Did you hear about Willie? He got arrested for making a bomb. He tried to blow up the Catholic chapel!”

I was struck dumb with disbelief. My quiet friend had been a secret terrorist and I never suspected anything.

The incident was all over the news that night and in the front page of the newspaper the next day. Willie was taken away to a special detention center, where he remained for several years. I wanted to go and see him, but my parents wouldn’t allow me. They didn’t want me to be tarnished with Willie’s poor choices.

Years later, I met Willie at our local community center. He had changed, but our friendship was still evident. He smiled at me quietly and we shared some stories. We never talked about the bomb incident or his jail time. He just wanted to put all of that in the past. He had been a model prisoner and the authorities released him early. He was now working in the community center, helping troubled kids avoid the pitfalls of anger and extremism. He was at peace with himself and the world. He was a given a second chance to redeem himself and he took it.

The mercy of God has the quality of wiping out our past mistakes and granting us the opportunity to begin again. All of us are selfish and sinful; we all fall short of God’s expectations. But instead of making us the objects of His wrath and punishment, He gives us Jesus, His Holy Son, as the One who can forgive our misdeeds and restore us to God’s unending love.

Isn’t that why we call Jesus “Savior?” Isn’t that we address Him as “Lord?”

Prayer: Lord Jesus, today we remember those in prison who regret their past mistakes and crimes. We pray that You will surround them with good people, compassionate pastors, and merciful authorities. May those who choose to change their lives be given opportunities to redeem the damage they have caused and return to our communities as helpful citizens. And may we receive them gladly and uncritically back into our midst. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Babylon 02 - Secret Messages

Scottish accent audio version here

1 Peter 5:13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. (NIV)

We tend to forget that our Christian ancestors lived in troubled times and underwent terrible persecutions. This meant that some of their activities and communications had to be kept secret. This verse is encoded with a secret message that only other Christians would understand.

“She who is in Babylon” – what does it mean? Someone that Peter couldn’t name who was secretly working in Persia? Was he referring to Mary the mother of Jesus on a covert mission in Iraq? Did he mean Mary Magdalene and was she doing some sort of undercover work in the Middle East?

As much as these suggestions sound intriguing, the answer is less complicated. The “she” is the Church, the Mother Church. “Babylon” is the Christian code word for “Rome.” So Peter is writing about the underground church that was flourishing in Rome – a church that met in secret underneath the city in the catacombs.

Peter knew that his letters could have been intercepted, read by the Roman authorities, thus bringing their wrath upon the Christian community. Anyone caught with the letter would have been treated like an insurgent, a home-grown terrorist if you like. And if Rome had been specifically mentioned, it would have brought death to the messenger. So, Peter encrypts the end of the letter with a greeting to tell the recipients that, despite persecution, the church in Rome was still flourishing.

It’s not everyday that we get to read spy mail, but today’s passage from Peter’s letter is just that. It really humbles me to think that the first Christians, who practiced the same faith that I have, had to be careful about what they wrote, said, or sent. They were all true heroes and heroines in my book. They were all true believers of Christ.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we really have an easy time when it comes to matters of faith. We can worship when we like, read scripture without interruption, and even pray without fear of being watched, betrayed, or persecuted. We take our religious freedom for granted and forget the true price of our faith.

Help us to remember that there are others in our world whose Christian faith will cost them their families, their careers, and even their lives today. Keep us from becoming blasé about what our Christians beliefs really mean. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.