Thursday, December 4, 2014

Thursday, December 4, 2014



Psalm 18:1–20   

Isaiah 2:12–22

1 Thessalonians 3:1–13
Luke 20:27–40

If you ever feel that you have lost hope, take comfort in the Compline liturgy as I have over the past eighteen months. There is a prayer in that liturgy which begins "Lord, it is night . . .", and there is a profound sense of hope in its conclusion: "The night heralds the dawn. Let us look expectantly to a new day, new joys, new possibilities.” That prayer has been an inspiration for me. It has been a hope-filled inspiration through some very dark times.

The Gospel of Luke for today speaks to me in a very different way than it will to most of you. Certainly the Sadducees wanted to make the concept of the resurrection look ridiculous by posing their question concerning the one bride and the seven brothers. Jesus put the Sadducees in their place having proven to them that their argument about the resurrection was wrong, and reminding them that God is a God of the living not of the dead. He is emphasizing God's promise to share with us His unending love and life eternal, an incredible promise which allows us to live right now in the joy and hope of the age to come. But it was also the message in verses 34-36 that resonates with me, where Jesus clearly states that the human relationships of marriage do not exist in the same way beyond death. However, I have a deep sense of hope and expectation for the God-defined relationships of the resurrection which I believe will transcend those of this age.


– Sandy Austin

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