December 21, 2021 — Isaiah 15:5-9 — “Green-Eyed Monster”

“My heart cries out over Moab; her fugitives flee as far as Zoar, as far as Eglath Shelishiyah. They go up the hill to Luhith, weeping as they go; on the road to Horonaim they lament their destruction. The waters of Nimrim are dried up and the grass is withered; the vegetation is gone and nothing green is left. So the wealth they have acquired and stored up they carry away over the Ravine of the Poplars. Their outcry echoes along the border of Moab; their wailing reaches as far as Eglaim, their lamentation as far as Beer Elim. The waters of Dimon are full of blood, but I will bring still more upon Dimon—a lion upon the fugitives of Moab and upon those who remain in the land.” Isaiah 15:5-9 

“Green-eyed monster:”If you are not familiar with William Shakespeare, then you may not know that he coined a bounty of idioms and expressions still used by English speakers today. His tragic drama “Othello” first referenced a “green-eyed monster,” alluding to the jealousy and betrayal at the narrative’s center. Where we might expect this vision to be of a toothy “Green Eyed” terror that most people conjure up today, the Bard actually used a cat — seemingly playing with its captured meal before consumption. 

Look, I have cats….and they can give you a look where you wonder if they are considering the ways to kill you — or wanting you to know you have woken them from nap number eight. But, more to the biblical text, I am always interested in the colors that are referenced in the original texts, and how we use those colors in the church today. The color Green has a significant role in church liturgical functions — it represents the long “Pentecost” season, the longest in the liturgical celebrations and representations. Green is used for the long period of “Ordinary” time, as well as a symbol of growth — as referenced in the text from Isaiah, but also the fact that it is used during the growth of the church in the season of Pentecost. I guess Satan would be the most important “Green-Eyed Monster” in the biblical text — the one who wants to eat away at your soul. Your cats, well, if you keep them fed, they will leave you alone.

Let us pray,

Lord Christ, help me to know the real “Green-eyed Monster” and to keep him away by reading your word and allowing you to lead and guide me. Amen.

Pastor Dave 

December 20, 2021 — “The White Elephant” — Ecclesiastes 1:2-11 

“Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What do people gain from all the toil at which they toil under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises and the sun goes down, and hurries to the place where it rises. The wind blows to the south, and goes around to the north; round and round goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they continue to flow. All things are wearisome; more than one can express; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, or the ear filled with hearing. What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It has already been, in the ages before us. The people of long ago are not remembered, nor will there be any remembrance of people yet to come by those who come after them.” Ecclesiastes 1:2-11 

White elephant:” The “white elephant” gift concept has morphed into a phrase associated with tacky gift swaps, sometimes made at church outings — other times at school or other social functions. It originally stems from literal “white elephants”, which South Asian royalty often kept as vanity pets. In contemporary language, the White Elephant encompasses anything huge and expensive that requires more money than its actual value to maintain. 

“Vanity of vanities: all is vanity.” This is one of the statements the writer of the Book of Ecclesiastes makes in this Old Testament book. The pointlessness of human activity is the major theme of the book — at least at the beginning — until the author comes to realize like Job, that G-d’s laws must be kept, whether keeping them results in happiness or suffering. We all need to remember that G-d “…causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:45) There will be times where we are down, and will feel as if G-d is “kicking us” — that all is vanity and pointless. But, we need to place our faith and trust on the sovereign nature of G-d — that G-d has everything worked out — and, like Job states in the midst of his own suffering: “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away — blessed be the name of the Lord.” 

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, sometimes we feel as if all is vanity. Help us to remember that you always want the best for us, and that you will defend us on our good days, and our bad. Amen.

Pastor Dave