September 22, 2010 - Ecclesiasticus 39:12-15 & 32,33 - Praise

From the Apocryphal book of Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach:

"I have more on my mind to express;
I am full like the full moon.
Listen to me, my faithful children, and blossom
like a rose growing by a stream of water.
Send out fragrance like incense,
and put forth blossoms like a lily.
Scatter the fragrance, and sing a hymn of praise;
bless the Lord for all His works.
Ascribe majesty to His name
and give thanks to Him with praise,
with songs on your lips, and with harps;
...
So from the beginning I have been convinced of all this
and have thought it out and left it in writing:
All the works of the Lord are good,
and He will supply every need in its time."

Of all the books of the Apocrypha, I think I like Ecclesiasticus the best. There is such comfort there. Wherever I turn, there is reassurance that God is in control, God is in command, and what is required of me is not to battle (for the battle belongs to the Lord), but to praise. What is asked of me is to be like incense, a sweet fragrance to the Lord, a wafting of peace and an emissary of His love.

This passage especially speaks to me because I hate fighting. I hate battling. I hate conflict. I know sometimes all of those things are necessary in this world, but I hate it all the same. I would far rather see the good in people; spread the joy of the Lord wherever I go; be of good cheer and positive energy.

Sometimes it's important to stand up for what one believes in. It is important to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves, especially children and animals. It is important to speak truth to power, even when such truth is unpopular or rejected. God does not call us to be wimps. But even though He does call us to be warriors, in a sense, He does not call us to fight His battles for Him, and I am very aware of the seeming contradiction there.

If you've been following my blog for a while you'll remember this passage from "The Peaceable Kingdom" by Jan de Hartog. It is many years out of print now, but if you can find one in a used book store or at the library, I highly recommend it. Historical fiction, but based on fact, "The Peaceable Kingdom" is the story of how the Quakers got started. The beginning of the book details some of the life of George Fox, yes, but more than that it chronicles the life of Margaret Fell, with whom I identify.

At one point in the book, Margaret Fells' husband, in a desparate attempt to show her where her fascination with the Quakers will lead, takes her on a tour of the worst hell hole in all of England, the dungeons of Lancaster Castle. Children, huddled deep in the bowels of the castle, are particularly disturbing. Margaret runs to Fox, demanding an answer. How can a loving God allow such things to happen?

Fox's answer cuts to the chase, and has stayed in my heart for years. "Stop crying for proof of God's love! Prove it thyself! How else dost thou think He can manifest His love? Through nature? Through the trees, the clouds,the beasts in the field,the stars? No, only through beings capable of doing so: ourselves. In the case of those children in the cage, about to be hanged, it is thou He touched. All He has to reach those children is thee!"

So, yes, God calls us to fight a worldly fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. But he also calls us to be like His incense, spreading His love to all we meet. For in the end,
"All the works of the Lord are good, and He will supply every need in its time."

Blessings, Phoenix