Rev. Linda B. Hirst

October 14, 2001

Text: "Come and see what God has done!"
   - from Psalm 66:1-12
 

 Come and see what God has done!

 I love this verse from the psalmist because it is an invitation, an invitation to see God at work in the world, to see God at work in our lives.  Come and see what God has done!  He is awesome in his work among mortals.

 The whole psalm is a hymn - a hymn of great praise and rejoicing - written sometime during the reign of King David  almost 3000 years ago.  It was sung by the Israelites as they entered the temple to worship God - much as we sing an opening hymn at the beginning of our worship.

 And just as our hymns and our anthems recount God’s wonderful works; for example our opening hymn today proclaims the mighty power of God that made the mountains rise, that filled the earth with food, that created and ordered all creation - their psalms - their hymns did the same thing.

 Come and see what God has done.
 He turned the sea into dry land;
 they passed through the river on foot.  There we rejoiced in him,
 who rules by his might forever.

 Here the psalmist is recounting the Israelites deliverance from Egypt.  How God through Moses led their ancestors out of slavery.  And how when they came to the Red Sea,  Moses lifted his staff (I always think of Charleton Heston at this point).  How he lifted his staff and the waters parted and the people of God passed through the sea on foot. When they reached the other side,  Miriam, Moses’ sister led them in song and together they rejoiced and gave God thanks.

 Come and see what God has done!

 Later on in the hymn, the psalmist remembers how the Israelites were tested, how they went through fire and water in their journey as God’s people.  Which is true.  They did not have an easy road.  Being chosen,  being one of God’s people does not mean life is  easy.

 For the Israelites it meant suffering under Pharaoh’s rule for many years.  Then when they were finally delivered from Pharaoh they wandered in the wilderness for forty years.  And it wasn’t always happy wandering.  People were hungry and tired, they whined and fussed and they rebelled.  There were battles with other tribes, other kings and their armies along the way.  The Israelites were wondering, just who is this God that keeps testing them like this and where is this promised land Moses keeps talking about.    Some people wanted out, wanted to go back to Egypt because at least there they knew what their lot in life was.  In the wilderness it was anyoneís guess.  It was not an easy journey.

 But God did not let their feet slip.  And eventually they did make it to the promised land.  Eventually, God brought them to a spacious place - a place where they had enough.  In Hebrew the word means satiated.  They had their fill - they had what they  needed.

 And after all that,  the Israelites knew they could look back on their lives as a people of God, look back on history and see how God acted acted in their lives, in their world and know that no matter what happened to them on their journey from hereonin, no matter how low the lows were, how tough things got, they would be o.k.  Because God was with them.

 Come and see what God has done!

 Well, because we believe the Bible is alive with God’s holy Word.  Because we believe the scriptures speak to us throughout the ages, the words of the psalmist have meaning for us, too.

 And I think now is a good time to hear those words, to remind ourselves that God is awesome in his deeds among men and women.  To remind ourselves that this journey we’re on as God’s people isn’t always easy.  And sometimes our faith is tested and sometimes we do have to walk through fire and water but through it all God will not let our feet slip. God will indeed bring us out to a spacious place.

 Which is something I think we discovered during this past month, especially in our worship together.   I was talking to Wendell the other day and I was commenting on how God seemed to give us just what we needed in our worship each Sunday since the tragedy of September 11th.  I could look back and see how God had  been at work in our church and in our lives.

 Beginning with that first Sunday.  We were gathered here to reassure ourselves that the world wasn’t falling apart - we needed to come together and know God was still here, still a part of our lives.  And the choir anthem that Sunday - which had been chosen months before as it turns out - was "God is our Refuge and our Strength", an anthem taken from Psalm 46 which reassures us of God’s protection during times of great trouble.  And we certainly needed to hear that then - just as we do now.

 The following Sunday we were told that "We are the Light of the World." That in the midst of evil and despair there is goodness all around us - and our high school youth group shared with us pictures and stories from the heart from their mission trip to Kentucky and they reminded us that the light which is Christ - that light which is in each of us - cannot and will not be extinguished.

 And the anthem the choir sang that week - again chosen months ago - was "There is a Balm in Gilead - to make the wounded whole.  If you cannot preach like Peter, you cannot pray like Paul, you can tell the love of Jesus, who died to save us all".  There is comfort and healing for all who need it and we all need it.  There is a balm in Gilead.

 The next Sunday in worship we heard  about healthy and unhealthy religion - and what a healthy religion, what a good religion  looks like.  And it looks like this:  people coming together to worship God, to draw strength from and give strength to one another,  people praying for all those in need, praying for peace, people helping each other here and in New York City, people comforting each other, and loving one another.  That is what healthy religion looks like.

 And last weekís sermon, "Be not afraid."  Through scripture word and song we heard what we all needed to hear; that faith is more powerful than fear.

 When you pass through the waters I will be with you;
 and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
 when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned,
 and the flame shall not consume you.  For I am the Lord your God.

 Powerful words, reassuring words from the prophet Isaiah.   And when Rich and Wendell sang that song? I don’t think there was a dry eye in the place. Be not afraid.  I go before you always.  Come follow me and I will give you rest.  It helped. I think everyone left the church last week comforted, encouraged and unafraid.

 Come and see what God has done,  invites the psalmist.  Come and see God at work in our world.  Come and see God at work in our lives.

 Because God is at work. In those great monumental moments like the parting of the Red Sea,  in the birth of a savior in a lowly manger,  and in his life, death and resurrection.

 And God is at work in those rather ordinary moments as well, those ordinary everyday moments that make up most of our lives.  In fact I think that’s where most of God’s awesome deeds happen:

 A few weeks ago our cancer support group was meeting and the mood was incredibly sad as we shared our sorrow and pain and despair about what had happened at the World Trade Centers.  And as we talked and our mood grew more somber, all of sudden the children’s choir was let out of practice and they came rushing outside into the sunshine outside, screaming and laughing, their joyful noise filling the room where we sat.  For a moment we were silent, listening to their innocence, listening to  life.  And one by one we began to smile.  And in that moment we were reminded that although right now we are walking through fire and water, God will not let our feet slip, and we will be brought out to a spacious place.

 Most of God’s awesome deeds are happening right here, right now.  In our homes with our families, in our work,
 as we gather together with friends, as we gather together as this church.  We will see them in our resting, in our playing,  at Harvest Fest, the church fair and even in Attic Treasures.  We will see them if we look,  as we reach out and care  for one another, as we break bread together, as we worship together. (And we will see God at work especially when the children’s choir sings.)

 I want to share with you my favorite quote - I try to share it with you at least once a year:
}  It’s from Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the English poet and it goes like this:

 Earth is crammed with heaven and every common bush aflame
 with God .  Only those who see take off their shoes.  All the rest sit round it   picking blackberries.

 Come and see what God has done.  Come and be renewed in your faith.  Come and be strengthened for your journey.   Come and be amazed.

 And then come and rejoice!

 Let us pray:

  Make a joyful noise to God all the earth, the psalmist writes. Sing the glory of his name. Give to him glorious praise.  So we praise you, O God, for all your mighty works.  Give us, your children, a loving spirit, courage and strength for the journey of discipleship and faith to love and serve you with all our hearts.  We praise you and give you thanks for all that you have done and all that you will do in our world and in our lives.

Amen.

Rev. Linda B. Hirst