Week 41—Wednesday Matthew 6:7-10
Matthew 6:7-10
LIVING IN A STATE OF YESNESS TO GOD
We are considering the fact that the Christian faith is not a creed to be believed, but an offer to be accepted. This is important. On my way out to India fifty-four years ago, a chaplain on board ship spoke of the beauty of the Prayer Book prayers and then added, “But you don’t believe God answers prayer, do you?” Prayer is beautiful, but the Word become word, not the Word become flesh.
On the other hand, Sister Lila lives in a state of Yesness to God—and to life! She says, “Don’t ask me to do a thing unless you really want me to do it for I may say yes.” So you’re careful what you ask her to do. To live in a state of Yesness to God fits in with the revelation in Christ, for he is the Yes. “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him” (2 Cor. 1:20). Or as Moffatt puts it: “The divine ‘yes’ has at last sounded in him.” So when Sister Lila lives in a state of Yesness, she is but echoing the Divine yes in Jesus Christ. He has Yessed every promise of God and therefore it all waits the human Yes. To live in a state of Yesness is to live in a state of receptivity, drawing on God every moment for everything.
At a church supper, grace had been said and there was an awkward pause; no one wanted to be the first to begin; but the silence was broken by an impatient boy, “What are they waiting for?” And that is what we can say to ourselves and to the Christian world, “What are we waiting for?” The Yes has been sounded in Jesus. The Japanese have the custom of having grace, and then begin eating only when someone, or a number in unison call out: “I will take.” That “I will take” makes the word of food become flesh.
A judge said to me, “the wires are all connected and everything is ready, but I’m afraid to press the button.” Afraid of light coming into his darkness, afraid of fullness coming into his emptiness—afraid to say Yes to Jesus’ Yes.
O Divine Yes, you have thrown open the Resources of Divine Grace, and we stand fearful of taking those Resources. We plead our unworthiness when your worthiness is the very thing open to us. Forgive us our stupidity. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: Anyone can take. So whatever my limitations, I’ll not be short on taking.