Bringing the Presence of God back!

Homily – Sunday, the 14th July 2024

Reading: 2 Samuel 6.1-5,12b-19

I was watching the swearing in of the new MPs in the United Kingdom and one question that was first asked to each was- do you wish to swear or affirm. Several of the Generation Z MP’s opted to affirm and had no place for God or the Bible in their taking oath. Yes there were even MP’s taking oath under protest. That being said, we also had smart young MP’s boldly answering – “swear” with the King James Version of the Bible and in the name of God.

I wrote in my Chaplain’s Letter this month about “Translating God” a new research initiative from Youthscape and authorized by our Diocesan Synod exploring how young people understand and respond to the story of Christianity.

In the report that is expected in Spring 2024 they try to place how the lives of young people are changing around us and what their expectations are from the church. Their understanding of Christian belief and faith is often much more profound than what the elderly percieve. Someone now needs to listen to them, to their stories, their aspirations, their expectations. We need to understand their expressions of dissatisfaction with what they experience in church today. We need to listen to them as to what would be the change they want in the church. The research is expected to give us practical suggestions for the way forward. The question is how do we bring God back to the centre stage of our discourses.

The Ark of the Covenant

In 2 Samuel 6 we read about David bringing the ark of the Covenant to the city of David- Jerusalem.

For those of us who are not very familiar with the story of the ark- here is a brief narrative. When the Israelites were led out of bondage in Egypt and were wandering through the wilderness it became important for them to have a visible manifestation of the presence of God. The Arc of the covenant was a wooden chest that was built covered in gold which had a mercy seat covering it and in the chest they placed the tablets of the ten commandments, the rod of Aaron and a pitcher of Manna. As the Israelites moved the presence of God moved with them. When they encamped a separate tent was erected for the ark and was called the Tabernacle. At the end of a meandering journey as they crossed over river Jordan as the people holding the ark touched the waters it parted ways for them to move. The ark went around the walls of Jericho before it fell. Israelites reached Canaan and the ark was placed in a sanctuary in Siloah. When the Philistines attacked the Israelites brought it out in the hope that it would be a talisman for their victory. But they lost. Hophni and Phinehas the sons of Eli were killed, Hearing the news Eli also died. The ark was captured. When Phinehas’ wife gave birth to a child they named the child Ichabod- the glory of God has vanished from Israel. Even the mother died at child birth. However that turned out to be a bad omen for the Philistines and calamity struck. They moved the ark to Ashdod, Gath and Ekron where the bubonic plague struck. In Ashdod they placed the ark in the sanctuary of Dogan but that sanctuary was also destroyed with the image of Dogan falling over. The Philistines wanted to get rid of the ark and they placed it in on a cart run by two milking cows and the ark thus reached its temporary home in Keriath Jarim where it lodged for 24 years. With the era of Saul wading and David establishing himself he decided to establish Jerusalem which did not belong to any tribe as his city- the city of David and decided to bring the Ark- the presence of God to the city.

Later Solomon after building the Jerusalem temple placed it at the central place of the temple calling it the Holiest of Holies. When the Babylonians destroyed the temple they took away the Ark of the Covenant and like any colonial power destroying the key identity symbols of the colonized they are believed to have taken it from the possibility of restoration.

Return of the Presence of the Lord

Bringing God Back to the Centre of the Life of the People could have been obe of the motives of David. He looked and realized how God had raised a small shepherd boy to who he was today and therefore wanted to acknowledge God and give God due space and reverence. People have responded differently to this motif of David but he did bring the ark back.  

As the chapter begins David along with 30,000 men goes and fetches the ark from where it was for 24 years. In every step of your life there is one crucial question that is important. What are your priorities? What is the place of God and God’s plan in your life?

Priorities is a theme that is still at vogue with the new generations as it is with the older.

Taking about the very nature of our life Francis Chan once said “Following Christ isn’t something that can be done halfheartedly or on the side. It is not a label we can display when it is useful. It must be central to everything we do and are.” It was Brian Houston who said- “You’ll never come second by putting God first.” The renowned preacher Oswald Chambers writes  “Your priorities must be God first, God second, and God third, until your life is continually face to face with God.”

The Joy in the Presence of the Lord.

We find David dancing in the presence of the Lord with songs, lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets and cymbals.

It was A W Tozer who said- Nothing in or of this world measures up to the simple pleasure of experiencing the presence of God. A W Tozer. If you truly realise the presence of God it is ecstatic. Divine Love fills in you and it over flows and we sing “Its bubbling, its bubbling in my soul”.

Max Lucado reminds us We (Christians) are always in the presence of God. There is never a non-sacred moment! His presence never diminishes. Our awareness of His presence may falter, but the reality of His presence never changes.

There are moments of reckoning when we experience this presence in a very personal way and your joy bursts forth. Dancing becomes spontaneous. You have a new song that comes from the heart and you mean what you sing. All the musical instruments you could get hold of becomes part of your worship. Genuine worship cannot be boring as long as you have God in your heart.

One of the criticisms the Anglican Church has faced during colonial times is that it took away the local musical traditions and introduced alien musical patterns. The piano and the organ were not common in several of our contexts. In my context they used the tabla, the mridangam, the sittar, the sarangi, the veena and an array of indegeneous instruments. The missionary called it pagan and insisted church music meant organ music or Western music. The church worship patterns became like potted plants- alien to the local culture.

A post colonial restructuring of worship patterns and methods are being debated where local becomes the focal point along with the heart cultures of people in the worshipping communities. That aside there was JOY in worship.

The setting in its place of the Presence of the Lord

David and his team brought the ark and set in its place in the tent that was set apart for the same. It surely was going to be a temporary dwelling place for the presence of God. But nevertheless, it found a place in their midst.

We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito. (CS Lewis)

If the presence of God is in the church, the church will draw the world in. If the presence of God is not in the church, the world will draw the church out. (Charles Finny).

Houses of God, where the presence of God dwelt in its opulence were once the mark of Europe and the West. But today several churches are being closed down. This is not a reality far away from us.

Just before our service today the Petrus Paulose community met to discuss n important matter regarding this building that we use. My counterpart wrote to inform me that this building is in red- its future is going to be debated and discussed and decided upon in due time. What does it mean when we say- a church building is in red and is not sure whether it would be feasible to exist in a couple of years time unless emergency alert buttons are pressed. What is happening to our societies.

A recent survey claims that though one in two people in Germany are Christians the Sunday Church attendance rate was only 4.3% among Catholics and 3% among Protestants. In 1953 80% of marriages were celebrated in Churches and in 2020 it was less than 20%. Does this ring an alarm bell. (Le Monde July 13, 2024)

There could be several reasons for this decline and mass exodus, for the disinterest of a major of people in the God talk and the life of the church, and that should be in itself a motivation for us to bring back and set in place the presence of God.

The Experience of the Presence of the Lord

When the tabernacle was erected in Jerusalem and the ark put in place the rejoicing of David continues. Three words that are key to the presence of the Lord should be carefully looked at.

In the presence of the Lord was the offering of well-being of ALL. One of the primary concerns of the community of God is the well-being of all. This includes physical, mental, emotional, economic, social, professional, and spiritual well-being along with other aspects.

It was this concern and commitment to well-being that prompted the church to enter mission areas like health care, education, economic stability, community development, environmental stability, social inclusion, mental health support, accessible public services. It is the deep desire for the well being of all that encourages us to be concerned about the refugees, the migrant workers, the asylum seekers and those in the margins and edges of society.

One of the slogans of the church should always be- Well-being of ALL

In the presence of the Lord was blessing of all the people

The blessing of God cannot be quantified. When we count our blessings and name them one by one we are all overwhelmed. There is health and healing, guidance and wisdom, provision and protection, love, joy and inner peace, forgiveness, grace and spiritual growth, hope, encouragement and talent enrichment.

Each one of us comes to the presence of God expecting different sets of blessings and we are all called to share this blessing to those around.

The community of God is therefore a blessing community

In the presence of the Lord was sharing food among ALL people

Sharing was always the key defining identity of the people of God. They wanted to ensure that no one around them went hungry. Hospitality was the very nature of the community of God.

The Eucharist that we would be participating today is a reminded to each one of us inviting us to live a life of sharing. From Manna to the feeding of the 5000 sharing food is part of Biblical narratives. Community meals were aimed at breaking down social barriers and promoting equality and inclusiveness. It marked the sharing of life itself.

Conclusion

What then are the lessons the ark of the covenant brings to our attention today.

Ichabod- the glory of the Lord has gone away from among us- Is this a reality in several lives around us and if so how do we restore the central space of God in the lives of individuals and communities.

Is there genuine joy in our worship experiences today?

Is it time for us as a church to set the house in order giving God the priority that is due unto God

How does the presence of God manifest itself in the way we conduct ourselves before the world around us.

If the Spirit of the Lord is in my soul

Like David the shepherd I will SING, I will DANCE, I will PRAY

Vinod Victor

July 14, 2024