"Listen to
Me!"
a condensed version of the
sermon delivered by Rev. Kirk Moore on Father's Day, Sunday, June 17, 2007 at Union Congregational Church in Somonauk, Illinois.
|
Listen to me!
I have something important to say! I want to teach you something! I need you to follow my instructions! Why are you rolling your eyes? Of course I thought that joke was funny! Please turn off your iPod. Can you pause the DVR for a second so I can talk to you? Well, then, tell them you’ll call them back later and hang up the phone. 9:00 am is sleeping in – Noon is just wasting away the day! Do you understand?
Just like Shadrach showed us this morning during the Children’s sermon – these are the words of fathers trying to get their teenage children to listen to them. But we do get a day to celebrate being a Dad.
Last month I talked about the origin of Mother’s Day in the United States. Here’s the background on Father’s Day.
It was first held on Sunday, July 5, 1908, in Fairmont, West Virginia at Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South, now known as Central United Methodist Church.
Grace Golden Clayton is credited with suggesting the day in memory of 361 men killed in a nearby mine explosion the prior December. It’s also possible that the 1908 celebration of Mother’s day was also involved.
Others say that the true inspiration behind Father’s day came from Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd. Her father was widowed at a young age and raised six children as a single father in Spokane, Washington. That father’s day was celebrated June 19, 1910. It was an unofficial celebration until 1972 when Richard Nixon recognized it as an official holiday.
Like mother’s day – the origins of Father’s day have nothing to do with card-store or hardware store or necktie store conspiracies. It comes as a memorial for fathers lost and as a tribute to fathers raising their children.
And yes, it’s true what I’ve heard from other parents. The ability of my voice to be heard by my children grows weaker and weaker year after year. I’ve also heard that children’s hearing improves around age 24 or 25.
Can you hear me now? Listen to me!
A few years back I had a conversation with UCC president and general minister John Thomas. He told me about a new campaign that the UCC was about to begin. It was going to remind people that "God is Still Speaking." He told me about Bible studies and posters and banners and a website and evangelism materials. I was energized thinking about the possibilities.
He also mentioned something else. He said that later a second campaign would begin – reminding people that "God is Still Listening." I don’t know if that campaign ever got moving – or if I’m ruining some kind of future surprise by mentioning it. But the phrase "God is Still Listening" has stuck with me.
I believe that no matter what we say – what we think – how happy or sad we are – God listens to us. I think it is the same way the Book of Job describes God listening. For chapter after chapter, Job complained to God. Job had had everything taken away. Job felt like everything was going against him and he was mad at God for letting it happen.
We’ve been there, right? We’ve cried out to God – "Listen to me!" Don’t turn away from me – I have something to say to you! Why don’t you do something about all of this? Why aren’t you listening?
It’s like this morning’s Psalm. "Give ear to my words, O LORD; give heed to my sighing. Listen to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you I pray. O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch."
Those words, a morning lament that God’s followers have long sung and read in preparation for the day, communicate real feelings of loneliness and hope. And as I read them, I really do believe that God is still listening today.
But I guess I'm not always sure of it.
I’m a person who asks questions and who struggles and who trusts that God understands all my feelings.
Sometimes I do wonder – Is God listening? Is anyone listening? Are my thoughts and prayers only heard in my own mind? Is God really guiding me or am I just living my life talking to something that’s not there at all?
Questions like that aren’t always staring me in the face, but I’d be lying if I said that I’m always completely sure – that I know that I know that God is present, speaking, and listening.
I think the writers of the Psalms had similar questions in their minds at times too. Reading their words and seeking to understand their thoughts give me comfort. I see faithful people from the past with similar doubts. Yet they, and I, still look to God for guidance, inspiration, justice and love.
"Listen to me!" It’s our human plea, right? We want to know that God hears us.
There’s another side of this listening, though. We cry out – "God, listen to me!"
I think God says the same thing. "Listen to me!"
I want to talk about Job again. After Job complained – presented his case to God, God responded. Here’s the first thing he said:
Job 38:3: Brace yourself, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.
That’s a lot like – "Listen to me." Maybe it’s a little stronger – like "Shut up and listen to me."
How do we do that?
That’s our challenge for the week. Let’s try this:
- Read your Bible
- Pay attention to the thoughts that direct you to do things that show love for others.
- Spend time in silence – thinking about nothing at all.
- Spend time in silence – thinking only a phrase like, "God guide me today."
- Through any doubts, decide to trust that God has something to reveal – God has something to say.
I doubt that God will show up in the back seat of your car like in Evan Almighty (That’s the film I talked about a few weeks back. It comes out this Friday. The arkalmighty good deeds program it inspired is linked on our church website – and our website just got a partial facelift – take a look at unioncongregational-ucc.org . . . but I digress.)
I doubt that God will show up in the back seat of your car like in Evan Almighty, but I do believe God will show up.
We can and will still cry out to God, "Listen to me!"
I trust that God does – and that God has so much in store for us. I believe that no matter what we do or say God can show us – but I also believe that God asks us to be open to what it is God is saying. God calls us – and says -- in a loud voice- in a soft voice - in a still, small voice - in whatever way God wants to --"Listen to me."
Close with prayer.
© 2007 Union Congregational Church, All Rights Reserved