All God’s critters got a place in the choir
Some sing low, some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
And some just clap their hands, or paws
Or anything they got.
(Bill
Staines)
A
couple of weeks ago, PH mentioned that she had heard this song and wondered if
I had ever heard it before. I just
smiled and stated that it was one of the popular songs that I had learned in
church camp . . . and, that I enjoyed making the noises of the various animals
mentioned in the song . . . the cow goes moo, the coyote howls, and the owl
hoots. I also said that it would be a
fun one for the choir and congregation to learn. But, as much fun as it would be for the choir
and congregation to learn the song, it would be better if we all learned to
embrace the simple theology of the song—all God’s critters have a place in the
choir. Or to put it even in simpler
terms, all God’s creation is a part of the family—we all belong.
I
don’t think that there are any here this morning that would disagree with that
theology—that everyone has a place in God’s family . . . in God’s
heart—everyone. Think about what that
means when we say “everyone”. It means
that everyone—not just those who are like us in the way that we live, think, work,
and play, but everyone. It means that
people who are of different races, genders, economic levels, educational level,
abilities and disabilities. It means who
think differently than we do politically . . . Democrats, Republicans, and
Independents. It means Griz fans and
Bobcats fans . . . and, even us snooty Nebraska Cornhusker fans. It means those people who are there on the
fringes of our society . . . the borderland people . . . the people in the
shadows . . . the forgotten people. They
all belong . . . they all have a place in the choir. Together we make beautiful music.
That has been the theme of the scriptures . . . the adventure of God . .
. since the very beginning . . . to bring the family together. In the stories of the Old Testament we hear
over and over again this theme played out as the people of God try to
understand their place in the family. In
the New Testament, Jesus speaks over and over again about bringing the children
of God together in God’s family . . . that we are all one in God. And, through the grace of God, displayed in
Christ, this is all possible . . . but, grace is only the first step through
the door . . . it is what shows us the possibility of what could be . . . what
Jesus refers to as the “kingdom of God”. Getting there is the adventure . . . an
adventure that has it highlights, lowlights, ups and downs, ins and outs, and
lots of days in which we wonder if we will ever know and experience that
promise of God’s kingdom. Jesus never
promised that it would be easy.
Thus there is a requirement that comes with the grace that we receive,
and that requirement is faith. We have
to have faith if we are going to fulfill the call of God to bring the choir
together . . . to be God’s family.
Without faith it will never happen.
The writer of our scripture reading this morning reiterates this over
and over again in the words that are written.
The writer reminds the listeners of the story of their journey . . .
reminds them of the stories of faith . . . reminds them that it was only
through faith that they will succeed.
The writer tells of those heroes of the family who—in dire
situations—remained faithful to the will of God. The writer speaks of the children fleeing
Egypt and now they believed that God would take care of them . . . and, God
did. Reminded them of how the battle of
Jericho went down with the walls of that city . . . how Rahab, Gideon, David,
and all the prophets made it through difficult times because they kept the faith
despite the odds.
Through
the history of the people the writer shares stories of faith, but is not
content to only look back at old history.
The writer shares stories of faith that are more recent . . . stories
that speak of those who were persecuted and killed in the not so long ago past. Speaks of their suffering and
imprisonment. These are the people they
know . . . people who have lived with . . . and, it is their faith that will
get the job done despite how terrible life might be and how difficult the
journey is. Faith gets the job done.
This writing is written to encourage to who hear it. The journey of faith, as I have said many
times, is not an easy one. There are difficulties
that occur . . . there are setbacks . . . there are moments when we wonder
whether or not we are even on the right path . . . moments when we feel as if
we are alone and there is no way out of the darkness we call life. Times when we feel persecuted . . . ignored .
. . or forgotten. Thus it is that the
writer wants to encourage the listeners . . . to encourage us, to keep the
faith. To keep the faith that one day
God’s family will be reunited and restores, that the choir will be in place.
So
it is in the end of our reading that the writer reminds us, we are not the
first to tread this path, nor are we going to be the last . . . there were
those who came before us . . . those who kept the faith. Through their witness the listener is called
to remain faithful to that which God has called all to do . . . “Therefore,”
writes the writer, “since you are surrounded by such a great
cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that
so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for
us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the
author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the
cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of
God.” Yes, even Jesus is a part
of that great cloud of witnesses from which we are to grab our inspiration.
So
it is, we are reminded that we have a place in God’s heart . . . God’s
family. We all have a place in God’s
choir . . . that is our goal, that is our inheritance as the children of
God. All of us . . . everyone. As the children of God we are called to bring
the family together as one. It is not an
easy job, but we have before us a great cloud of witnesses who have blazed the
trail for us to bring us to this moment this morning. It was through their faith and faithfulness
that we are here today. Thus we are to
have faith . . . faith will accomplish that which God has called us to be.
It's a simple song of livin' sung everywhere
By the ox and the fox and the grizzly bear
Grumpy alligator and the hawks above
Sly raccoon and the turtle dove.
All God's critters got a place in the choir
Some sing low, some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
And some just clap their hands, or paws
Or anything they got.
Have faith and it will be. Amen.
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