Baptism of Our Lord C 2007

Isaiah 43:1-7

Psalm 29

Acts 8:14-17

Luke 3:15-17,21-22

One of my favorite spirituals is a song the great Mahalia Jackson made

famous: “Lord, Don’t Move This Mountain”.

            Lord don’t move this mountain
            Give me the strength to climb it
            Please don’t move that stumbling block
            But lead me Lord around it

            The way may not be easy
            You didn't say that it would be
            For when my tribulations get too light
            I tend to stray from thee.

            Lord don’t move this mountain
            Give me the strength to climb it
            Please don’t move that stumbling block
            But lead me Lord around it

How many times, when times are hard, do we just want the difficulty of life to disappear. “Take it away, God “ is our cry: “just make it go away!”

I remember a time when I had dug myself a hole so deep I didn’t think I’d ever see daylight again. It would have been wonderful if I could have snapped my finger or wiggled my nose and “ta da”. No more sleepless nights and insecurity.

But no, it wasn’t that easy. Life isn’t that easy. We get beaten up at work or stood up by a friend. We watch our parents grow old and feeble. We ache with our children as they make and lose friends.

We ache with the pain we see on TV, another funeral of another soldier. Another part of the world destroyed by an earthquake, another famine in another land, another lay-off closer to home.

You would think, God being God, the God of, say, the Psalm today…God would just put her foot down or clap her hands and clean it all up.

Then again, when I look back to those hard times, those are the times when I’ve grown the most. Those are the times I’ve learned to rely on God, to trust in a power outside myself.

(Refrain)

How is it for you? When do find yourself praying, really praying? Even a simple prayer like “give me strength, give me strength, give me strength.” Or Anne Lamott’s “Help me, help me, help me.”

Of all the prayers I’ve said: “Give me strength, give me strength, give me strength,” is the one that gets answered; every time. Sometimes that strength comes from a renewed sense of not being alone or from the aid of a friend, or a renewed charge on the patience battery…

And then, after the challenge has been met, the fear conquered, the fire walked through…we look back and see that surely the Lord was walking with us.

The same Lord who created us and formed us. The Lord who reminds us again and again (because we forget again and again) “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”

“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. “

Here is real comfort. From Isaiah. I love these verses and share them often.

And in the middle of today’s lesson is the simple line spoken by God: I love you.

This is a love that takes away our fear, a love stronger than death, a love that never lets us go.

“I love you” Says God. And like a good parent, God doesn’t take away the water or the fire from our lives, but walks with us through it. God accompanies us.

(Refrain)

We see that today in our Gospel reading as Jesus heads to the water to be baptized. Jesus is baptized by John in solidarity with us. God gets wet! And then even Jesus must walk through the fires of life. Even Jesus struggles with temptation, loss and misunderstandings. Even his own family doesn’t always understand him. Even his own town doesn’t believe him. Even his own people turn against him.

That same water of baptism marks our foreheads…that same fire is burnt into our souls. On the one hand, both water and fire cleanse us…the chaff, the dust is burnt away, washed away.

On the other hand, both water and fire challenge us…cause us to tremble with fear when life becomes overwhelming and unpredictable. When the water threatens to overtake us, the fire is about to burn us…we turn to God… and hold fast to this promise: Do not fear, I am with you… I love you.

So we can pass through the waters, and let it sweep away the extra baggage we all carry. And we can walk through the fire and let it burn away our barriers.

We can climb the mountains and go around the stumbling blocks with confidence. Knowing that the Lord is with us. And that we are with each other.

For we hold fast to the promises and the presence of God. When we are weak, we are held up by the strength of God. When we are tempted, we hold fast to God’s steadfast love. When we are struggling, God’s hands hold us up.

God doesn’t remove the mountains or the stumbling blocks. God doesn’t take away the deep waters or the raging fires.

But God goes with us through them.

(Refrain, 1^st verse, refrain)

Amen.